12 African Division Gondar - 1941

Unusual wartime map of northern Ethiopia commemorating the 12th African Division's role in the Allied victory at the Battle of Gondar, the last stand of Italian forces in East Africa during WW2. The map is centred on Gondar and extends north to Dabat and south to Lake Tana.



A ribbon border along the upper, lower, and left sides of the map lists the various forces which comprised the 12th African Division. Other than the Abyssinian army under Emperor Haile Selassie, most of the troops which fought in East Africa were from British Empire territories, such as India, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda. The border to the right of the map illustrates important moments surrounding the Battle of Gondar. The map is drawn in a charming, sketchbook style with useful illustrations throughout.



The author of the map is not recorded, but it was almost certainly a soldier who fought in the campaign. The East African Survey Group who produced this map were responsible for printing military maps during the campaign, but clearly used their leisure time after the Italian surrender in December, 1941 to produce a commemorative map instead.



[AFR6080]