Italian Colonial Troops 1882-1960

A complete illustrated study of the varied range of Italian colonial units who served in East and North Africa.

Italy only unified as a nation in 1870 and was late, and therefore impatient, in the 'scramble' for Africa. An initial foothold in Eritrea/Somalia, north-east Africa, led to a disastrous defeat in Ethiopia in 1896 at the Battle of Adwa, but Italian Somaliland was later consolidated on the west coast of the Red Sea.

During 1911, Italy also invaded Libya, securing the coast, however f...