Heroic defeat, the forgotten myth of the facts of arms of the Giarabub Oasis

(To Gian Pio Garramone)
22/03/21

Eighty years ago, the battle near the Libyan oasis in the heart of the Cyrenaica desert, called in Arabic, ended with inexorable defeat al-Jaghbub that becomes Italianized Jarabub. A bit like it happened hundreds of years earlier for the Serbian myth, which was born from a heroic defeat, so the exploits of those of Giarabub will become myth. The events became so popular that in 1941 they inspired the song "La sagra di Giarabub" written by Alberto Simeoni and Ferrante Alvaro De Torres, to music by Mario Ruccione, and then in 1942 a film directed by Goffredo Alessandrini, but also variety pieces with dancers in colonial dress who dance to the notes of the song mentioned above.

But how did the facts develop? The Royal Army deployed a heterogeneous military unit near the oasis, at the command of the silver medal for military valor (earned for daring feats of arms on Monte Carso) Major Salvatore Castagna. When the siege of the Italian redoubt began on 10 December 1940, Maj. Castagna was in command of 1.350 Italian soldiers and about 800 Libyan soldiers. The unit was composed of four companies of border guards, five of Libyan infantry, a platoon of Libyan engineers, an artillery company equipped with 14 guns of 47/32 Mod. 1935, 4 guns of 77/28 and 16 guns. 20/77 machine gunner, signaling unit, a field hospital and a supply section. The outpost also had passive defenses consisting of entrenchments and anti-tank ditches, fences, strongholds, observation posts and field works.

It should be remembered that the Giarabub garrison was the terminus of a long supply route, and had been active since 1925 or when it was sold by British decision from Egypt to Libya. The garrison was supplied both by land and with aviation supplies, during the four months of siege it managed to have the few supplies only thanks to the Regia Aeronautica.

On 8 December 1940 the allied offensive began, in the sector that included Giarabub the attack was entrusted to the Australian troops under the Western Desert Force, under the command of Australian Brigadier General George Wotten commander of the 18th Australian Infantry Brigade. The British attack launched on the front line at Sidi El Barrani, forced all the Italian forces in Tripolitania to disengage and retreat to new positions, except for the Giarabub outpost which absorbed the Australian attack. At this point the oasis found itself disconnected from the compatriots lines now backward by hundreds of kilometers. Major Castagna's men withstood all attacks with stoic determination.

The enemy was well aware of the tactically indefensible Italian situation and on 9 January 1941 bombed the runway, destroying it, thus eliminating the only possible supply route. The offensive continued through a psychological war and attrition with the increasingly insistent requests for surrender, and with the launch of leaflets illustrating the Italian defeat, and the consequent occupation of Tripolitania by the English with the capture of about 150.000 prisoners.

In spite of the rationing by now at the minimum terms, the men gathered around their commander in a fierce martial spirit and body. Major Castagna was well aware of the irreversible tactical situation and decided as a great commander to share with his men the decision to stay and fight or to surrender. All the soldiers, even the wounded, replied to continue the fight; with a demonstrative gesture, which strengthened the warrior will not to give up, they burned all their white handkerchiefs: it was at that moment that the myth of the heroic deeds of the "Giarabub Festival" was born.

The fate of the final battle began with a heroic and desperate counterattack, which took the opponent by surprise, but the final outcome, alas, ended with the Italian defeat and with a tribute of blood that cost the lives of more than 250 soldiers and 1.300 captured soldiers. The major himself was wounded with his faithful attendant and taken prisoner. He spent his imprisonment in various camps including Palestine and India, returning to Italy only on 23 November 1946.

The epic resistance thus entered the myth, the English radios nicknamed that handful of brave "Giarabub's man". At home we learned of what happened from the EIAR broadcasts with bulletin 288 of 22 March 1941.

Photo: web