Gondar, the Legendary Capital
Once Wolchifit Pass was repaired by the Allies, the way was clear to proceed south to the last remaining Italian stronghold at the fabled fortress at Gondar well situated in formidable, rugged, and scrub-covered hills.
The Fasil Ghebbi Fortress, founded by the Emperor Fasilides in the 17th century had Portuguese, Hindu, and Arab influences. Abyssinia was a trading power connecting the Roman Empire to India and Egypt. The Queen of Sheba, reputedly from Askum near Asmara, bore King Solomon a son, Menelik I. (King Solomon ruled a golden age from 970 to 931 BCE.) The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church was established in the 1st Century CE in their promised land.
A direct descendent of Menelik I, the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Kings of Ethiopia, Lord of Lords, Elect of God, hailed as the messiah, was crowned in 1930 at St. George's Cathedral in Addis Ababa.
In "the scramble for Africa", Italy was defeated at the Battle of Adwa by Emperor Menelik II in 1896, the only defeat of a European colonial power in that era. Mussolini wanted to avenge it and expand his empire. Using poison gas, the Italians defeated Abyssinia in 1936. Haile Selassie was exiled to England.
Britain and her Commonwealth having conquered Italian Somaliland, retaken British Somaliland, freed Eritrea and blockaded Vichy French Somaliland, now had control of the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
The Italians had little opportunity for reinforcement or supply resulting in severe shortages, especially ammunition, fuel, food and most importantly water. The Askari had not been paid. Many defected.
The historical novel Whitewashed Jacarandas and its sequel Full of Possibilities are both available on Amazon as paperbacks and eBooks.
These books are inspired by Diana's family's experiences in small town Southern Rhodesia after WWII.
Dr. Sunny Rubenstein and his Gentile wife, Mavourneen, along with various town characters lay bare the racial arrogance of the times, paternalistic idealism, Zionist fervor and anti-Semitism, the proper place of a wife, modernization versus hard-won ways of doing things, and treatment of endemic disease versus investment in public health. It's a roller coaster read.
References:
Excerpts: from Morris I. Hirsch unpublished memoirs. Hirsch Archives.
Also:https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-Med-II/UK-Med-2-16.html https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/italian-forces/48794/tribute-to-the-pilot-of-the-fiat...
Photos: Hirsch Archives.
Movie tone news clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75XyseCEb_Q&t=3s