at the battle of tug argan (11–15 august) italian attacks had the advantage of artillery and the outnumbered british, commonwealth and imperial forces were gradually worn down and slowly outflanked until the remaining fortified hilltops were made vulnerable to being captured piecemeal. after the failure of a counter-attack towards the mirgo pass, the local commander, major-general reade godwin-austen had too few men to retrieve the situation and to keep open an escape route and was given permission to retreat towards berbera.