The Order of battle, Keren 1941 shows Italian army forces that participated in the

Battle of Keren The Battle of Keren ( it, Battaglia di Cheren) took place from 3 February to 27 March 1941. Keren was attacked by the British during the East African Campaign of the Second World War. A force of Italian regular and colonial troops defended th ...

from February to March 1941 and British troops in Sudan on 20 January 1941, which participated in military operations against Eritrea during the East African Campaign 1940–1941.

''Regio Esercito'' at Keren, 1941

7 February 1941

* Zelale Sector: Colonel Francesco Prina ** 52nd Colonial Battalion (11th Brigade) ** 9th Colonial Battalion (2nd Brigade) ** 1 Battery, 81 mm mortars * Sanchil Sector: Colonel Corsi ** 2nd Grenadier Battalion ** "Tipo" Colonial Battalion ** 51st Colonial Battalion ** 97th Colonial Battalion ** 3rd Bersagliere Battalion ** 104th Artillery Group ** 10th Anti-Tank Battery, 5th Artillery Group, 4 miscellaneous anti-tank guns * Mount Amba Sector: Colonel Adolfo Oliveti ** 56th Colonial Battalion (11th Brigade) ** 63rd Colonial Battalion (11th Brigade) ** 106th Colonial Battalion (5th Brigade) ** 2nd Artillery Group ** 1st Battalion, Garrison Commanders Reserve ** 10th Colonial Battalion ** 4th "Toselli" Colonial Battalion

5 March 1941

* Begana Zelale-Falestoh Sector: ** 11th Colonial Brigade ** 51st, 52nd, 56th, 63rd Battalion ** 44th Artillery Group ( 65/17 guns, camel transported) ** 1 Battery, 75 mm/13 guns * Dologorodoc–Sanchil Sector: ** 2nd Grenadier Battalion ** "Tipo" Colonial Battalion ** 11th Artillery Group (65/17 guns) ** 5th Artillery Group (65/17 guns) ** Anti-Aircraft Battery (20 mm guns) ** Anti-Tank Battery ( 47/32 guns) * Mount Amba–Brig's Peak–Rotunda Sector: ** 5th Colonial Brigade ** 97th & 106th Battalion ** Alpini "Work Amba" Battalion ** 5th Colonial Battalion ** 1st/60th Artillery Group (65 mm/17 guns) ** Artillery Group ( 105 mm/28 howitzers) ** Anti-Aircraft Battery (75 mm/27 Ck guns) * Samana (Beit–Garbru–Dobac) Sector: ** 12th Colonial Brigade ** 36th, 41st & 103rd Battalions ** 77 mm/28 Battery ** 65 mm/17 Battery ** 4th Colonial Battalion * Northern Sector: ** 2nd Colonial Brigade ** 9th, 10th & 151st Battalion ** 6th Colonial Brigade ** 19th, 24th, 31st & 34th Battalion ** 44th Black Shirt Battalion ** 2nd Artillery Group (65 mm/17 guns) ** 6th Artillery Group (65 mm/17 guns) ** 13th Artillery Group (65mm/17 guns) ** 2 Batteries (77 mm/28 guns) * Garrison Commander's Reserve ** 11th Black Shirt Legion (2 battalions) ** 44th Colonial Brigade ** 105th & 105th Battalion ** 3 Independent Black Shirt Companies ** 15th Squadron, Cavalry Group

24 March 1941

* Begana–Zelale–Falestoh Sector: Colonel Vincenzo Ossoli ** Combined Colonial Battalion ** Remnants 52nd & 63rd Battalion ** 105th Colonial Battalion ** 1 Battery, 106th Artillery Group * Dologorodoc–Sanchil Sector: Colonel Francesco Prina ** 50th Colonial Battalion ** Alpini "Work Amba" Battalion ** Combined 57th/85th Colonial Battalion ** Combined 51st/56th Colonial Battalion ** 21st & 46th Batteries, 5th Artillery Group (65 mm/17 guns) * Mount Sanchil Sector: Colonel Corsi ** 11th Regiment, Savoia Grenadiers ** 1st Grenadiers Battalion ** 3rd Bersaglieri Battalion ** 10th Battery, 5th Artillery Group * Mount Amba Sector: Colonel Adolfo Oliveti ** 5th Colonial Battalion ** 106th Colonial Battalion ** 11th Black Shirt Legion ** 3rd Carabiniere Company ** Artillery Group (100 mm/57 howitzers) * Sama Sector: Colonel Livio Bonelli ** 36th Colonial Battalion ** 41st Colonial Battalion * Northern Sector: ** 2nd Colonial Brigade ** 6th Colonial Brigade ** 12th Artillery Group * Garrison Commander's Reserve ** 99th Colonial Battalion ** 132nd Colonial Battalion ** 15th Squadron, Cavalry Group

HQ Troops Sudan

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

(acting)

William Platt General Sir William Platt (14 June 1885 – 28 September 1975) was a senior officer of the British Army during both World War I and World War II. Early years Platt was educated at Marlborough College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. ...

* Force Troops ** "B" Squadron,

4th Royal Tank Regiment The 4th Royal Tank Regiment (4 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army from its creation in 1917, during World War I, until 1993. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. History The regiment ori ...

** 1st Independent Anti-Tank Troop ** 68th (4th West Lancashire) Medium Regiment, RA (RHQ, 233 Battery, Signal Section & Light Aid Detachment) *** 212 Battery, 64th (London) Medium Rgt – attached ** 25th Heavy AA Battery, 9th HAA Regiment ** 41st Light AA Battery, 15th (Manx) LAA Regiment ** 1st Survey Troop, 4th Survey Regiment, RA ** 514th Field Survey Company, RE ** Detachment, 3rd HQ Signals ** No. 51 Commando **

No. 52 Commando No. 52 Commando was a battalion-sized British Commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The commando was formed in 1940, from volunteers in Egypt and Palestine. Shortly after formation it was amalgamated with No. 50 Commando a ...

** Sudan Horse, X and Y LAA Batteries,

Sudan Defence Force The Sudan Defence Force (SDF) was a locally recruited British-led force formed in 1925 to assist the police in the event of civil unrest, and to maintain the borders of British administered Sudan. During the Second World War, it also served bey ...

4th Indian Infantry Division

(Major-General

Noel Beresford-Peirse Lieutenant-General Sir Noel Monson de la Poer Beresford-Peirse KBE, CB, DSO (22 December 1887 – 14 January 1953) was a British Army officer. Family background Beresford-Peirse was the son of Colonel William John de la Poer Beresford-Pe ...

) *

5th Indian Infantry Brigade The 5th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was converted from the 9th Indian Infantry Brigade in September 1939, and assigned to the 4th Indian Infantry Division. The brigade fi ...

(Brigadier

Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd Major General Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd CBE, DSO and Bar, MC (1 March 1896 – 22 January 1944) was an officer in the British Army and the British Indian Army during the First and Second world wars. Early life Lloyd was born in York, England, on 1 Ma ...

) ** HQ 5th Indian Infantry Brigade *** 5th Indian Infantry Brigade Signal Section *** 5th Indian Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company *** 5th Indian Infantry Brigade Light Aid Detachment *** 1st

Royal Fusiliers The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881. The regiment served in many wars ...

*** 3rd Bn

1st Punjab Regiment The 1st Punjab Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. Upon the Partition of India, it was transferred to the newly-raised Pakistan Army. It ceased to exist in this form in 1956, when it was amalgamate ...

*** 4th Bn

6th Rajputana Rifles The 6th Rajputana Rifles were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They were formed in 1922, after the Indian government reformed the army. They moved away from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The regiment se ...

11th Indian Infantry Brigade The 11th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was relocated from India to Egypt in the middle of August 1939 and trained at Fayed in Ismailia Governorate on the Great Bitter Lake. I ...

(Brigadier

Reginald Savory Lieutenant General Sir Reginald Arthur Savory (26 July 1894 − 14 June 1980) was a British Indian Army officer who served during both World War I and World War II. Military career Educated at Uppingham School, he then attended the Royal Milit ...

) ** HQ 11th Indian Infantry Brigade *** 11th Indian Infantry Brigade Section **** 11th Indian Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company **** 11th Indian Infantry Brigade Light Aid Detachment *** 2nd Bn Cameron Highlanders *** 1/6th Rajputana Rifles *** 3/

14th Punjab Regiment The 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on independence in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Reg ...

** ''Gazelle Force'' (Colonel

Frank Messervy General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, (9 December 1893 – 2 February 1974) was a British Indian Army officer in the First and Second World Wars. Following its independence, he was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army (15 August 1947 ...

) (ad hoc mobile force under command of 5th Indian Infantry Brigade from 11 February. Disbanded 15 February) ***

1st Horse (Skinner's Horse) The 1st Horse (Skinner's Horse) is a regiment of the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. It traces its origins as a cavalry regiment from the times of the East India Company, followed by its service in the British Indian Army and finally, afte ...

– detached from duty as 5th Indian Infantry Division reconnaissance regiment *** 1 Troop 'P' Battery

Royal Horse Artillery The Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) was formed in 1793 as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery (commonly termed Royal Artillery) to provide horse artillery support to the cavalry units of the British Army. (Although the cavalry link ...

*** 1 Troop 28 Field Regiment RA (18-pounders) *** 4 Ordnance Workshop Section *** 170 Cavalry Field Ambulance (less det) *** 1 Motor Machine-Gun Group Sudan Defence Force (2, 4 and 6 Coys) ** Divisional Troops ***

The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) The Central India Horse (formerly the 21st King George V's Own Horse, also known as Beatson's Horse) was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army and is presently part of the Indian Army Armoured Corps. Formation The regiment was ra ...

- divisional reconnaissance regiment *** HQ 4th Indian Division Employment Platoon ** Artillery (Brigadier William H B Mirrlees) *** HQ 4th Indian Divisional Artillery *** 1st Field Regiment (11/80th Battery, 52/98th Battery, Signal Section & Light Aid Detachment) *** 25th Field Regiment (31/58th Battery, 12/25th Battery, Signal Section & Light Aid Detachment) *** 31st Field Regiment (105/119th Battery, 106/118th Battery, Signal Section & Light Aid Detachment) ** Engineers *** HQ 4th Indian Divisional Engineers *** 4th Field Company Sappers & Miners *** 12th Field Company Sappers & Miners *** 18th Field Company Sappers & Miners *** 11th Field Park Company Sappers & Miners ** Signals *** 4th Indian Divisional Signals (and Light Aid Detachment) ** Supplies & Transport *** HQ 4th Indian Division RIASC *** Divisional HQ Mechanical Transport Company RIASC *** 4th Indian Division Supply Column (Light Aid Detachment) *** 4th Indian Division Ammunition Company (Light Aid Detachment) *** 4th Indian Division Petrol Company (Light Aid Detachment) *** 12th Supply Issue Section *** 13th Supply Issue Section *** 14th Supply Issue Section *** 15th Supply Issue Section ** Medical *** 14th Indian Field Ambulance *** 17th Indian Field Ambulance *** 19th Indian Field Ambulance *** 15th Indian Field Hygiene Section *** 2nd Indian Casualty Clearing Station ** Ordnance *** 17th Mobile Workshop Company *** 18th Mobile Workshop Company *** 19th Mobile Workshop Company *** 20th Mobile Workshop Company *** 21st Mobile Workshop Company ** Miscellaneous *** 13th Field Post Office *** 17th Field Post Office *** 19th Field Post Office *** 25th Field Post Office *** 4th Indian Divisional Provost Unit

5th Indian Infantry Division

(Major-General

Lewis Heath Lieutenant General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, (23 November 1885 – 10 January 1954) was an officer in the British Indian Army during the early to mid-twentieth century. Early life and family Heath was born 23 November 1885, the son of ...

) **

9th Indian Infantry Brigade The 9th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. Before the war the 9th (Jhansi) Infantry Brigade was a peacetime formation in Meerut district. This brigade was redesignated the 5th Indian ...

(Brigadier A.G.O.M. Mayne to late February then acting Brigadier F. W. Messervy) *** HQ 9th Indian Infantry Brigade **** 9th Indian Infantry Brigade Signal Section *** 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment *** 3/

5th Mahratta Light Infantry The 5th Mahratta Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, when the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The regiment fought in World War ...

*** 3 Royal/

12th Frontier Force Regiment The 12th Frontier Force Regiment was formed in 1922 as part of the British Indian Army. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th (Training) Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. ...

10th Indian Infantry Brigade The 10th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1939. In June 1940 it was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Division and in September 1940, sailed for East A ...

(Lieutenant-Colonel Bernard Fletcher acting commander until 20 March, then Brigadier Thomas "Pete" Rees) *** HQ 10th Indian Infantry Brigade **** 10th Indian Infantry Brigade Signal Section *** 2nd Highland Light Infantry *** 4/

10th Baluch Regiment The 10th Baluch or Baluch Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. After Partition of India, independence, it was transferred to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab Regiment, 8th Punja ...

*** 3/

18th Royal Garhwal Rifles The 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government decided to reform the army, moving away from single-battalion regiments to multi-battalion regiments. They were th ...

29th Indian Infantry Brigade The 29th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed on 11 October 1940, by the renumbering of the British 21st Infantry Brigade. It was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Div ...

(Brigadier J. C. O. Marriott) *** HQ 29th Indian Infantry Brigade **** 29th Indian Infantry Brigade Signal Section *** 1st Bn

Worcester Regiment The Worcestershire Regiment was a line infantry regiment in the British Army, formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot and the 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot. The regime ...

*** 3/

2nd Punjab Regiment The 2nd Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947. The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments: *1st Battalion, from the 67th Punjabis The 67th Punjabis were an infantry ...

*** 6 Royal/

13th Frontier Force Rifles The 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions. History The 13th Frontier Force Rifle ...

** Divisional Troops ***

– Divisional reconnaissance regiment detached from duty to ''Gazelle Force'' until 15 February *** HQ 5th Indian Division Employment Platoon *** 5th Indian Divisional Anti-Tank Company ** Artillery (Brigadier Claud Vallentin) *** HQ 5th Indian Divisional Artillery *** 4th Field Regiment (less one troop) (4/14th Battery, 7/66th Battery, Signal Section & Light Aid Detachment) *** 28th Field Regiment (less one troop) (1/5th Battery, 3/57th Battery, Signal Section & Light Aid Detachment) *** 144th Army Field Regiment (less one Troop) (389th Battery, 390th Battery, Signal Section & Light Aid Detachment) *** Jammu & Kashmir Mountain Battery Indian State Forces *** 5th Indian Division Ammunition Unit ** Engineers *** HQ 5th Indian Divisional Engineers *** 2nd Field Company Sappers & Miners *** 20th Field Company Sappers & Miners *** 21st Field Company Sappers & Miners *** 44th Field Park Company Sappers & Miners ** Signals *** 5th Indian Divisional Signals ** Supplies & Transport *** HQ 5th Indian Division RIASC *** 20th Supply Issue Section *** 32nd Supply Issue Section *** 33rd Supply Issue Section *** 52nd Divisional HQ Mechanical Transport Section *** 14th Indian Mechanical Transport Company *** 15th Indian Mechanical Transport Company (less 28 Section) *** 29th Indian Mechanical Transport Company ** Medical *** 3rd Indian Casualty Clearing Station *** 10th Indian Field Ambulance *** 20th Indian Field Ambulance *** 7th Indian Field Hygiene Section *** 12th Indian Field Hygiene Section ** Ordnance *** 22nd Mobile Workshop Company *** 23rd Mobile Workshop Company *** 24th Mobile Workshop Company *** 25th Mobile Workshop Company *** 26th Mobile Workshop Company ** Miscellaneous *** 15th Field Post Office *** 23rd Field Post Office *** 24th Field Post Office *** 5th Indian Divisional Provost Unit *

7th Indian Infantry Brigade The 7th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1939, by the redesignation of the Poona Independent Brigade as the 7th Indian Infantry Brigade and renumbered 4th in June 1 ...

(Brigadier

Harold Rawdon Briggs Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), Lieutenant-General Sir Harold Rawdon Briggs, (24 July 1894 – 27 October 1952) was a senior British Indian Army officer, active during World War I and World War II and the Malayan Emergency. Briggs was high ...

) (Detached from 4th Indian Infantry Division as a reinforced independent brigade group known as ''Briggsforce'') ** HQ, 7th Indian Infantry Brigade *** 7th Indian Infantry Brigade Signal Section *** 7th Indian Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company *** 7th Indian Infantry Brigade Light Aid Detachment ** 1st

Royal Sussex Regiment The Royal Sussex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot ...

** 4/

11th Sikh Regiment The 11th Sikh Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1922, when after World War I the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments.S ...

(detached to Force Troops) ** 4/

16th Punjab Regiment The 16th Punjab Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. Upon the Partition of India, it was transferred to the newly-raised Pakistan Army. It ceased to exist in this form in 1956, when it was amalgamated ...

Brigade of the East (''Brigade d'Orient'')

Data taken from Ghémard (2017) unless noted. (

Free French Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exile ...

) - Colonel

Raoul Magrin-Vernerey Raoul Charles Magrin-Vernerey, also known as Ralph Monclar (born 7 February 1892, died 3 June 1964) was a French général, officer and Inspection of the Foreign Legion, 2nd Inspector of the Foreign Legion who fought in World War I, World War I ...

( ''nom de guerre'' Ralph Monclar) *** ''1er Bataillon de Legion Etrangere'' (1st Battalion of

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...

) *** ''Batallion de Marche 3'' (3rd provisional battalion of

Senegalese tirailleurs The Senegalese Tirailleurs (french: Tirailleurs Sénégalais) were a corps of colonial infantry in the French Army. They were initially recruited from Senegal, French West Africa and subsequently throughout Western, Central and Eastern Africa: t ...

) *** ''3e Cie du 1er bataillon d' infanterie de marine'' (3rd Company 1st marine infantry battalion) *** ''1er Escadron de Spahis Marocains'' (1st Squadron of Moroccan

Spahi Spahis () were light-cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the indigenous populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, with personnel now r ...

s) *** ''1er Groupe d'Artillerie Coloniale'' (1st Colonial artillery battalion) ** 4th motor machine-gun company of the Sudan Defence Force ** One Battery from 25th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (Indian 4th Infantry Division) ** 12th Field Company Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers & Miners, IE

Footnotes

References

* * . * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Keren, Order of Battle World War II orders of battle Middle East theatre of World War II