The German Motorized Company (Italian: ''Compagnia Autocarrata Tedesca'', German: ''Deutsche Motorisierte Kompanie'') was a small military unit formed during the East African Campaign during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Service history

The German Motorized Company was formed from about 138 Germans who had fled from British-held

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

and

Tanganyika Tanganyika may refer to: Places * Tanganyika Territory (1916–1961), a former British territory which preceded the sovereign state * Tanganyika (1961–1964), a sovereign state, comprising the mainland part of present-day Tanzania * Tanzania Main ...

. A large number of the Germans arrived in Italian East Africa on the Italian ship ''Piave'' before

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

entered World War II. After 10 June 1940, once Italian dictator

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

declared war on Britain and France, the Germans from the ''Piave'' volunteered to fight for the Italians in East Africa. Other Germans stranded in Italian East Africa were drafted for the unit as well. On 2 July 1940, the "German Motorized Company" was formed. The unit trained in

Asmara Asmara ( ), or Asmera, is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the sixth highest capital in the world by altitude and the second highest capital in Africa. The ...

Eritrea Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...

. Most of the volunteers had little to no military background. In addition to being "motorized" (or truck transportable), the unit included some improvised armored cars. The Italian radio station in

Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...

, capital of

Abyssinia The Ethiopian Empire (), also formerly known by the exonym Abyssinia, or just simply known as Ethiopia (; Amharic and Tigrinya: ኢትዮጵያ , , Oromo: Itoophiyaa, Somali: Itoobiya, Afar: ''Itiyoophiyaa''), was an empire that historica ...

, broadcast news about the German Motorized Company. The existence of this unit was of great propaganda value to the Italians. In November 1940, the German Motorized Company first saw action in the border area between Eritrea and the

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

. The Germans were active at the Battle of Agordat and 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 ...

(''Cheren'') in 1941. The German Motorized Company provided cover during the retreat from

Keren, Eritrea Keren (Tigrinya and Tigre: ), historically known as Sanhit,Shinn, David & al. "Hewitt Treaty" in the ''Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia''p. 214 is the second-largest city in Eritrea. It is situated around northwest of Asmara at an ...

, to Asmara. About twenty men of the unit survived the loss of Eritrea suffered by Italy. This small group of men was with Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, at

Amba Alagi Imba Alaje is a mountain, or an amba, in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Debubawi Zone of the Tigray Region, Imba Alaje dominates the roadway that runs past it from the city of Mek'ele south to Maychew. Because of its strategic location, Emba ...

during one of the final stages of the East African Campaign. The company was presented with a special triangular flag by Lieutenant-General

Luigi Frusci Luigi Frusci (16 January 1879 – 1949) was an officer in the Italian Royal Army (''Regio Esercito'') during the Italian conquest of Ethiopia and World War II. He was the last Italian Governor of Eritrea and Amhara. Biography Ordine militare d ...

, the Italian Governor of Eritrea. The flag displayed the

flag of Italy The national flag of Italy ( it, Bandiera d'Italia, ), often referred to in Italian as ''il Tricolore'' ( en, the Tricolour, ) is a tricolour (flag), tricolour featuring three equally sized vertical Pale (heraldry), pales of green, white and red, ...

on one side and the German

Swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍) is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, predominantly in various Eurasian, as well as some African and American cultures, now also widely recognized for its appropriation by the Nazi Party and by neo-Nazis. It ...

flag on the other side.

Commanders

* First Lieutenant (''

Oberleutnant () is the highest lieutenant officer rank in the German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. Austria Germany In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Trans ...

'') Gustav Hamel

Order of battle

* 3 x Platoon ** 2-3 x Squads (each)

References

{{reflist East African campaign (World War II) Military units and formations of Italy in World War II German units in Africa Military units and formations established in 1940 Military units and formations disestablished in 1941 1940 establishments in Italy 1941 disestablishments in Italy

Service history

Commanders

Order of battle

See also

References