the [[royal navy]] had built an all-tide jetty and had commenced evacuating civilian and administrative officials and on 16 august, the british started to embark troops. attacks by the "regia aeronautica" on the british vessels in the gulf of aden and berbera had begun on 8 august to little effect; was slightly damaged in two attacks and the auxiliary vessel "chakdina" suffered splinter damage. on 17 august, the italian western column at bulhar, about west of berbera, was engaged by the light cruiser and halted by gunfire. after dark, the rearguard was withdrawn to berbera with minimal losses and loading was complete by the early hours of 18 august. before sailing for aden early on 19 august, "hobart", with the force headquarters aboard, stayed behind to collect stragglers and complete the destruction of buildings, vehicles, fuel and stores. the tug "queen" was the only british ship lost in the operation. the navy embarked them being front-line troops, and most of the somalis of the scc were sent home to wait for the british to return, earlier plans for them to fight a guerrilla war being scrapped. scc members who were embarked, became an armoured car unit under the same title. there was little italian interference with the evacuation, perhaps because on 15 august, the duke of aosta had ordered nasi to allow the british to evacuate without too much fighting, in the hope of a peace agreement being mediated through the [[holy see|vatican]]. italian troops entered berbera during the evening of 19 august and mussolini annexed the colony to the aoi, as part of the [[italian empire]].