'Memoirs and Recollections of An Officer of the Indian Political Service' [‎18r] (35/156)

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advanced cautiously on the capital, but the southern flight of the defeated Ethiopians
was precipitate. With the Emperor gone, there was no-one left - either willing
or capable of taking charge, and the city was given over to looting and pillage. All
British subjects and members of other nations not diplomatically represented in Addis
Ababa took refuge in accordance with pre-determined plans in our Legation compound.
The Sikhs of the Legation Escort acquitted themselves nobly. They were in action on
many occasions, notably in the defence and evacuation of the neighbouring Belgian and
Swedish Legations. Their lorried patrols were much in evidence in the streets of the
city, rescuing individual Europeans and others from the clutches of the mob who, by
this time, were rampaging through the European quarters in search of white faces and
foreigners. The highlight of the Sikh armed intervention was the rescue under fire
of the United States Minister and his staff of the American Legation in the centre
of the city, which was besieged by an infuriated mob. This involved an episode which
has made wireless history. Mr. Van Engert, the American Minister, finding his
Legation attacked and under fire, was unable to summon aid from the British Legation
seven miles north of the city, owing to a breakdown in his short-range wireless
facilities. But he did have a high powered wireless set, manned by a detachment of U.S.
Marines. Using this radio link, a high-priority urgent signal was sent to the American
military communications centre at Arlington near Washington, asking them to pass an
immediate request to the British Legation for assistance through the Foreign Office
in London. His situation was desperate, and all lines were cleared so that his
signal could be relayed at once to our Legation. The message reached Major Charter in
a matter of minutes and a strong Sikh Patrol drove at high speed the seven miles into
the city where they scattered the mobs which had already set fire to the U.S. Legation,
and rescued the Minister and his staff, and others who had taken refuge in the nick of
time.
The British Legation compound was also attacked, but unsuccessfully. The famous hill
which dominated it from outside the perimeter had previously been transformed into a
miniature fortress and garrisoned by a detachment of Sikhs who thereby deprived the
mob of this all-important vantage point. Four or five days later the mob violence
ceased abruptly when from the north the first units of the Italian motorised columns
started to arrive. These troops, once in occupation of the city, dealt with the
rioters with exemplary severity. General Graziani was created Military Governor,
fr*ttAzAs
and soon restored/rounding up the ringleaders and executing them without mercy.
I have in my possession a copy of an article in the "Morning Post" of London entitled
"The British Stronghold in Addis Ababa" which appeared on 5th May 1936, and of which
I reproduce some extracts below. It certainly throws some light on the controversial
decision to reinforce the garrison of the British Legation. The author of this