Editing Battle of Maychew (section)

==Battle==
At dawn on 31 March 1936, the [[Frontal assault|attack was launched]]. It was [[St. George's Day]]. The attack began at 0545 hours and continued for thirteen hours with little or no let up.<ref name=Barker97/>

The Italians had been "standing to" in the [[front line]] positions all night, alerted to the attack by an Ethiopian deserter. The [[Mountain warfare|mountain troops]] (''[[Alpini]]'') of the [[5th Alpine Division "Pusteria"]] were dug in on the slopes of Amba Bokora for the Italian I Corps. The rest of the I Corps was in reserve, the [[26th Infantry Division "Assietta"]], the [[30th Infantry Division "Sabauda"]], and the [[4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio"]]. The two Eritrean divisions of the Eritrean Corps held Mekan Pass, the [[Italian 1st Eritrean Division|1st Eritrean Division]] and the [[Italian 2nd Eritrean Division|2nd Eritrean Division]].<ref name=Barker97/> The [[1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo"]] was in reserve for the Eritrean Corps.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}}

The Ethiopians advanced in three columns of 3,000 men each. In the first attacks, the Ethiopians hurled themselves at the Italian positions in waves. The fury of the attack and surprisingly accurate mortar fire carried the Ethiopians well into the defensive lines of the "Pusteria" Division. But the mountain troops struck back and soon the front lines were stabilized.<ref name=Barker97/>

===Switch to the left flank===
The Ethiopians switched the focus of their attack and fifteen thousand men under ''Ras'' Kassa<ref name="Mockler, p. 117">Mockler, p. 117</ref> advanced against the Eritreans holding Mekan Pass on the Italian left flank. Haile Selassie hoped to face less resistance from the Eritreans.{{#tag:ref|Barker states this.<ref>Barker, p. 97</ref>|group=nb}} From 0700 to 0800 hours, the Ethiopians kept up a steady onslaught and, despite taking heavy casualties, were beginning to make gains. But at 0800 Badoglio unleashed the bombers of the Italian Royal Air Force (''[[Regia Aeronautica]]'') and the Ethiopians could hear the ominous engine roar as they closed in with poison gas.<ref name=Barker97/>

===Imperial Guard sent in===
Haile Selassie now played his trump card. The Imperial Guard, under the command of ''Ras'' Getachew Abate, was sent in against the Eritreans.<ref name="Mockler, p. 117"/> The training and discipline of this elite force was apparent in the methodical mode of their advance over the open ground. For three hours they struggled to roll up the Italian flank. The X Battalion of the [[Italian 2nd Eritrean Division|2nd Eritrean Division]] was virtually annihilated. In the end, the Italian commander of the unit called down concentrated artillery fire onto his own overrun positions and saved the day.<ref name=Barker97/>

===Last attack===
By 1600 hours, it was apparent that the Imperial Guard was not going to be able to capture their objectives and Haile Selassie played his last card. He ordered an attack along the entire front. This last desperate action was again made by three columns, it was made under a heavily overcast sky, and it was made with little chance of success. The Ethiopians attacked everywhere and were driven back.<ref name=Barker97/> It was at this point that the [[Oromo people|Azebu Galla]], who had been on the sidelines, made their allegiance clear and attacked the withdrawing Ethiopians.<ref>Mockler, p. 118</ref>

Haile Selassie's order to retreat was to be late in coming. He placed ''Ras'' Getachew Abate as [[Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles|''Asmach'']].{{#tag:ref|Roughly equivalent to Commander of the Rear Guard.|group=nb}} But the Ethiopians had lost many front line commanders, the soldiers had not eaten since before dawn, and discipline had understandably broken down. To make matters even worse, as the Ethiopians fled from the battlefield, they were mercilessly bombed from above by the Italian Royal Air Force and harassed on the ground by the Azebu Galla.<ref name=Barker98>[[#Barker|Barker 1971]], 98.</ref>