The Sudanese Government was directly involved militarily in the East African Campaign. Formed in 1925, the Sudan Defence Force played an active part in responding to incursions early in World War Two.  Italian troops occupied Kassala and other border areas from Italian Somaliland during 1940.  In 1942, the SDF also played a part in the invasion of the Italian colony by British and Commonwealth forces.  The last British governor-general was Robert George Howe.