26 TURCO-ITALIAN WAR 



Division and Gargaresch, till the advance of the second group of reserves compelled 

 them to retire. The Italians then fortified a point on the coast north of Zanzur but the 

 oasis itself was not yet occupied. 



Occupation of Misrata. The victory of Zanzur enabled General Caneva to spare 

 troops for the occupation of the important oasis of Misrata. On June isth a composite 

 division about 10,000 strong, drawn from Italy, Tripoli, Derna and Benghazi, under 

 General Camerana, landed at Bu Sceifa, five miles from Misrata, under cover of a demon- 

 stration by the fleet at Ziliten. After repelling an attack by 5000 Turco-Arabs on July 

 2d, Camerana moved against Misrata on the gth. The advance was made in three 

 columns, the right column keeping touch with the fleet. The centre column took 

 Zuruk after severe fighting while the right column routed the enemy's left. The force 

 then occupied Misrata. The Italian casualties were 9 killed and 121 wounded. An 

 attack on Gherem by General Fara (southwest of Misrata) on July 2oth brought on a 

 rear guard action which cost the Italians 19 killed and 87 wounded. 



Meanwhile, on the western frontier, on June 26th, Garioni had attacked the enemy's 

 position at Sidi Said with two columns, one advancing along the Peninsula and one 

 moving parallel to it from Fort Forwa. After three days' fighting, the enemy were 

 driven from successive positions and fell back to Sidi Ali. The Arabs could, however, 

 still use the road through Regdalin and Zuara and the occupation of these places was 

 therefore decided on. Garioni's force was first increased to 20,000 men. On August 

 4th a demonstration was made to the south-west of Tripoli by the 3d Infantry Division. 

 On the same night a force of 5000 men (6 battalions and 2 batteries) under General 

 Tassoni, landed just east of Zuara which was captured next morning. Simultaneously 

 Garioni's force moved east along the coast from Macabez and joined hands with Tassoni. 

 The enemy withdrew to Regdalin. On August i5th the combined forces under Garioni 

 captured the Samad hills, between Regdalin and Mensua, thus definitely closing the 

 coastal roads to contraband traffic. 



'General Caneva's policy of allowing the enemy to wear themselves out by attrition 

 had caused some discontent in Italy. It was urged that for 100,000 regular troops to 

 remain on the defensive against some 6000 Turks and 20,000 Arabs was injurious to 

 Italian prestige. On September 5th, it was announced that, the first phase of the cam- 

 paign having been concluded by the occupation of all the points of the coast, General 

 Caneva's task was accomplished. He was then recalled, and two independent com- 

 mands were formed under Generals Briccola and Ragni in Tripolitana and Cyrenaica 

 respectively. It was understood that an expedition to Gharian would take place in the 

 autumn of 1912. 



The last naval operation took place on the night of July 1 2th and i3th, 1912. About 

 midnight five Italian torpedo boats, under Commander Millo, entered the Darda- 

 nelles to attack the Turkish fleet anchored above the narrows. After reaching Kilid 

 Bahr under a heavy fire, the leading boats were stopped by steel cables and the flotilla 

 retired. Four of the boats were hit but none seriously damaged. The fear of an Italian 

 landing compelled the Turks to keep 30,000 troops within reach of the Dardanelles forts. 



We now reach the closing phase of the war. Early on September 22d a force of 

 three brigades from Tripoli attacked the Turco-Arab position south of Zanzur. The 

 defenders, who were estimated at 8000, were driven off by 8 A.M. Two impetuous 

 counter-attacks by Turco-Arab reinforcements, which hurried up from Suani Beni 

 Adam, were defeated by the evening after fierce fighting at close quarters. The Italians 

 lost 208 killed and 256 wounded. 



The last serious fighting took place in Cyrenaica. On September i$th the Italian 

 garrison of Derna had advanced their line to Kasr el Lebn and Casa Aronne three miles 

 south-east of the town. On the i yth these positions, which were held by three brigades, 

 were attacked by Enver Bey with a strong force supported by guns. After severe 

 fighting the Turco-Arabs were repulsed with a loss of noo killed. On October yth the 

 Italians captured the important position of Sidi Abdullah, three miles south-west of 

 Derna; under cover of this operation a battalion and two batteries landed at Bombah, 



