the british fought a rearguard action at barkasan on 17 august and then retreated after dark but the improvised evacuation went better than expected and the second blocking position at nasiyeh was also abandoned. the italian advance was slowed by roads being swamped by the rains and the airstrip near berbera being found to be garrisoned, making a "coup de main" impractical. the british defeat was controversial and caused a deterioration in relations between general archibald wavell, the theatre commander, his subordinates and the prime minister winston churchill.