The Via Imperiale, one of Eritrea’s few well-paved roads, led from the Sudanese border at Kassala to the colony’s capital at Asmara. The road passed through the long and steep Cheru Pass by the small town of Cheru, home station of the Italian 41st Colonial Infantry Brigade and 4th Colonial Division. The division headquarters with most of its support elements – what few there were in the colonial divisions – pulled back to Agordat, while the brigade stayed behind to hold the pass as long as possible.

The Italian colonials, recruited and trained for internal security duties (and to keep the young men from turning to banditry and rebellion) resisted stoutly throughout the day, turning back repeated Indian and British advances. Infantry sent by Gazelle Force to outflank the position could not make its way through the rough terrain. But during the night a column from 5th Indian Division’s 10th Indian Brigade reached Bahar on the Via Imperiale behind the Cheru Pass position, and the 41st Colonial Infantry Brigade began a precipitous retreat.