Carlo De Simone

During most of the East African Campaign, Lieutenant-General De Simone commanded Italian forces in southern Italian Somaliland. However, during the Italian invasion of British Somaliland, De Simone commanded General Guglielmo Nasi's main "centre" column. De Simone's command in Italian Somaliland included the reinforced Harar Division (XIII Colonial Brigade, XIV Colonial Brigade, and XV Colonial Brigade - amounting to eleven infantry battalions, fourteen batteries of artillery, 21 howitzer batteries, half a company of M11/39 medium tanks, a squadron of 12 L3/35 light tanks, and an armored car company. Whilst in command of these forces, De Simone won the Battle of Tug Argan, where his centre column overcame a smaller British army and forced them to evacuate. His forces captured Berbera from the British on 19 August 1940, solidifying Italian control over Somaliland until Britain's Operation Appearance.^[1]