User:Alyebard/Fort Maddalena

Fort Maddalena (italian: Ridotta Maddalena) was a fort in the Italian colony of Libya, near the Libyan-Egyptian border, next to the frontier wire of the Italian border

The fort was built during the Italian colonial repression of Senussi resistance during the Second Italo-Senussi War (1923-1931), as part of a barrier on the Libya-Egypt and Libya-Sudan borders.

The Frontier Wire and a number of forts, including Fort Maddalena, were used to prevent the Senussi from moving freely across the border. The fort had four walls that enclosed a courtyard with an observation tower. Quarters had been built in the vicinity and served as a base for border guards and armored car patrols of the Italian army. The fort was built on the crossroads of Bedouin roads.

Background
In 1922, Benito Mussolini continued the Riconquista of Libya, in the Second Italo-Sanussi War (1921–1931). The Frontier Wire was built by the Italian army, under the command of General Rodolfo Graziani, in the winter of 1930-1931, as a means of suppressing Senussi resistance against Italian colonization. The system of border wire and forts was used to hinder the movement of Senussi fighters and materials from Egypt. The wire consisted of four 1.7 m high lines on concrete bases, tied with barbed wire 320 km (200 mi) long, just inside the border from El Ramleh to Sollum Gulf, passing through Fort Capuzzo to Sidi Omar, then south, slightly west of the 25th meridian east, the Libya-Egypt and Libya-Sudan borders. Three large forts at Amseat (Fort Capuzzo), Scegga (Fort Maddalena) and Giarabub and six smaller ones at El Ramleh in the Gulf of Sollum, at Sidi Omar, Sceferzen, Vescechet, Garn ul Grein and El Aamara along the border. The wire was patrolled in armored cars and planes from the forts, by the Italian army and border guards

Second World War
After Italy's declaration of war on the United Kingdom on 10 June 1940, the British took the initiative and raided the forts on the frontier wire. After a night raid on the 13th that was met with machine gun fire from the fort and the consequent withdrawal, on June 14 the 11th Hussars captured Fort Maddalena, after a bombardment by the RAF, The squadron surrounded the fort and there being no sign of opposition, a white flag was raised as the cars converged and the Hussars entered without firing a shot, taking prisoners the five Italians and thirteen native troops who only remained of the garrison. Today only the ruins remain.