Northern Front

Following the movements of the 10th Indian Infantry Brigade on its flank, the XLI Brigata Coloniale abandons the position and falls back towards Agordat (Eritrea). The 4th Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment enters Keru (Eritrea) at 14:30. Fighting in the sector continues until 25 January. Heavy losses are reported on the Italian side, while about 700–800 men of the XLI Brigata Coloniale are taken prisoner (including Generale Ugo Fongoli).[1]

As on previous days, the Regia Aeronautica remains very active over the battle area, issuing multiple claims. Italian fighters report intercepting a formation of bombers targeting a bridge on the Agordat (Eritrea)—Keren (Eritrea) road and claim one Hawker Hurricane shot down. In the Biscia (Eritrea) sector, a Bristol Blenheim is reported heavily damaged and is claimed as probably destroyed, while a third British aircraft is reported destroyed during an armoured-car attack on the Aicota (Eritrea)—Debri Mela (Eritrea) road. Once again, it is difficult to reconcile these events with the British records.[2]

RAF activity remains modest. Three Vickers Wellesleys of No.47 (RAF) Squadron take off from the forward landing ground at Blackdown (Sudan) to bomb the railway line near Agordat (Eritrea) between 12:15 and 15:30. No incidents are reported; one report notes only an Italian fighter taking off from nearby Agordat aerodrome, and the crews are unable to observe the results of the bombing.[3]

At the same time, a Hawker Hardy (K4319) of No.237 (Rhodesia) Squadron patrols the Keru (Eritrea) sector between 09:50 and 12:20 in support of ground troops.[4]

No.1 (SAAF) Squadron has a busy day, with several interception attempts against Italian aircraft. At 06:50, Lieutenant Thomas A. W. Irvine takes off in a Hawker Hurricane to intercept two Savoia-Marchetti SM.79s near Tesseney (Eritrea), without success. Around 07:00, Captain Brian J. L. Boyle (Hawker Hurricane no. 298) and Lieutenants E. A. Jarvis, Robin Pare, and Denis L. Taylor (Gloster Gladiators) are detailed to patrol the Keru (Eritrea) sector. They sight two Savoia-Marchetti SM.79s, but again the South Africans cannot catch the bombers; only Captain Brian J. L. Boyle makes an attack, without effect. At 15:00, Lieutenants Leonard le Clues Theron and Walter J. Townshend-Smith take off in Hawker Hurricanes to proceed to Agordat (Eritrea) in escort of the Vickers Wellesleys of No.47 (RAF) Squadron. Two Fiat CR.42s are reported, one airborne (about 9,800 ft) and the other taking off; a brief engagement is recorded, with no result.[5]

Logbook of Captain Brian J. L. Boyle

Southern Front

As on the northern front, the Italians decide to evacuate the border forts. Generale Carlo De Simone judges the plains of southern Italian Somaliland and southern Ethiopia indefensible, and expects this desert area to slow any enemy advance. The sector is entrusted to indigenous troops (Bande) to harass the British. The 102ª Divisione coloniale somala (Generale Adriano Santini) falls back along the Jubba River (Italian Somaliland), which links Kismayoo (Italian Somaliland) to Bardera (Italian Somaliland), with about 14,000 men, while the 101ª Divisione coloniale somala (General Italo Carnevali), about 6,000 strong, is tasked to block access to the south-eastern Ethiopian highlands. West of this line, only Afmadow (Italian Somaliland) and Kismayoo (Italian Somaliland) remain in Italian hands. Following the evacuation of the frontier, the 1st S.A. Infantry Brigade is ordered to launch offensive patrols in the Wajir (Kenya) sector, while the 5th S.A. Infantry Brigade is to do likewise around Moyale (Kenya) to test the Italian dispositions.[6]

Owing to these movements, several air attacks by the Regia Aeronautica are reported against South African troops on the ground in the Wajir (Kenya) sector. In parallel, Hartbees of No.40 (SAAF) Squadron carry out several offensive reconnaissance patrols in the Marsabit (Kenya) and Hobok (Ethiopia) sectors. After a long period of inactivity, No.60 (SAAF) Squadron regains some form with the Avro Anson. The additional aircraft allow crews to conduct a series of photographic reconnaissances of Italian Somaliland during January. For example, Avro Anson no. 1129 (Lieutenant Edward A. Gebhardt) is tasked to photograph the Liboi (Kenya)—Afmadow (Italian Somaliland) sector between 06:30 and 17:30. The report states that the latter town appears deserted, as do the Italian positions.[7]