Battle of Gasr Bu Hadi

Battle of Gasr Bu Hadi
Date29 April 1915
Location
Gasr Bu Hadi, south of Sirte, Italian Libya
Result Senussi victory
Belligerents
 Kingdom of Italy Senussi
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of Italy Antonio Miani  (WIA) Ahmed Tuati
Sfi Aldin Al-Senussi
Salih Lataiwish
Hamad Saif Al-Naser
Cyrenaica Ramadan Sewehli
Strength

14,000 men[1]
6,159 men

  • 84 officers
  • 900 italian soldiers
  • 2,175 askari
  • 3,000 libyan soldiers (deserted)
 Over 9,000 (more than 6,000 rebels at Gasr bu Hadi at the command of Ahmed Tuati plus the 3,000 irregulars that turned their coats against the Italians)[2]
Casualties and losses
19 officers, 237 Italian soldiers, 242 askaris 500 survivors returned to Sirte, accompanied by Commander Miani (mostly Eritreans of the 15th Battalion)[3] Unknown

The Battle of Gasr Bu Hadi occurred during the Italian colonization of Libya. It was the worst Italian defeat since the Battle of Adwa.[4]

  1. ^ Del Boca, Angelo (2004). La disfatta di Gasr Bu Hadi. Mondadori. p. 9. ISBN 88-04-52899-0.
  2. ^ Del Boca, Angelo (2004). La disfatta di Gasr Bu Hadi. Mondadori. p. 11. ISBN 88-04-52899-0.
  3. ^ Del Boca, Angelo (2004). La disfatta di Gasr Bu Hadi. Mondadori. p. 15. ISBN 88-04-52899-0.
  4. ^ A History of Libya, John Wright, page 119, 2012