Editing Battle of Maychew (section)

===Pilgrimage to Lalibella and plan to stand at Dessie===
It was believed among the Ethiopians that it might be possible to make a stand at Dessie. The [[Crown Prince]] [[Amha Selassie|Asfa Wossen]] had been sent there to raise a new army. With the Crown Prince in Dessie were [[Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles|''Shum'']]{{#tag:ref|Roughly equivalent to [[Governor]].|group=nb}} [[Wadajo Ali]] and [[Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles|''Fitawrari'']]{{#tag:ref|Roughly equivalent to Commander of the Advanced Guard.|group=nb}} [[Fikremariam]]. Wadajo Ali was the "real" Governor of [[Wollo]] and Fikremariam commanded the Guard and the [[Shewa]]n garrison at Dessie. Ammunition and supplies were accumulated in anticipation of protracted operations in the north.<ref name="Mockler, p. 122">Mockler, p. 122</ref>

Before getting to Dessie, the Emperor decided to make a pilgrimage to the holy city of [[Lalibella]]. Included in the Emperor's retinue was [[Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Coptic]] ''[[Abuna]]''{{#tag:ref|Roughly equivalent to [[Metropolitan bishop|Metropolitan Bishop]].|group=nb}} Petros, [[Ethiopian ecclesiastical titles|Etchage]]{{#tag:ref|Roughly equivalent to [[Abbot]].|group=nb}} [[Gabre Giyorgis]], ''Ras'' Kassa, ''Dejazmach'' [[Adafersaw Yenadu]],  ''Dejazmach'' Wondosson Kassa, and ''Dejazmach'' Aberra Kassa. From 12 April<ref name="Barker, p. 106">Barker, p. 106</ref> the Emperor spent three days there in prayer.<ref>Mockler, p. 123</ref> On 15 April, Haile Selassie left Lalibella and rejoined his army as it continued its plodding march towards Dessie. At [[Magdala]], the Emperor was to learn that the Crown Prince had abandoned Dessie on 14 April without firing a shot. He also learned that the city was already occupied by the Eritreans. The Emperor's column turned towards [[Were Ilu|Worra Ilu]], but runners then brought the news that Worra Ilu had fallen too. By forced march, the Emperor and his party made their way to [[Fiche, Ethiopia|Fikke]] in Salale.<ref name="Barker, p. 106"/>

On 20 April, Marshal Badoglio flew to Dessie. He noted great strips of cloth stretched across the decorated streets.  On the cloth, the local population had written: "The Hawk has flown."<ref name="Mockler, p. 122"/>

On 26 April, when Badoglio launched his "[[March of the Iron Will]]" towards Addis Ababa, he faced no meaningful Ethiopian resistance.<ref name=Barker109>[[#Barker|Barker 1971]], 109.</ref>