Zaptie
was the designation given to locally raised
gendarmerie
units in the Italian colonies of
Tripolitania
,
Cyrenaica
(later
Italian Libya
),
Eritrea
and
Somaliland
between 1889 and 1943.
Origins and duties
[
edit
]
The word "zaptie" is derived from the
Turkish
zaptiye
; a term which was used to refer to both the
Ottoman Empire
's gendarmerie prior to 1923, and to the Turkish personnel recruited for the
Cyprus Military Police
during the period of British rule on the island. The Turkish word "zaptiye" is derived from the Arabic word
????
dhaabet
, which means "officer."
The Italian colonial governments in the territories listed above modelled the various zaptie
constabulary
forces on
Italy
's own
carabinieri
. The first of these units was raised in Eritrea in 1882, drawing from existing companies of
bashi-bazouks
(
basci bazuks
) (
irregular
troops).
[1]
In Tripolitania and Cyrenaica the Italian officered zaptie were generally used for patrolling rural areas in coastal regions, while mounted police or
spahis
operated in the southern desert regions, together with camel mounted
meharists
. In the city of Tripoli civilian police were employed. The original Libyan zaptie were recruited from indigenous gendarmerie of the same name, who had served under the Turkish government prior to 1910.
[2]
In Italian Somaliland, the zaptie provided a ceremonial escort for the Italian
Viceroy
(Governor) as well as the territorial police. There were nearly one thousand such para-military police in 1922, when
Benito Mussolini
took control of the Italian government and started a policy of "pacification" and assimilation of the Italian colonies.
[3]
Attire, weaponry and ranks
[
edit
]
Zaptie troopers were armed with
Model 1874 revolvers
,
cavalry
carbines
, and 1871 model
sabres
.
Officers and some non-commissioned officers were Italian, but the rank and file were recruited from the colony in question. As an example, the
Somali Zaptie Corps
in 1927 numbered 1,500
Somali
and 72
Italian
personnel.
Uniforms varied from colony to colony, but usually comprised
fezes
, red
sashes
and
khaki
or white clothing. A common feature was the white and red collar insignia of the carabinieri.
Campaigns
[
edit
]
Three hundred zaptie took part in the Italian conquest of northern Somalia in 1925. As part of the "colonna Musso", they assisted in the occupation of the
Sultanate of Hobyo
(Hafun and Ordio). Other zaptie units served with the "colonna Bergesio" in the Elemari region (Gallacaio, Garad and Sinedogo). In 1926, zaptie served in the
Majeerteen Sultanate
(Bender Ziada, Candala and Bender Cassim).
[4]
Zaptie detachments participated in the
Italian conquest of Ethiopia
in 1936 and in the
East African Campaign
of
World War II
.
In 1941 in Somalia and Ethiopia 2,186 zaptie (plus 500 recruits under training) formed part of the
Carabinieri
. They were organised in a battalion commanded by Major
Alfredo Serranti
that fought at the
Battle of Culqualber
in Ethiopia for three months until this military unit was destroyed by the
Allies
. After heavy fighting the Italian Carabinieri received "full military honors" from the British.
[5]
In this battle, Muntaz (corporal)
Unatu Endisciau
of the LXXII Zaptie (I° Gruppo
Carabinieri
) Battalion was the only "soldier of colour" to be awarded the Italian
Gold Medal of Military Valor
.
[6]
After
World War II
, a former member of the zaptie corps,
Siad Barre
, became President of Somalia from 1969 to 1991.
[7]
See also
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
Piero Crociani, page 21, "Le Uniformi dell' A.O.I. (Somalia 1889-1941)", La Roccia Edizioni 1980
- ^
Piero Crociani, pages 27-28, "Le Uniformi Coloniali Libiche 1912-1942", La Roccia Edizioni 1980
- ^
Piero Crociani, pages 21-22, "Le Uniformi dell' A.O.I. (Somalia 1889-1941)", La Roccia Edizioni 1980
- ^
Italian conquest of north-eastern Somalia
Archived
February 6, 2012, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
"Non tutti sanno che... Zaptie" (in Italian)
- ^
Article of Arnaldo Grilli on the first two years of World War II (in Italian)
.
- ^
President Siad Barre life (German)
Archived
July 27, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine
References
[
edit
]
- Crociani, P. & Viotti, A.
Le Uniformi dell" AOI (Somalia 1889-1941)
.
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