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{{Short description|
[[File:DUBAT.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Dubat from [[Italian Somalia]] with rifle, ''futa'' and lanyard, 1938]]
'''Dubat''' ([[
==Origin and duties==
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First raised in July 1924 by Colonel Camillo Bechis, they mainly served as [[border guard|frontier guards]]<ref>{{cite book|first=Gabriele|last=Esposito|page=44|title=Italian Colonial Troops 1882-1960|ISBN=978-1-4728-5126-0}}</ref> and [[light infantry]], developing a reputation as effective fighters.<ref name="Jowett">Philip S. Jowett, Stephen Andrew, ''The Italian Army 1940-45: Africa 1940-43'', Volume 2, (Osprey Publishing: 2001), p.7.</ref> Dubats were maintained as permanent units and were better trained and armed than the tribal [[Bands (Italian Army irregulars)|banda]] irregulars raised as temporary [[auxiliaries]] when needed by the Italian authorities in Somalia and other colonies.
[[File:Camillo Bechis alla testa delle truppe cammellate.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Dubat camel troops under
Dubats were concentrated along the [[British Somaliland]], [[Ethiopia]]n and [[East Africa Protectorate]] frontiers.
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During 1935–36, a khaki version of the futa and turban, including a ''[[safari jacket|saharianna]]'' [[tunic]], was adopted for service wear.<ref>Elioe Vittorio, tavola XXVI "Atlante delle Uniformi Militari - militarie italiane del 1934 ad oggi", Grafica Editoiale 1984</ref><ref name="Jowett"/>
The Somali [[non-commissioned officer]]s ranks were distinguished by
* "capo comandante" (commander<ref>{{cite book|first=Gabriele|last=Esposito|page=44|title=Italian Colonial Troops 1882-1960|ISBN=978-1-4728-5126-0}}</ref>) - green,
* "capo" (sergeant<ref>{{cite book|first=Gabriele|last=Esposito|page=44|title=Italian Colonial Troops 1882-1960|ISBN=978-1-4728-5126-0}}</ref>) - red,
* "sotto-capo" (corporal<ref>{{cite book|first=Gabriele|last=Esposito|page=44|title=Italian Colonial Troops 1882-1960|ISBN=978-1-4728-5126-0}}</ref>) - black.<ref>The Italian Invasion of Abyssinia 1935-36, David Nicolle, Osprey Men-at=Arms 309, {{ISBN|1-85532-692-2}}</ref><ref name="Jowett"/>
[[Officer (armed forces)|Commissioned officers]] of the Dubats were all Italians. They were usually seconded from the six regular Arab-Somali battalions of the [[Royal Corps of Colonial Troops]], recruited in the territories of present-day [[Somalia]] and [[Yemen]].<ref>pages 12-13, Piero Crociani, "Le Uniformi dell'A.O.I (Somalia 1889-1941), la Roccia 1980</ref>
Dubats were armed with either [[Carcano|Carcano M1891]]<ref>{{cite book|first=Gabriele|last=Esposito|page=44|title=Italian Colonial Troops 1882-1960|ISBN=978-1-4728-5126-0}}</ref> or [[Steyr-Mannlicher M1895|Mannlicher M1895 rifle]]s.<ref name="Jowett"/> They also carried curved traditional Somali [[dagger]]s called [[billao]].<ref name="Jowett"/>
==Campaigns==
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The four original bands were increased to ten during the early stages of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935. On 5 December 1934, a clash occurred between a detachment of Dubats occupying the [[Walwal]] oasis in the [[Ogaden]], and Ethiopian troops escorting a border commission. This incident provided the pretext for the subsequent [[Second Italian-Abyssinian War]]. Nearly 20,000 Dubats and other irregulars served with the Italian forces during the 1936 conquest of Ethiopia.<ref>[http://www.archivioluce.com/archivio/jsp/schede/videoPlayer.jsp?tipologia=&id=&physDoc=1105&db=cinematograficoDOCUMENTARI&findIt=false§ion=/# Dubats in 1936 Ethiopia conquest (original video in Italian)]</ref>
During the Italian occupations of [[Harar]] Somali Dubats killed over 200 [[Amhara people|Amhara]] Christian settlers including 3 priests during the first six days of the occupation.<ref>{{Cite journal |date= |title=Chronology |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25639539 |journal=Bulletin of International News |publisher=Royal Institute of International Affairs |volume=12 |issue=24 |pages=12 |via=JSTOR}}</ref>
With the occupation of Ethiopia, the Dubats were re-deployed in the Ogaden Desert and along the frontiers of [[French Somaliland|French]] and British Somaliland. They saw ongoing action against Ethiopian [[guerrilla]]s in [[Hararghe]].
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