Somaliland Camel Corps - World War II

World War II

In September 1939, the Somaliland Camel Corps had a total strength of fourteen British officers, one British non-commissioned officer, and 554 non-European other ranks. Initially, the corps was placed under the garrison commander of French Somaliland. The Somaliland Camel Corps' four companies were split among five different locations in the colony. Only "A" Company retained its camels, while the other companies had become infantry units.

Field Marshal Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief of the Middle East Command, was appalled by the under-equipped force that was supposed to defend an entire colony. In 1940, as a result of his concern, the unit was partially mechanised and further defences were built. However, before the upgrades could be completed, the funds dried up.

At the beginning of the East African Campaign, the Somaliland Camel Corps only had a total of one thousand, four hundred and seventy-five men to defend British Somaliland. This number included a battalion of the Northern Rhodesian Regiment. Reinforcements were eventually sent in a vain hope to stop the Italian invasion.

During the Italian invasion of British Somaliland, the Somaliland Camel Corps skirmished and screened the attacking force along the border before pulling back to more defensible positions. At Observation Hill, the corps made a formidable stand. One of its officers, Captain Eric Charles Twelves Wilson of the East Surreys, received a Victoria Cross (VC) for his use of a machine gun during the defence. Despite wounds, malaria, and having several guns destroyed from under him, he stayed at his post. Wilson was the only VC recipient during the Italian invasion of British Somaliland; only six other VCs were awarded for operations in East Africa. Wilson was later found alive in an Italian prisoner of war camp.

However, despite a spirited defence, the British were over-matched and withdrew from Berbera on 17 August 1940. With the final withdrawal, most of the Somali troops of the Somaliland Camel Corps were disbanded.

On 16 March 1941, less than one year from the date of withdrawal, the British returned to the colony. Soon afterwards the Somaliland Camel Corps was re-founded. By 18 April, the unit was at about 80% of its former strength. The Camel Corps spent the following months rounding up stray Italians and policing against local bandits.

In 1942, the Somaliland Camel Corps became a mechanized regiment.

On 30 April 1944, six bombers of 621 Squadron, Royal Air Force, attacked and damaged the German submarine U-852, which was under the command of Lieutenant-Captain (Kapitänleutnant) Heinz-Wilhelm Eck. He and 52 members of the crew came ashore, where members of the corps captured them on 13 March and interned them.

For some time there were plans to send the corps to Burma. However, the British disbanded the Somaliland Camel Corps in 1944 after several mutinies had taken place.