Battle of Bir Bilal
Date10 June 1923
Location
Bir Bilal, 42 kilometer south-western of Ajdabiya
Result Senussi victory
Belligerents
 Kingdom of Italy Senussi
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of Italy Major Melli  †
Kingdom of Italy Captain Telger  †		 Saleh al-Atioush
Fadil al-Muhashhish
Koja Abdullah[1]
Strength
400 riflemen + company of cavalry and armored vehicles
or
5,000 men
100 armored vehicle		 Unknown
Casualties and losses
189 killed Unknown

The Battle of Bir Bilal (also called Battle of Brega)[2] was a military engagement between the Senussi order and the Italians. The Senussi won a resounding victory against the Italians.

Battle

On Ramadan 1341 Hijra (April 1923), the Italians captured Ajdabiya. The Italians, after the capture, attempted to subdue the Magherbi tribes or persuade them to join the Italians, given the fact that they represented a danger to the Italians and their bases.[3][4] After the capture of Ajdabiya, they began preparations to capture an important sea base Brega for any inland campaign. The operation was entrusted to Major Melli, who was given command of the VII Eritrean battalion.[5]

The VII Eritrean battalion consisted of 400 rifles, a company of cavalry, and a group of armored vehicles led by Captain Telger.[6][7] Another source claims the Italians had a force of 5,000 men and 100 armored vehicles.[8] It was determined for Major Melli's forces to march from Ajdabiya to Qurain and Brega, while Captain Telger made a wide detour to avoid the sandy areas passing through Al-Qatifya to Bir Bilal.[9]

As the armored Italian vehicles were reaching Bir Bilal on June 10, they found themselves surrounded by a force of Libyans. Loads of bullets rained upon the Italian vehicles, destroying them completely killing captain Telger.[10][11][12] The Senussi captured their weapons and other equipment.[13][14] Learning of this, Major Melli hurried to the scene towards Bir Bilal. However, they were attacked by the Libyans near Abi Qarada, near the coast, and inflicted another defeat on the Italians.[15]

Aftermath

The Italian defeat at Bir Bilal was considered one of the most serious defeats in eastern Libya. The Italians failed due to several factors: the bad weather of the territory, which prevented the Italians from using their air force; another factor was the rough sea, which prevented an Italian ship from covering the Italian force; and lastly, the underestimating of the Senussi numbers as they assumed that they possessed no more than 150 men.[16]

In the month of July, the Italians conducted 57 air operations to bombard Libyan residences and their cattle. On August 25, a large force reached Bir Bilal and began collecting the Italian corpses to bury them; a total of 189 bodies were found, including Major Melli and other officers.[17]

On September 3, the Italians successfully captured Bir Bilal from the Libyans after a four-hour battle.[18]

Literature

  • Kalifa Tillisi, A Dictionary for Italian Colonial Battles on the Libyan Soil 1911–31, 1972.
  • Al Tahir Al Zawi, Omar- Al Mukhtar, the last episode of the national resistance in Libya.
  • Wahbi Bori, Benghazi during the Italian colonial period, 2004.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Al Tahir Al Zawi, p. 88
  2. ↑ Al Tahir Al Zawi, p. 87
  3. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 140
  4. ↑ Al Tahir Al Zawi, p. 87
  5. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 140
  6. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 140
  7. ↑ Wahbi Bori, p. 89-90
  8. ↑ Al Tahir Al Zawi, p. 87
  9. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 140
  10. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 140
  11. ↑ Wahbi Bori, p. 90
  12. ↑ Al Tahir Al Zawi, p. 87
  13. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 140
  14. ↑ Wahbi Bori, p. 90
  15. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 140
  16. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 141
  17. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 142
  18. ↑ Kalifa Tillisi, p. 143
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