Gen. Carlo de Simone waited a day to re-organize his troops and await the arrival of the fresh 70th Colonial Infantry Brigade, formerly part of Gen. Sisto Bertoldi’s western column. He placed these reinforcements in the vanguard and marched for Berbera, where the British were madly evacuating their troops and civilian employees. But as De Simone expected, Godwin-Austen had left behind a rear guard.

The recently-formed 70th Brigade performed surprisingly well, pressing its attacks against the Scots. The Italians fought their way into the Black Watch positions, but were ejected when the sound of bagpipes heralded a counter-attack, and one of the Black Watch companies rose out of their rifle pits to launch a crazed bayonet attack. The Somalis of 70th Brigade recoiled, and the Black Watch was able to withdraw at its own pace and evacuate from Berbera without further losses.