| Compagnia Autocarrata Tedesca | |
|---|---|
| Active | 6 October 1940 – 19 May 1941 |
| Country | Italy |
| Branch | Italian Army |
| Type | Light Infantry |
| Size | Company |
| Equipment | Mannlicher-Carcano M91/38, Breda M30 and Schwarzlose MG M.07/12; Glisenti M1910 |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
First Lieutenant (Oberleutnant) Gustav Hamel |
The German Motorized Company (Italian: Compagnia Autocarrata Tedesca, German: Deutsche Motorisierte Kompanie) was a light infantry company formed by the Italians during the East African Campaign during World War II.
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About 140 Germans who had fled from British-held Kenya and Tanganyika formed the German Motorized Company. A large number of the Germans arrived in Italian East Africa on the Italian ship Piave before Italy entered World War II. After 10 June 1940, once Italian dictator Benito Mussolini declared war on Britain and France, the Germans from the Piave volunteered to fight for the Italy in Italian East Africa (Italian: Africa Orientale Italiana or AOI). Most of the German volunteers had little to no military background while others stranded in Italian East Africa received draft cards to report for the unit as well.
On 2 July 1940, the Governor-General of Eritrea, Luigi Frusci, formed the German Motorized Company. The company trained at the Graziani-Barracks in Asmara, capital of Eritrea. In addition, the company consisted of nine Fiat 626 NLM medium trucks.
The Italian radio station in Addis Ababa, capital of Abyssinia, broadcasted news about the German Motorized Company. The existence of this unit was of great propaganda value to Italy.
On 3 November 1940, the company first saw action at Kassala (Italian: Cassala) in Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. The company was active at Agordat and during the Battle of Keren (Italian: Cheren). The company provided cover during the reteat from Keren to Asmara.
Only 21 men survived the loss of Eritrea suffered by Italy. This small group of men were with Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, at Amba Alagi during one of the final stages of the East African Campaign. No one survived the loss of Amba Alagi in Abyssinia.
The Governor-General of Eritrea, Luigi Frusci, presented the company with a special triangular flag. The flag displayed the Italian Fascist Flag on the left side and the German Swastika Flag on the other side.