The following is a synopsis of information derived from a book titled “The Belgian Campaign in Ethiopia” published in 1942 by the Belgian Information Center in New York. In May of 1940, Belgium’s army was overwhelmed by Nazi Germany’s panzers in 18 days. The conquest of Belgium did not resolve the status of the Congo, Beligum’s overseas colony. The Congolese had only the “Force Publique”, a small paramilitary corps with more in common with a police force than an army, with which to protect and control the 12 million indigenous inhabitants and 30,000 Belgian colonials.

In the fall of 1940, the Belgian Congo committed themselves to converting their colonial constabulary into a force with which to assist the British in their war against the Italians. On November 25, 1940, the Belgian Congo’s Governor-General Ryckmans, declared war on the Italians. The 1st battalion of the new Congolese field force based on the “Force Publique” left the north-eastern part of the Congo and crossed over into the Sudan on February 2, 1941. Simultaneously, the British Army was debouching from its trucks at the base of Dongolas Gorge outside the town of Keren, where it would spend the next 53 days fighting Italian grenadiers, alpini, bersaglieri and African colonial askari.

The first combat between the Congolese and the Italians occurred on March 11, 1941 when a Belgian lead Congolese battalion, along with a unit of the K.A.R. attacked the town of Asosa. The Italians quickly surrendered Asosa and retreated south to the town of Ghidami.

The Belgian Colonials next attacked the Italians at Gambela. The one available Congolese battalion ejected the Italians from Gambela at the cost of 3 askari dead and 3 Belgians and 15 Congolese wounded. After this initial success, the Belgians moved on to their main target, the Italian stronghold of Saio. (Which I believe is the present south-western Ethiopian city of Dembidolo) Reinforced by a second infantry battalion and a company of mortars, the Belgians attacked the Italians at the base of the Ethiopian escarpment on a stream called the Bortai. The Italians stopped the Belgian attack and drove the Congolese back from the Bortai past two small hills called “the dumplings”, between which ran the road to Saio.

During May and June, monsoon rains kept both sides idle. On June 9, 1941, the Belgian Congolese attempted to approach the Ethiopian highland stronghold of Saio from the north, by way of the town of Mogi. Only 1 1/2 companies of infantry could be spared from the forces pressuring the Italians along the Bortai and around “the dumplings”. The Italians successfully blocked the Belgian investment of Mogi.

The Belgian forces facing the Italian positions at the fortified town of Saio now comprised three battalions of colonial infantry, a mortar company, an engineer company and a couple of batteries of 75mm mountain artillery, totalling 3000 combatants and 2000 porters. On July 3, 1941 the Congolese attacked the “dumplings” in front of Bortai creek. One Belgian battalion circled around and threatened the Italian line of retreat, while the other two battalions dislodged the defenders from the “dumplings”. In spite of the superiority in numbers of men and artillery, the Italians were demoralized and collapsed. At the top of the escarpment, the Italians surrendered 2500 Italian soldiers, 3500 askari, 8 77mm guns, 10 smaller artillery pieces (65mm pack Howizers) 70 hvy MGs, 122 lt MGs, 6,900 rifles and 20 tons of radio equipment.

“Free Belgian” army, including the brigades formed in the Congo. The Belgians were raising two divisions from January 1945 onwards.