Dubat

Italian Irregular colonial units

Dubat from Italian Somalia with rifle, futa and lanyard, 1938

Dubat (Wadaad's Somali :,دُوب عد); Arabic:العمائم البيضاء ); ḍubbāṭ: English: White turban) was the designation for members of the semi-regular armed bands employed by the Italian Royal Corps of Colonial Troops in Italian Somaliland from 1924 to 1941. The word dubat was derived from a Somali phrase meaning "white turban".

## Origin and duties

[edit]

Dubats were local soldiers from Italian Somaliland employed in Italian military service after World War I.[1]

First raised in July 1924 by Colonel Camillo Bechis, they mainly served as frontier guards[2] and light infantry, developing a reputation as effective fighters.[3] Dubats were maintained as permanent units and were better trained and armed than the tribal banda irregulars raised as temporary auxiliaries when needed by the Italian authorities in Somalia and other colonies.

Dubat  camel troops under Colonel Camillo Bechi's command

Dubats were concentrated along the British Somaliland, Ethiopian and East Africa Protectorate frontiers.

Camel-mounted detachments (recul) were also employed for patrol work in the Ogaden region.

## Attire, weaponry and ranks

[edit]

From their establishment, Dubats wore the white futa, a traditional Somali sarong-like garment.[4] They also wore smaller lengths of futa cloth as turbans (dub), tightly wrapped around their heads.[5] The term dubat (literally "white turban") was derived from this headdress.[3]

During 1935–36, a khaki version of the futa and turban, including a saharianna tunic, was adopted for service wear.[6][3]

The Somali non-commissioned officer ranks were distinguished by coloured lanyards hanging from the neck and ending in tassels, as follows:

* "capo comandante" (commander[7]) – green
* "capo" (sergeant[8]) – red
* "sotto-capo" (corporal[9]) – black[10][3]

Commissioned officers of the Dubats were all Italians. They were usually seconded from the six regular Arab-Somali battalions of the Royal Corps of Colonial Troops, recruited in the territories of present-day Somalia and Yemen.[11]

Dubats were armed with either Carcano M1891[12] or Mannlicher M1895 rifles.[3] They also carried curved traditional Somali daggers called billao.[3]

## Campaigns

[edit]

Cavalry and fort of the Sultanate of Hobyo, one of the ruling Somali polities that the dubats fought against in the Campaign of the Sultanates.

During 1925–27, three thousand Dubats saw service in the Campaign of the Sultanates, involving the occupation of the autonomous regions of Obbia, where the Sultan Yusuf Ali Kenadid ruled over the Sultanate of Hobyo, and Migiurtinia (1923–27), where Boqor Osman Mahamud ruled the Sultanate. Under Hersi gurey their raids the Dubats reached Eyl and Hafun.

During late 1927, Dubats were used to raid across the border into Ethiopia, where clan militiamen from Migiurtinia had regrouped in Gorrahei. The use of Dubat irregulars for these intrusions enabled the Italians to avoid diplomatic complications with Ethiopia.[13]

The four original bands were increased to ten during the early stages of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935. On 5 December 1934, a clash occurred between a detachment of Dubats occupying the Walwal oasis in the Ogaden, and Ethiopian troops escorting a border commission. This incident provided the pretext for the subsequent Second Italian-Abyssinian War. Nearly 20,000 Dubats and other irregulars served with the Italian forces during the 1936 conquest of Ethiopia.[14]

During the Italian occupations of Harar Somali Dubats killed over 200 Amhara Christian settlers including 3 priests during the first six days of the occupation.[15]

With the occupation of Ethiopia, the Dubats were re-deployed in the Ogaden Desert and along the frontiers of French and British Somaliland. They saw ongoing action against Ethiopian guerrillas in Hararghe.

On the eve of Italy's entry into World War II, the Dubats underwent reorganisation, becoming more closely integrated with the regular Somali units of the Royal Corps of Colonial Troops. The 1st Dubat Group subsequently served as part of General De Simone's Column during the successful Italian invasion of British Somaliland in August 1940. Dubats participated in the attack on the British colony of Kenya and the conquest of Moyale and Buna.[16]

During the East African Campaign of 1941, the Dubats served with the Pietro Gazzera army group.[3] Following the British military occupation of Italian Somaliland in 1941, the Dubats were disbanded.

## British Dubas

[edit]

Between 1936 and the late 1950s the British colonial government maintained a force of tribal police known as "Dubas" in the Northern Frontier District of Kenya, bordering Somaliland. Some were camel mounted. The Dubas performed similar functions as their Italian colonial counterparts, on whom they were modeled. They wore the same white indigenous dress, though with red turbans.

## Honors

[edit]

One Gold Medal of Military Valor:

With the courage of their race – fueled by love for the flag and the belief in the higher destinies of Italy in Africa, gave during the war, many proofs of the most brilliant heroism. With great generosity, and similar faithfulness, gave their blood for the consecration of the Italian Empire. Italo-Ethiopian War, October 3, 1935 – May 5, 1936. – November 19, 1936.[17]

## See also

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dubat.

* Italian Empire
* Amedeo Guillet
* Bands (Italian Army irregulars)
* Eritrean Ascari
* Zaptié

## Bibliography

[edit]

* "The Italian Invasion of Abyssinia 1935–36"; David Nicolle 1997; ISBN 1-85532-692-2
* "Le Uniformi dell AOI (Somalia 1889–1941)" Piero Crociani, la Roccia 1980

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Stephanie Hom Cary, Destination Italy: Tourism, colonialism, and the modern Italian nation-state, 1861–1947, (ProQuest: 2007), p.264.
2. ^ Esposito, Gabriele. Italian Colonial Troops 1882–1960. p. 44\. ISBN 978-1-4728-5126-0.
3. ^ a b c d e f g Philip S. Jowett, Stephen Andrew, The Italian Army 1940–45: Africa 1940–43, Volume 2, (Osprey Publishing: 2001), p. 7.
4. ^ page 25, Piero Crociani, "Le Uniformi dell'A.O.I (Somalia 1889–1941), la Roccia 1980
5. ^ Luigi Frusci, In Somalia sul fronte meridionale, (L. Cappelli, 1936), p. 31.
6. ^ Elioe Vittorio, tavola XXVI "Atlante delle Uniformi Militari – militarie italiane del 1934 ad oggi", Grafica Editoiale 1984
7. ^ Esposito, Gabriele. Italian Colonial Troops 1882–1960. p. 44\. ISBN 978-1-4728-5126-0.
8. ^ Esposito, Gabriele. Italian Colonial Troops 1882–1960. p. 44\. ISBN 978-1-4728-5126-0.
9. ^ Esposito, Gabriele. Italian Colonial Troops 1882–1960. p. 44\. ISBN 978-1-4728-5126-0.
10. ^ The Italian Invasion of Abyssinia 1935–36, David Nicolle, Osprey Men-at=Arms 309, ISBN 1-85532-692-2
11. ^ pp. 12–13, Piero Crociani, "Le Uniformi dell'A.O.I (Somalia 1889–1941), la Roccia 1980
12. ^ Esposito, Gabriele. Italian Colonial Troops 1882–1960. p. 44\. ISBN 978-1-4728-5126-0.
13. ^ Piero Crociani, "Le Uniformi dell'A.O.I (Somalia 1889–1941), pp. 24–25 la Roccia 1980
14. ^ Dubats in 1936 Ethiopia conquest (original video in Italian)
15. ^ "Chronology". Bulletin of International News. 12 (24). Royal Institute of International Affairs: 12.
16. ^ "Attack of Dubats in Kenya (original video in Italian)". Archived from the original on 2017-01-11. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
17. ^ Motivazione della medaglia d'oro (in Italian)

* v
* t
* e

Italian Empire

Subdivisions|

| Western Mediterranean|

* Southeastern France
* Monaco
* Corsica

|

Balkans|

* Albania
* World War I
* World War II
* Islands of the Aegean
* Independent State of Croatia
* Dalmatia
* Greece
* Hellenic State
* Principality of the Pindus
* Ionian Islands
* Italian Province of Lubiana
* Governorate of Montenegro

Horn of Africa|

* Italian Eritrea
* Italian Somaliland
* Oltre Giuba
* Italian East Africa
* Eritrea Governorate
* Somalia Governorate
* British Somaliland
* Amhara Governorate
* Harar Governorate
* Galla-Sidamo Governorate
* Scioa Governorate
* Italian Ethiopia

Libya|

* Tripolitania
* Cyrenaica
* Italian Libya
* Tripoli Province
* Misrata Province
* Benghazi Province
* Derna Province
* Southern Military Territory

Far East|

* Italian concession of Tientsin
* Concessions & Forts of Italy in China

Planned expansion|

* Adalia
* Egypt
* Majorca
* Tentative to occupy French Somaliland
* Kenya
* Sudan
* Malta
* Ticino, Valais and Grisons
* Tunisia

The Italian empire before WWII is shown in red. Pink areas were annexed/occupied for various periods between 1940 and 1943. Italian concessions and forts in China are not shown.

Settlers and Irredentism|

| Settlers and colonists|

* Albania
* Dodecanese
* Eritrea
* Ethiopia
* Libya
* Somalia

|

Irredentism|

* Corsica
* Nice
* Savoy
* Dalmatia
* Istria-Venezia Giulia
* Malta
* Switzerland
* Corfu

Architecture|

| Governmental|

* Governor's Palace (Mogadishu)
* Governor's Palace (Tripoli)
* Governor's Palace (Asmara)
* Asmara Presidential Palace (Asmara)

|

Civilian|

* Mogadishu Cathedral
* Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Asmara
* Benghazi Cathedral
* Tripoli Cathedral
* Cinema Impero
* Fiat Tagliero Building
* Arch of the Philaeni
* Asmara Theatre
* Lighthouse "Francesco Crispi" (Cape Guardafui)

Urbanism|

* Italian Tripoli
* Mogadishu under Italian rule
* Italian Benghazi
* Italian Asmara
* Italian Massaua
* Addis Abeba under Italian rule

Infrastructure|

* Mogadishu–Villabruzzi Railway
* Ethio-Djibouti Railways
* Eritrean Railway
* Asmara-Massawa Cableway
* Railway stations in Eritrea
* Rail transport in Somalia
* Via Balbia
* Via della Vittoria
* Linea dell'Impero
* Italian Libya Railways
* Libyan Railway stations
* History of Italian colonial railways

Political concepts|

* Greater Italy
* Mare Nostrum
* New Roman Empire
* Spazio vitale
* Fourth Shore
* Third Rome

Police and military|

* Italian African Police
* Bands (Italian Army irregulars)
* Zaptié
* Dubat
* Savari
* Spahis
* Royal Corps of Colonial Troops
* Eritrean Ascari
* Somali Ascari
* Ascari del Cielo
* Italian 1st Eritrean Division
* Italian 2nd Eritrean Division
* 1st Libyan Division Sibille
* 2nd Libyan Division Pescatori
* Italian Libyan Colonial Division
* Italian Somali Divisions (101 and 102)
* Maletti Group
* Legione Redenta
* Italian guerrilla units (A.O.I.)

Currencies and Stamps|

* Eritrean tallero
* Italian East African lira
* Italian Somaliland lira
* Italian Somaliland rupia
* Somalo
* Postage stamps and postal history of Italian East Africa
* Postage stamps and postal history of Oltre Giuba
* Postage stamps of Italian Libya

* v
* t
* e

Italian Somaliland

Main authorities|

* King & Emperor Vittorio Emanuele III
* Prime Minister Benito Mussolini
* List of governors-general of Italian East Africa
* Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi

Governors|

* Italian Governors of Somalia
* Main Colonial governors: Vincenzo Filonardi; Giacomo De Martino; Cesare Maria De Vecchi; Maurizio Rava; Rodolfo Graziani; Carlo De Simone

General history|

* Italian Somaliland
* Oltre Giuba
* Second Italo-Ethiopian War
* Somalia Governorate
* Italian invasion of British Somaliland
* Italian tentative to occupy French Somaliland
* East African Campaign
* Italian guerrilla war in A.O.I. (1941–1943)
* Trust Territory of Somaliland
* Italy–Somalia relations

Infrastructure|

* Mogadishu–Villabruzzi Railway
* Railway stations in Italian Somaliland
* Linea dell'Impero
* Petrella Airport
* Villa Somalia
* Governor's Palace of Mogadishu
* Porto di Mogadiscio
* Museo della Garesa
* Stadio Coni Mogadiscio
* Saline Dante
* Lido Beach

Related articles|

* Italian Somalis
* Mogadishu under Italian rule
* Villaggio Duca degli Abruzzi
* Genale
* Vittorio
* Port of Merca
* Dam of Genale Doria
* Banaadir
* Mogadiscio circuit
* Associazione Calcio Mogadiscio
* Faro Guardafui/F. Crispi
* Imperial Italy
* Italian East Africa
* Italian East African lira
* Italian Somaliland lira
* Italian Somaliland rupia
* Somalo
* Banca per l'Africa Orientale
* Postage stamps and postal history of Somalia
* Postage stamps and postal history of Eritrea
* Postage stamps and postal history of Oltre Giuba
* Catholic Church in Somalia
* Roman Catholic Diocese of Mogadishu
* Mogadishu Cathedral
* Simplified Italian of Somalia
* Italian language in Somalia
* Sentinels of Bronze
* Royal Banana Monopoly
* Hafun Salt Factory

Colonial troops|

* Royal Corps of Colonial Troops
* Royal Corps of Somali Colonial Troops
* Italian Somali Divisions (101 and 102)
* Dubats
* Italian African Police
* Bands
* Zaptié

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template