SherbyNet - /page/wikibook/entry.mu

Micron Document

<!DOCTYPE html>

<title>Operation Compass</title>

</head>

Operation Compass

</h1>

</header>

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

@media all and (min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .desktop-float-right{box-sizing:border-box;float:right;clear:right}}.mw-parser-output .infobox.vevent .status>p:first-child{margin:0}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1034237262">

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .stack{box-sizing:border-box}.mw-parser-output .stack>div{margin:1px;overflow:hidden}@media all and (min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .stack-clear-left{float:left;clear:left}.mw-parser-output .stack-clear-right{float:right;clear:right}.mw-parser-output .stack-left{float:left}.mw-parser-output .stack-right{float:right}.mw-parser-output .stack-margin-clear-left{float:left;clear:left;margin-right:1em}.mw-parser-output .stack-margin-clear-right{float:right;clear:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .stack-margin-left{float:left;margin-right:1em}.mw-parser-output .stack-margin-right{float:right;margin-left:1em}}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><div class="stack mw-stack stack-clear-right"><div><table class="infobox vevent" style="width:25.5em;border-spacing:2px;"><tbody><tr><th class="summary" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Operation Compass</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;">Part of the <a href="Western_Desert_campaign" title="Western Desert campaign">Western Desert campaign</a> of the <a href="Second_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Second World War">Second World War</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align:center;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;line-height:1.5em;"> Map showing the Western Desert theatre</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><table style="width:100%;margin:0;padding:0;border:0;display:inline-table"><tbody><tr><th style="padding-right:1em">Date</th><td>9 December 1940 – 9 February 1941 (2 months)</td></tr><tr><th style="padding-right:1em">Location</th><td><div class="location"><a href="Sidi_Barrani" title="Sidi Barrani">Sidi Barrani</a>, <a href="Kingdom_of_Egypt" title="Kingdom of Egypt">Egypt</a> to <a href="El_Agheila" title="El Agheila">El Agheila</a>, <a href="Italian_Libya" title="Italian Libya">Libya</a></div></td></tr><tr><th style="padding-right:1em">Result</th><td class="status">

British victory</td></tr><tr><th style="padding-right:1em">Territorial changes</th><td>

Recapture of western Egypt and occupation of Cyrenaica</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Belligerents</th></tr><tr><td style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;">

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><div class="plainlist"><ul><li> <a href="United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></li><li> <a href="British_Raj" title="British Raj">India</a></li><li><a href="Cyrenaica" title="Cyrenaica"></a> <a href="Libyan_Arab_Force" title="Libyan Arab Force">Libyan Arab Force</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTERodd1970255-1">[1]</a><a href="#cite_note-2">[a]</a></li><li> <a href="Southern_Rhodesia" title="Southern Rhodesia">Southern Rhodesia</a></li><li> <a href="Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a></li><li> <a href="Free_France" title="Free France">Free France</a></li></ul></div></td><td style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em">

<div class="plainlist"><ul><li> <a href="Kingdom_of_Italy" title="Kingdom of Italy">Italy</a></li><li> <a href="Italian_Libya" title="Italian Libya">Italian Libya</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Commanders and leaders</th></tr><tr><td style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;">

<ul><li><a href="Archibald_Wavell" class="mw-redirect" title="Archibald Wavell">Archibald Wavell</a></li>

<li><a href="Henry_Maitland_Wilson" title="Henry Maitland Wilson">Henry Wilson</a></li>

<li><a href="Richard_O'Connor" title="Richard O'Connor">Richard O'Connor</a></li>

<li><a href="Michael_O'Moore_Creagh" title="Michael O'Moore Creagh">Michael Creagh</a></li>

<li><a href="Noel_Beresford-Peirse" title="Noel Beresford-Peirse">Noel Beresford-Peirse</a></li>

<li><a href="Iven_Mackay" title="Iven Mackay">Iven Mackay</a></li></ul>

</div></td><td style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Rodolfo_Graziani" title="Rodolfo Graziani">Rodolfo Graziani</a></li>

<li><a href="Giuseppe_Tellera" title="Giuseppe Tellera">Giuseppe Tellera</a> <a href="Killed_in_action" title="Killed in action">†</a></li>

<li><a href="Sebastiano_Gallina" title="Sebastiano Gallina">Sebastiano Gallina</a> (<a href="Prisoner_of_war" title="Prisoner of war"><abbr title="Prisoner of war">POW</abbr></a>)</li>

<li><a href="Carlo_Spatocco" title="Carlo Spatocco">Carlo Spatocco</a></li>

<li><a href="Annibale_Bergonzoli" title="Annibale Bergonzoli">Annibale Bergonzoli</a> (<a href="Prisoner_of_war" title="Prisoner of war"><abbr title="Prisoner of war">POW</abbr></a>)</li>

<li><a href="Enrico_Pitassi_Mannella" title="Enrico Pitassi Mannella">Enrico Mannella</a> (<a href="Prisoner_of_war" title="Prisoner of war"><abbr title="Prisoner of war">POW</abbr></a>)</li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Units involved</th></tr><tr><td style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;">

<a href="United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom"></a> <a href="Western_Desert_Force" title="Western Desert Force">Western Desert Force</a></td><td style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em">

<a href="Kingdom_of_Italy" title="Kingdom of Italy"></a> <a href="10th_Army_(Italy)" title="10th Army (Italy)">10th Army</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Strength</th></tr><tr><td style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;">

<div class="plainlist">36,000 men

<ul><li>275 tanks</li>

<li>142 aircraft</li></ul>

</div></td><td style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em">

<div class="plainlist">150,000 men

<ul><li>600 armoured vehicles</li>

<li>331 aircraft</li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%;">Casualties and losses</th></tr><tr><td style="width:50%;border-right:1px dotted #aaa;">

<ul><li>500 killed</li>

<li>1,373 wounded</li>

<li>55 missing</li>

<li>26 aircraft</li></ul>

</div></td><td style="width:50%;padding-left:0.25em">

<div class="plainlist">5,500+ killed

<ul><li>10,000 wounded</li>

<li>420 tanks</li>

<li>564 aircraft</li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Western_Desert_Campaign4211" style="margin:0;float:right;clear:right;width:25.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:1em;;padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks navbox-vertical mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><div id="Western_Desert_Campaign4211" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="Western_Desert_campaign" title="Western Desert campaign"> Western Desert Campaign </a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">1940

<ul><li><a href="Italian_invasion_of_Egypt" title="Italian invasion of Egypt">Invasion of Egypt</a></li>

<li>

<ul><li><a href="Attack_on_Nibeiwa" title="Attack on Nibeiwa">Nibeiwa</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Sidi_Barrani" title="Battle of Sidi Barrani">Sidi Barrani</a></li></ul></li></ul>

1941

<ul><li><a href="Battle_of_Bardia" title="Battle of Bardia">1st Bardia</a></li>

<li><a href="British_capture_of_Tobruk" title="British capture of Tobruk">Tobruk 1941</a></li>

<li><a href="Action_at_Mechili" title="Action at Mechili">Mechili</a></li>

<li><a href="Capture_of_Kufra" title="Capture of Kufra">Kufra</a></li>

<li><a href="Siege_of_Giarabub" title="Siege of Giarabub">Giarabub</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Sonnenblume" title="Operation Sonnenblume">Sonnenblume</a></li>

<li><a href="Siege_of_Tobruk" title="Siege of Tobruk">Tobruk siege</a>

<ul><li><a href="Raid_on_Bardia" title="Raid on Bardia">2nd Bardia</a></li>

<li><a href="Twin_Pimples_raid" title="Twin Pimples raid">Twin Pimples</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Brevity" title="Operation Brevity">Brevity</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Skorpion" title="Operation Skorpion">Skorpion</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Battleaxe" title="Operation Battleaxe">Battleaxe</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Crusader" title="Operation Crusader">Crusader</a>

<ul><li><a href="Operation_Flipper" title="Operation Flipper">Flipper</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Point_175" title="Battle of Point 175">Point 175</a></li>

1942

<ul><li><a href="Operation_Acrobat" title="Operation Acrobat">Acrobat</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Gazala" title="Battle of Gazala">Gazala</a>

<ul><li><a href="Battle_of_Bir_Hakeim" title="Battle of Bir Hakeim">Bir Hakeim</a></li>

<li><a href="Axis_capture_of_Tobruk" title="Axis capture of Tobruk">Tobruk 1942</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Mersa_Matruh" title="Battle of Mersa Matruh">Mersa Matruh</a></li>

<li><a href="First_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="First Battle of El Alamein">1st Alamein</a>

<ul><li><a href="Raid_on_Sidi_Haneish_Airfield" title="Raid on Sidi Haneish Airfield">Sidi Haneish</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Alam_el_Halfa" title="Battle of Alam el Halfa">Alam Halfa</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Agreement" title="Operation Agreement">Agreement</a>

<ul><li><a href="Operation_Bigamy" title="Operation Bigamy">Bigamy</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Caravan" title="Operation Caravan">Caravan</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Nicety" title="Operation Nicety">Nicety</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="Second Battle of El Alamein">2nd Alamein</a>

<ul><li><a href="Operation_Bertram" title="Operation Bertram">Bertram</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Braganza" title="Operation Braganza">Braganza</a></li>

<li><a href="Defence_of_Outpost_Snipe" title="Defence of Outpost Snipe">Outpost Snipe</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_El_Agheila" title="Battle of El Agheila">El Agheila</a></li></ul>

<hr>

Associated articles

<ul><li><a href="Frontier_Wire_(Libya)" title="Frontier Wire (Libya)">Frontier Wire</a></li>

<li><a href="Devil's_gardens" title="Devil's gardens">Devil's gardens</a></li>

<li><a href="Fort_Capuzzo" title="Fort Capuzzo">Fort Capuzzo</a></li>

<li><a href="Maletti_Group" title="Maletti Group">Maletti Group</a></li>

<li><a href="Middle_East_Command_Camouflage_Directorate" title="Middle East Command Camouflage Directorate">Camouflage</a></li>

<li><a href="Babini_Group" title="Babini Group">Babini Group</a></li>

<li><a href="Combeforce" title="Combeforce">Combeforce</a></li>

<li><a href="3rd_Indian_Motor_Brigade" title="3rd Indian Motor Brigade">3rd Indian Motor Brigade</a></li>

<li><a href="Baggush_Box" title="Baggush Box">Baggush Box</a></li>

<li><a href="Sonderkommando_Blaich" title="Sonderkommando Blaich">Sonderkommando Blaich</a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

<ul><li><a href="Attack_on_Nibeiwa" title="Attack on Nibeiwa">Nibeiwa</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Sidi_Barrani" title="Battle of Sidi Barrani">Sidi Barrani</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Bardia" title="Battle of Bardia">Bardia</a></li>

<li><a href="British_capture_of_Tobruk" title="British capture of Tobruk">Tobruk</a></li>

<li>Derna</li>

<li><a href="Action_at_Mechili%2C_24_January_1941" class="mw-redirect" title="Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941">Mechili</a></li>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div>

Operation Compass (also <a href="Italian_language" title="Italian language">Italian</a>: Battaglia della Marmarica) was the first large British military operation of the <a href="Western_Desert_Campaign" class="mw-redirect" title="Western Desert Campaign">Western Desert Campaign</a> (1940–1943) during the <a href="Second_World_War" class="mw-redirect" title="Second World War">Second World War</a>. British metropolitan, Imperial and Commonwealth forces attacked the <a href="Kingdom_of_Italy" title="Kingdom of Italy">Italian</a> and Libyan forces of the <a href="Tenth_Army_(Italy)" class="mw-redirect" title="Tenth Army (Italy)">10th Army</a> (Marshal <a href="Rodolfo_Graziani" title="Rodolfo Graziani">Rodolfo Graziani</a>) in western <a href="Kingdom_of_Egypt" title="Kingdom of Egypt">Egypt</a> and <a href="Cyrenaica" title="Cyrenaica">Cyrenaica</a>, the eastern province of <a href="Italian_Libya" title="Italian Libya">Libya</a>, from December 1940 to February 1941.

The <a href="Western_Desert_Force" title="Western Desert Force">Western Desert Force</a> (WDF) (<a href="Lieutenant-general_(United_Kingdom)" title="Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)">Lieutenant-General</a> <a href="Richard_O'Connor" title="Richard O'Connor">Richard O'Connor</a>) with about 36,000 men, advanced from <a href="Mersa_Matruh" class="mw-redirect" title="Mersa Matruh">Mersa Matruh</a> in Egypt on a five-day raid against the Italian positions of the 10th Army, which had about 150,000 troops in fortified posts around <a href="Sidi_Barrani" title="Sidi Barrani">Sidi Barrani</a> in Egypt and in Cyrenaica to the west. The WDF swiftly defeated the Italians in their fortified posts and at Sidi Barrani, forced the rest of the 10th Army out of Egypt and captured the ports along the Cyrenaican coast in Libya. The 10th Army was cut off as it retreated towards <a href="Tripolitania" title="Tripolitania">Tripolitania</a> at the <a href="Battle_of_Beda_Fomm" title="Battle of Beda Fomm">Battle of Beda Fomm</a>, the remnants being pursued to El Agheila on the <a href="Gulf_of_Sirte" class="mw-redirect" title="Gulf of Sirte">Gulf of Sirte</a>.

The British took over 138,000 Italian and Libyan prisoners, hundreds of <a href="Tank" title="Tank">tanks</a>, more than a thousand <a href="Artillery" title="Artillery">guns</a> and many <a href="Aircraft" title="Aircraft">aircraft</a>. The WDF suffered casualties of 1,900 men killed and wounded, about 10 per cent of the infantry. The WDF was unable to continue beyond El Agheila, due to worn-out vehicles and the diversion in March 1941 of the best-equipped units to conduct <a href="Operation_Lustre" title="Operation Lustre">Operation Lustre</a> for the <a href="Battle_of_Greece" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Greece">Battle of Greece</a>. The Italians rushed reinforcements to Libya to defend <a href="Tripoli%2C_Libya" title="Tripoli, Libya">Tripoli</a>, assisted by the <a href="Deutsches_Afrikakorps" class="mw-redirect" title="Deutsches Afrikakorps">Deutsches Afrikakorps</a> and the <a href="Luftwaffe" title="Luftwaffe">Luftwaffe</a>.

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .toclimit-2 .toclevel-1 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-3 .toclevel-2 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-4 .toclevel-3 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-5 .toclevel-4 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-6 .toclevel-5 ul,.mw-parser-output .toclimit-7 .toclevel-6 ul{display:none}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><div class="toclimit-3"><meta property="mw:PageProp/toc"></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Background">Background</h2></div>

When war was declared, the 5th Army (General <a href="Italo_Gariboldi" title="Italo Gariboldi">Italo Gariboldi</a>) was in <a href="Tripolitania" title="Tripolitania">Tripolitania</a> the western Libyan province and the 10th Army (General <a href="Mario_Berti" title="Mario Berti">Mario Berti</a>) was in <a href="Cyrenaica" title="Cyrenaica">Cyrenaica</a> to the east. Once the French in Tunisia no longer posed a threat to Tripolitania, units of the 5th Army were used to reinforce the 10th Army. When the Governor-General of Libya, <a href="Italo_Balbo" title="Italo Balbo">Italo Balbo</a>, was killed by <a href="Friendly_fire" title="Friendly fire">friendly fire</a>, Marshal <a href="Rodolfo_Graziani" title="Rodolfo Graziani">Rodolfo Graziani</a> took his place. Graziani expressed doubts about the ability of the large non-mechanised Italian force to defeat the British, who, though fewer in numbers, were motorised. After being reinforced from the 5th Army, the 10th Army controlled the equivalent of four corps with 150,000 infantry, 1,600 guns, 600 tankettes and tanks and 331 aircraft.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957266-3">[2]</a> The XX Corps comprised the <a href="60th_Infantry_Division_%22Sabratha%22" title="60th Infantry Division "Sabratha"">60th Infantry Division "Sabratha"</a> and the XXI Corps was composed of the <a href="1st_CC.NN._Division_%2223_Marzo%22" title="1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo"">1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo"</a>, the <a href="2nd_CC.NN._Division_%2228_Ottobre%22" title="2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre"">2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre"</a> and the <a href="63rd_Infantry_Division_%22Cirene%22" title="63rd Infantry Division "Cirene"">63rd Infantry Division "Cirene"</a>. XXII Corps had the <a href="61st_Infantry_Division_%22Sirte%22" title="61st Infantry Division "Sirte"">61st Infantry Division "Sirte"</a> and XXIII Corps had the <a href="4th_CC.NN._Division_%223_Gennaio%22" title="4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio"">4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio"</a> and the <a href="64th_Infantry_Division_%22Catanzaro%22" title="64th Infantry Division "Catanzaro"">64th Infantry Division "Catanzaro"</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972106,_121Hunt199051-4">[3]</a>

The new Libyan Divisions Group (Gruppo Divisioni Libiche) had the part-motorised and lightly armoured <a href="Maletti_Group" title="Maletti Group">Maletti Group</a> (<a href="General" class="mw-redirect" title="General">General</a> <a href="Pietro_Maletti" title="Pietro Maletti">Pietro Maletti</a>), the <a href="1st_Libyan_Division_(Italy)" title="1st Libyan Division (Italy)">1st Libyan Division</a> (<a href="Major-General" class="mw-redirect" title="Major-General">Major-General</a> <a href="Luigi_Sibille" title="Luigi Sibille">Luigi Sibille</a>) and the <a href="2nd_Libyan_Division_(Italy)" title="2nd Libyan Division (Italy)">2nd Libyan Division</a> (Major-General <a href="Armando_Pescatori" title="Armando Pescatori">Armando Pescatori</a>).<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHunt199051-5">[4]</a> The Maletti Group had been formed at Derna on 8 July 1940 comprising seven Libyan motorised infantry battalions, a company of <a href="Fiat_M11/39" class="mw-redirect" title="Fiat M11/39">Fiat M11/39</a> tanks, a company of <a href="L3/33" title="L3/33">L3/33 tankettes</a>, motorised artillery and supply units, as the main motorised unit of the 10th Army. On 29 August, as more tanks arrived from Italy, the (Libyan Tank Command [Colonel Valentini]) was formed with three groups: 1st Tank Group (Colonel Aresca) with the I Tank Battalion "M" and the XXI, LXI, and LXII Tank battalion "L", 2nd Tank Group (Colonel Antonio Trivioli), with the II Tank Battalion "M", less one company and the IX, XX, and LXI Tank Battalion "L"s and Maletti Group with one company from the LX Tank Battalion "L", one company from the II Tank Battalion "M", and three Libyan infantry battalions.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChristie199932,_48-6">[5]</a> Raggruppamento Maletti became part of the Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali della Libia (Royal Corps of Libyan Colonial Troops), with the 1st Libyan Division and the 2nd Libyan Division.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWalker200361-7">[6]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Western_Desert_Force">Western Desert Force</h3></div>

<a href="Middle_East_Command" title="Middle East Command">Middle East Command</a> (General <a href="Archibald_Wavell" class="mw-redirect" title="Archibald Wavell">Archibald Wavell</a>) had about 36,000 soldiers, some outside Egypt, 120 guns and 275 tanks. The RAF had 162 aircraft composed of two squadrons of <a href="Hawker_Hurricanes" class="mw-redirect" title="Hawker Hurricanes">Hurricanes</a>, one of <a href="Gloster_Gladiators" class="mw-redirect" title="Gloster Gladiators">Gloster Gladiators</a>, three of <a href="Bristol_Blenheim" title="Bristol Blenheim">Bristol Blenheims</a>, three of <a href="Vickers_Wellington" title="Vickers Wellington">Vickers Wellingtons</a> and one of <a href="Bristol_Bombay" title="Bristol Bombay">Bristol Bombays</a>, about 46 fighters and 116 bombers.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957262-8">[7]</a> The <a href="Western_Desert_Force" title="Western Desert Force">Western Desert Force</a> (WDF) was commanded by <a href="Lieutenant-General" class="mw-redirect" title="Lieutenant-General">Lieutenant-General</a> <a href="Richard_O'Connor" title="Richard O'Connor">Richard O'Connor</a> with the <a href="4th_Indian_Infantry_Division" class="mw-redirect" title="4th Indian Infantry Division">4th Indian Infantry Division</a> (Major-General <a href="Noel_Beresford-Peirse" title="Noel Beresford-Peirse">Noel Beresford-Peirse</a>) and the 7th Armoured Division (Major-General Sir <a href="Michael_O'Moore_Creagh" title="Michael O'Moore Creagh">Michael O'Moore Creagh</a>). From 14 December, troops of the <a href="6th_Division_(Australia)" title="6th Division (Australia)">6th Australian Infantry Division</a> (Major-General <a href="Iven_Giffard_Mackay" class="mw-redirect" title="Iven Giffard Mackay">Iven Giffard Mackay</a>), replaced the 4th Indian Division, which was sent to East Africa, less one brigade. The British had some fast <a href="Cruiser_Mk_I" title="Cruiser Mk I">Cruiser Mk I</a>, <a href="Cruiser_Mk_II" title="Cruiser Mk II">Cruiser Mk II</a> and <a href="Cruiser_Mk_III" title="Cruiser Mk III">Cruiser Mk III</a> tanks with <a href="Ordnance_QF_2-pounder" title="Ordnance QF 2-pounder">Ordnance QF 2-pounder</a> guns, which were superior to Fiat M11/39 tanks. The British also had a battalion of <a href="Matilda_II" title="Matilda II">Matilda II</a> <a href="Infantry_tank" title="Infantry tank">infantry tanks</a> that while slow, were also equipped with the 2-pounder; the armour of the Matildas could not be penetrated by Italian <a href="Anti-tank_gun" title="Anti-tank gun">anti-tank guns</a> or field guns.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001102-9">[8]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Border_skirmishes">Border skirmishes</h3></div>

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="Fort_Capuzzo" title="Fort Capuzzo">Fort Capuzzo</a> and <a href="Frontier_Wire_(Libya)" title="Frontier Wire (Libya)">Frontier Wire (Libya)</a></div>

Italy declared war on Britain and <a href="French_Third_Republic" title="French Third Republic">France</a> on 10 June 1940. During the next few months there were raids and skirmishes between Italian forces in Libya and British and Commonwealth forces in Egypt. On 12 June 1940, the <a href="Mediterranean_Fleet" title="Mediterranean Fleet">Mediterranean Fleet</a> bombarded Tobruk. The force included the cruisers <a href="HMS_Liverpool_(C11)" title="HMS Liverpool (C11)">HMS Liverpool</a> and <a href="HMS_Gloucester_(62)" title="HMS Gloucester (62)">HMS Gloucester</a> and exchanged fire with the Italian cruiser <a href="Italian_cruiser_San_Giorgio" title="Italian cruiser San Giorgio">San Giorgio</a>. Royal Air Force Blenheim bombers from 45, 55 and 211 squadrons, hit San Giorgio with one bomb.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957112–113-10">[9]</a> On 19 June, the British submarine <a href="HMS_Parthian_(N75)" title="HMS Parthian (N75)">HMS Parthian</a> fired two torpedoes at San Giorgio but missed. The gunners on San Giorgio then supported the local land-based anti-aircraft units and claimed 47 British aircraft shot down or damaged. The naval gunners also shot down a <a href="Savoia-Marchetti_SM.79" class="mw-redirect" title="Savoia-Marchetti SM.79">Savoia-Marchetti SM.79</a> aircraft and killed Italo Balbo, the Governor-General of Libya and Commander-in-chief of Italian forces in North Africa.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHunt199021-11">[10]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Prelude">Prelude</h2></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Operazione_E">Operazione E</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Italian_invasion_of_Egypt" title="Italian invasion of Egypt">Italian invasion of Egypt</a></div>

On 13 September 1940, the Italian <a href="10th_Army_(Italy)" title="10th Army (Italy)">10th Army</a> advanced into Egypt in Operazione E. As the Italians advanced, the small British force at <a href="Sollum" class="mw-redirect" title="Sollum">Sollum</a> withdrew to the main defensive position east of Mersa Matruh.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMackenzie195126–27-12">[11]</a> The Italian advance was harassed by the 3rd Coldstream Guards, attached artillery and other units.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957210-13">[12]</a> After recapturing <a href="Fort_Capuzzo" title="Fort Capuzzo">Fort Capuzzo</a>, the Italians advanced approximately 59 mi (95 km) in three days and on 16 September, the advance stopped at Maktila, 9.9 mi (16 km) beyond <a href="Sidi_Barrani" title="Sidi Barrani">Sidi Barrani</a>. The Italians dug in and awaited reinforcements and supplies along the <a href="Via_della_Vittoria" title="Via della Vittoria">Via della Vittoria</a>, an extension of the <a href="Litoranea_Balbo" class="mw-redirect" title="Litoranea Balbo">Litoranea Balbo</a> (Via Balbia) being built from the frontier. Five fortified camps were built around Sidi Barrani from Maktila, 15 mi (24 km) east along the coast, south to Tummar East, Tummar West and Nibeiwa; another camp was built at Sofafi on the escarpment to the south-west.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMackenzie195127-14">[13]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="British_plan">British plan</h3></div>

Following the Italian advance, Wavell ordered the commander of British Troops Egypt, Lieutenant-General Sir <a href="Henry_Maitland_Wilson" title="Henry Maitland Wilson">Henry Maitland Wilson</a>, to plan a limited operation to push the Italians back. Operation Compass, for administrative reasons, was originally planned as a five-day raid but consideration was given to continuing the operation to exploit success.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957264Mead2007331-15">[14]</a> On 28 November, Wavell wrote to Wilson that,

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><blockquote class="templatequote">I do not entertain extravagant hopes of this operation but I do wish to make certain that if a big opportunity occurs we are prepared morally, mentally and administratively to use it to the fullest.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957265-16">[15]</a></blockquote>

The 7th Support Group was to observe the Italian camps on the escarpment around Sofafi, to prevent the garrisons from interfering, while the rest of the division and 4th Indian Division passed through the Sofafi–Nibeiwa gap. An Indian brigade and Infantry tanks of <a href="7th_Royal_Tank_Regiment" title="7th Royal Tank Regiment">7th Royal Tank Regiment</a> (7th RTR) would attack Nibeiwa from the west, as the 7th Armoured Division protected their northern flank. Once Nibeiwa was captured, a second Indian brigade and the 7th RTR would attack the Tummars. Selby Force (3rd Battalion <a href="Coldstream_Guards" title="Coldstream Guards">Coldstream Guards</a> plus some artillery) from the Matruh garrison was to contain the enemy camp at Maktila on the coast and the Royal Navy would bombard Maktila and Sidi Barrani.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957260–261-17">[16]</a> Preparations were kept secret and only a few officers knew during the training exercise held from 25 to 26 November, that the objectives marked out near Matruh were replicas of Nibeiwa and Tummar; the troops were also told that a second exercise was to follow and did not know that the operation was real until 7 December, as they arrived at their jumping-off points.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957263,_265-18">[17]</a>

Late on 8 December, an Italian reconnaissance aircrew reported that attack on Maktila and Nibeiwa was imminent but Maletti was not informed. On 9 December, the 1st Libyan Division was at Maktila and the 2nd Libyan Division was at Tummar. The Maletti Group was at Nibiewa and the 4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio" and the headquarters of the Libyan Corps were at Sidi Barrani. The 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" and the headquarters of XXI Corps were at Sofafi and the 64th Infantry Division "Catanzaro" was at Buq Buq. The HQ of XXIII Corps and the 2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre", were in Sollum and Halfaya Pass respectively and the <a href="62nd_Infantry_Division_%22Marmarica%22" title="62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica"">62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica"</a> was at Sidi Omar, south of Sollum.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey197268-19">[18]</a> Berti was on sick leave and Gariboldi, the 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo" and the 10th Army Headquarters were far back at Bardia. (By the time Berti arrived in Libya, so had the British.)<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957281-20">[19]</a> Operation Compass (la battaglia della Marmarica / Battle of the <a href="Marmarica" title="Marmarica">Marmarica</a>) began on the night of 7/8 December. The WDF, with the <a href="7th_Armoured_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)">7th Armoured Division</a>, <a href="4th_Indian_Division" class="mw-redirect" title="4th Indian Division">4th Indian Division</a> and the <a href="16th_Infantry_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="16th Infantry Brigade">16th Infantry Brigade</a> advanced 70 mi (113 km) to their start line. The RAF made attacks on Italian airfields and destroyed or damaged 29 aircraft on the ground. Selby Force (Brigadier A. R. Selby) with 1,800 men (the maximum for whom transport could be found), moved up from Matruh, set up a brigade of dummy tanks in the desert and reached a position south-east of Maktila by dawn on 9 December. Maktila had been bombarded by the <a href="Monitor_(warship)" title="Monitor (warship)">monitor</a> <a href="HMS_Terror_(I03)" title="HMS Terror (I03)">HMS Terror</a> and the <a href="Insect-class_gunboat" title="Insect-class gunboat">gunboat</a> <a href="HMS_Aphis" title="HMS Aphis">HMS Aphis</a>; Sidi Barrani had been bombarded by the gunboat <a href="HMS_Ladybird_(1916)" title="HMS Ladybird (1916)">HMS Ladybird</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957265–267-21">[20]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Battle_of_the_Camps">Battle of the Camps</h2></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Nibeiwa">Nibeiwa</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Attack_on_Nibeiwa" title="Attack on Nibeiwa">Attack on Nibeiwa</a></div>

At 5:00 a.m. on 9 December, a detachment of artillery commenced diversionary fire from the east on the fortified camp at Nibeiwa for an hour, which was held by the Maletti Group and at 7:15 a.m. the divisional artillery began a preliminary bombardment. The 11th Indian Infantry Brigade, with 7th RTR under command, attacked Nibeiwa from the north-west, which reconnaissance had established as the weakest sector. By 8:30 a.m., Nibeiwa had been captured; Maletti had been killed in the fighting along with 818 men, 1,338 were wounded; 2,000 Italian and Libyan soldiers were taken prisoner.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEIOH1979374-22">[21]</a> Large quantities of supplies were captured for British casualties of 56 men.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957267–268-23">[22]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_Tummars">The Tummars</h3></div>

The attack on Tummar West began at 1:50 p.m., after the 7th RTR had refuelled and artillery had bombarded the defences for an hour. Another approach from the north-west was made and tanks broke through the perimeter, followed twenty minutes later by the infantry. The defenders held out for longer than the Nibeiwa garrison but by 4:00 p.m. Tummar West was overrun except for the north-eastern corner. The tanks moved on to Tummar East, the greater part of which was captured by nightfall. The 4th Armoured Brigade had advanced to Azziziya, where the garrison of 400 men surrendered and light patrols of the <a href="7th_Hussars" class="mw-redirect" title="7th Hussars">7th Hussars</a> pushed forward to cut the road from Sidi Barrani to Buq Buq, while armoured cars of the 11th Hussars ranged further west. The tanks of 7th Armoured Brigade were held in reserve ready to intercept an Italian counter-attack.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957268–269-24">[23]</a> The 2nd Libyan Division suffered 26 officers and 1,327 men killed, 32 officers and 804 men wounded, with the survivors being taken prisoner.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEIOH1979375-25">[24]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Maktila">Maktila</h3></div>

Unaware of the situation at the Tummars, Selby sent units to cut the western exits from Maktila but the 1st Libyan Division filtered through and escaped.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957269-26">[25]</a> Selby Force followed up the retreat as the 1st Libyan Division moved the 15 mi (24 km) from Maktila to Sidi Barrani and drove part of the column into sand dunes north of the coast road. Cruiser tanks of the <a href="6th_Royal_Tank_Regiment" title="6th Royal Tank Regiment">6th Royal Tank Regiment</a> (6th RTR) arrived in a sandstorm and overran the Italians in the dunes at about 5:15 p.m., then joined Selby Force to continue the pursuit. The Italian defenders were caught at Sidi Barrani, in a pocket 10 by 5 mi (16.1 by 8.0 km) backing on to the sea. When the British attacked again at dawn on 11 December, mass surrenders began everywhere, except at Point 90 where troops of the 2nd Libyan Division held out for a short time, after which 2,000 troops surrendered.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001114-27">[26]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Sidi_Barrani,_Buq_Buq_and_Sofafi">Sidi Barrani, Buq Buq and Sofafi</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Battle_of_Sidi_Barrani" title="Battle of Sidi Barrani">Battle of Sidi Barrani</a></div>

On 10 December, the 16th Infantry Brigade was brought forward from 4th Indian Division reserve and with part of the 11th Indian Brigade under command, advanced in lorries to attack Sidi Barrani. While moving across exposed ground, some casualties were incurred but with support from artillery and the 7th RTR, it was in position barring the south and south western exits to Sidi Barrani by 1:30 p.m. The British attacked at 4:00 p.m. supported by the divisional artillery and the town fell by nightfall; the remains of the two Libyan Divisions and the 4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio" were trapped between the 16th Infantry Brigade and Selby Force. On 11 December, Selby Force and some tanks attacked and overran the 1st Libyan Division and by the evening, the 4th CC.NN Division "3 Gennaio" had also surrendered. On 11 December, the 7th Armoured Brigade was ordered out of reserve to relieve the 4th Armoured Brigade in the Buq Buq area, mop up and capture large numbers of men and guns. A patrol from the 7th Support Group entered Rabia and found it empty; the 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" had withdrawn from Rabia and Sofafi overnight. An order to the 4th Armoured Brigade to cut them off west of Sofafi arrived too late and the Italians were able to retire along the escarpment and join Italian forces at Halfaya.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957270-28">[27]</a> Italian casualties were 2,184 men killed, 2,287 troops wounded and 38,000 prisoners.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEIOH1979374-22">[21]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Exploitation">Exploitation</h3></div>

Over the next few days the <a href="4th_Mechanized_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="4th Mechanized Brigade (United Kingdom)">4th Armoured Brigade</a>, on top of the escarpment and the <a href="7th_Armoured_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" title="7th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)">7th Armoured Brigade</a> on the coast, attempted a pursuit but supply problems and the large number of prisoners (twenty times the number planned for) impeded the advance. Italian forces crowded along the coast road and retreating from Sidi Barrani and Buq Buq, were bombarded by Terror and the two gunboats, which fired on the Sollum area all day and most of the night of 11 December. Late on 12 December, the only Italian positions left in Egypt were the approaches to Sollum and the area of Sidi Omar.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957271–273-29">[28]</a>

The Italians had lost 38,289 Italian and Libyan casualties, most taken prisoner, 73 tanks and 237 guns, against 634 British casualties.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957271–273-29">[28]</a> The WDF paused to reorganise and then moved quickly west along the Via della Vittoria, through <a href="Halfaya_Pass" title="Halfaya Pass">Halfaya Pass</a> and re-captured Fort Capuzzo in <a href="Libya" title="Libya">Libya</a>.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBiermanSmith200246-30">[29]</a> On 7 December, Wellington bombers from Malta and Blenheim bombers from Egypt carried out raids on the Italian air bases at <a href="Castel_Benito" title="Castel Benito">Castel Benito</a>, <a href="Benina" title="Benina">Benina</a> and <a href="El_Adem" class="mw-redirect" title="El Adem">El Adem</a>, the attack on Castel Benito being particularly successful, with hits on five hangars and strafing runs which hit many Italian aircraft; the attacks continued until the end of the year.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTERichards1974270,_273-31">[30]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Pursuit">Pursuit</h2></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Sollum,_Halfaya_and_Fort_Capuzzo">Sollum, Halfaya and Fort Capuzzo</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Fort_Capuzzo" title="Fort Capuzzo">Fort Capuzzo</a></div>

Exploitation continued by the two armoured brigades and the 7th Support Group, with the infantry of 16th Infantry Brigade (which had been detached from the 4th Indian Division) following up. By 15 December, Sollum and the Halfaya Pass had been captured and the British by-passed Italian garrisons further south in the desert. Fort Capuzzo, 40 mi (64 km) inland at the end of the frontier wire, was captured en passant by 7th Armoured Division in December 1940, as it advanced westwards to Bardia. The 7th Armoured Division concentrated south-west of Bardia, waiting for the arrival of 6th Australian Division. By this time the WDF had taken 38,300 prisoners and captured 237 guns and 73 tanks, while suffering casualties of 133 killed, 387 wounded and eight missing.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957273-32">[31]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Bardia">Bardia</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Battle_of_Bardia" title="Battle of Bardia">Battle of Bardia</a></div>

The 6th Australian Division (<a href="Major_General_(Australia)" class="mw-redirect" title="Major General (Australia)">Major General</a> <a href="Iven_Mackay" title="Iven Mackay">Iven Mackay</a>) attacked the Italian XXIII Corps (Lieutenant-General [<a href="Generale_di_Corpo_d'Armata" class="mw-redirect" title="Generale di Corpo d'Armata">Generale di Corpo d'Armata</a>] <a href="Annibale_Bergonzoli" title="Annibale Bergonzoli">Annibale Bergonzoli</a>) at Bardia from 3 to 5 January 1941, assisted by air support, naval gunfire and artillery. The <a href="16th_Australian_Infantry_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="16th Australian Infantry Brigade">16th Australian Infantry Brigade</a> attacked at dawn from the west, where the defences were known to be weak. <a href="Sapper" title="Sapper">Sappers</a> blew gaps in the <a href="Barbed_wire" title="Barbed wire">barbed wire</a> with <a href="Bangalore_torpedo" title="Bangalore torpedo">Bangalore torpedoes</a>, then filled in and broke down the sides of the anti-tank ditch with <a href="Pickaxe" title="Pickaxe">picks</a> and <a href="Shovel" title="Shovel">shovels</a>. The Australian infantry and 23 <a href="Matilda_II_(tank)" class="mw-redirect" title="Matilda II (tank)">Matilda II tanks</a> of the 7th RTR, overran the Italian defences and took 8,000 prisoners. The <a href="17th_Australian_Infantry_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="17th Australian Infantry Brigade">17th Australian Infantry Brigade</a> exploited the breach made in the perimeter and pressed south, as far as a secondary line of defences known as the Switch Line. On the second day, the 16th Australian Infantry Brigade captured Bardia, cutting the fortress in two. Thousands of prisoners were taken and the remnants of the Italian garrison held only the northern and southernmost parts of the fortress. On the third day, the <a href="19th_Australian_Infantry_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="19th Australian Infantry Brigade">19th Australian Infantry Brigade</a> advanced south from Bardia, supported by artillery and the remaining six Matilda tanks. The 17th Australian Infantry Brigade attacked and the two brigades reduced the southern sector of the fortress. The Italian garrisons in the north surrendered to the 16th Australian Infantry Brigade and the 7th Support Group outside the fortress; about 25,000 prisoners were taken, along with 400 guns, 130 light and medium tanks and hundreds of motor vehicles.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957282–287-33">[32]</a> Italian casualties also included 1,703 killed and 3,740 men wounded.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEIOH1979374-22">[21]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Capture_of_Tobruk">Capture of Tobruk</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="British_capture_of_Tobruk" title="British capture of Tobruk">British capture of Tobruk</a></div>

On 6 January <a href="XIII_Corps_(United_Kingdom)" title="XIII Corps (United Kingdom)">XIII corps</a> surrounded Tobruk, defended by <a href="XXII_Army_Corps_(Italy)" title="XXII Army Corps (Italy)">XXII Corps</a> (<a href="Enrico_Pitassi_Mannella" title="Enrico Pitassi Mannella">Enrico Mannella</a>). After blockading the fort for a fortnight, on the night of 20/21 January, British ships led by Terror (Captain <a href="Hector_Waller" title="Hector Waller">Hector Waller</a>), bombarded Tobruk. Further out, destroyers set a trap for San Giorgio in case it tried to break out but the ship was kept in the port. On the morning of 21 January between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. the British artillery bombarded the town. At 7:00 a.m. the <a href="2/3rd_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/3rd Battalion (Australia)">2/3rd Australian Battalion</a> attacked, quickly created a breach in the Italian defences and by the evening had captured half of Tobruk, On 22 January the naval command surrendered and by 4.00 p.m. Generale Vincenzo Della Mura the garrison commander had also surrendered after Mannella had been captured earlier in the day.<a href="#cite_note-34">[33]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Derna–Mechili">Derna–Mechili</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="Babini_Group" title="Babini Group">Babini Group</a> and <a href="Action_at_Mechili%2C_24_January_1941" class="mw-redirect" title="Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941">Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941</a></div>

The area east of the <a href="Jebel_Akhdar_(Libya)" title="Jebel Akhdar (Libya)">Jebel Akhdar</a> mountains was garrisoned by XX Corps (Lieutenant-General Annibale Bergonzoli) with the 60th Infantry Division "Sabratha" and the Babini Group, which had 120 tanks. The tank force included 82 new M.13/40 tanks, which needed ten days to be made battle-worthy but had been rushed forward anyway. The Sabratha Division held a line from Derna, along Wadi Derna to Mechili, with the Babini Group at Mechili, Giovanni Berta and Chaulan, guarding the flank and rear of the infantry.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972121–123-35">[34]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957353-36">[35]</a> On 23 January, the 10th Army commander, General <a href="Giuseppe_Tellera" title="Giuseppe Tellera">Giuseppe Tellera</a> ordered a counter-attack against the British, to avoid an envelopment of XX Corps from the south. Next day, the Babini Group, with ten to fifteen of the new M.13/40s, attacked the 7th Hussars as they headed west to cut the Derna–Mechili track north of Mechili. The British swiftly retired, calling for help from the 2nd RTR, which complacently ignored the signals. The British lost several tanks and knocked out two M.13s, until eventually, the 2nd RTR mobilised, caught the Italian tanks sky-lined on a ridge and knocked out seven M.13s, for the loss of a cruiser and six light tanks.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELong1952242-37">[36]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972123-38">[37]</a>

To the north, the 2/11th Australian Battalion engaged the Sabratha Division and Bersaglieri companies of the Babini Group at Derna airfield, making slow progress against determined resistance. The 19th Australian Brigade began to arrive in the morning and Italian bombers and fighters attacked the Australians. The Italians swept the flat ground with field artillery and machine-guns, stopping the Australian advance 3,000 yd (1.7 mi; 2.7 km) short of the objective.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELong1952242–245-39">[38]</a> On 26 January, the 2/4th Australian Battalion cut the Derna–Mechili road and a company crossed Wadi Derna during the night against bold Italian counter-attacks.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972124–127-40">[39]</a> The Italians disengaged on the night of 28/29 January, before the garrison was trapped and rearguards of the Babini Group cratered roads, planted mines and booby-traps and managed to conduct several skilful ambushes, which slowed the British pursuit.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELong1952250–253,_255–256-41">[40]</a> Derna was occupied unopposed on 29 January and the Australians began a pursuit along the Via Balbia, closing on Giovanni Berta during 31 January.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972127–129-42">[41]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Battle_of_Beda_Fomm">Battle of Beda Fomm</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Battle_of_Beda_Fomm" title="Battle of Beda Fomm">Battle of Beda Fomm</a></div>

In late January, the British learned that the Italians were retreating along the Litoranea Balbo (Via Balbia) from Benghazi. The 7th Armoured Division was dispatched to intercept the remnants of the 10th Army by moving through the desert, south of the <a href="Jebel_Akhdar%2C_Libya" class="mw-redirect" title="Jebel Akhdar, Libya">Jebel Akhdar</a> (Green Mountain) via <a href="Msus" title="Msus">Msus</a> and Antelat, as the 6th Australian Division pursued the Italians along the coast road, north of the jebel. The terrain slowed the British tanks and Combe Force (Lieutenant-Colonel <a href="John_Frederick_Boyce_Combe" class="mw-redirect" title="John Frederick Boyce Combe">John Combe</a>), a flying column of wheeled vehicles, was sent ahead across the chord of the jebel. Late on 5 February, Combe Force arrived at the Via Balbia south of Benghazi and set up road blocks near Sidi Saleh, about 20 mi (32 km) north of Ajedabia and 30 mi (48 km) south-west of Antelat; the leading elements of the 10th Army arrived thirty minutes later. Next day, the Italians attacked to break through the roadblock and continued to attack into 7 February. With British reinforcements arriving and the Australians pressing down the road from Benghazi, the remnants of the 10th Army surrendered. From Benghazi to Agedabia, the British took 25,000 prisoners, captured 107 tanks and 93 guns.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957351–362-43">[42]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Desert_operations">Desert operations</h2></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Giarabub,_Kufra_and_Uweinat">Giarabub, Kufra and Uweinat</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main articles: <a href="Siege_of_Giarabub" title="Siege of Giarabub">Siege of Giarabub</a> and <a href="Capture_of_Kufra" title="Capture of Kufra">Capture of Kufra</a></div>

Italian garrisons held Giarabub 150 mi (240 km) south of Sollum, Kufra Oasis, Jalo at the west end of the <a href="Great_Sand_Sea" title="Great Sand Sea">Great Sand Sea</a> and Murzuk, 500 mi (800 km) south of Tripoli. The oasis of <a href="Giarabub" class="mw-redirect" title="Giarabub">Giarabub</a> was attacked in January 1941 and captured in March by the 6th Australian Cavalry Regiment and an Australian infantry battalion. Further south, on the far side of the Sand Sea, the oasis of <a href="Kufra" title="Kufra">Kufra</a> was attacked by <a href="Free_French" class="mw-redirect" title="Free French">Free French</a> from <a href="French_Equatorial_Africa" title="French Equatorial Africa">French Equatorial Africa</a>, in concert with <a href="Long_Range_Desert_Group" title="Long Range Desert Group">Long Range Desert Group</a> (LRDG) patrols. Kufra fell after the <a href="Capture_of_Kufra" title="Capture of Kufra">Capture of Kufra</a> in March 1941. Further west, on the border with <a href="Chad" title="Chad">Chad</a>, the Italian base at <a href="Murzuk" title="Murzuk">Murzuk</a> was raided in January, when a patrol of the new Long Range Patrol Unit and a local sheikh travelled 1,300 mi (2,100 km) to rendezvous near Kayugi with a small Free French detachment.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001229–240-44">[43]</a><a href="#cite_note-46">[b]</a> The force attacked Murzuk and destroyed three aircraft and a hangar; the French commander was killed, most of the Italians surrendered and several prisoners were taken. The raiders then shot up three forts and departed.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957297-47">[45]</a>

At <a href="Jebel_Uweinat" class="mw-redirect" title="Jebel Uweinat">Jebel Uweinat</a>, a 6,000 ft (1,800 m) massif 600 mi (970 km) inland, at the junctions of Egypt, Libya and Sudan, were landing grounds with an Italian garrison. The base was the closest Italian outpost to <a href="Italian_East_Africa" title="Italian East Africa">Italian East Africa</a> (Africa Orientale Italiana) and an Italian raid from Uweinat on <a href="Wadi_Halfa" title="Wadi Halfa">Wadi Halfa</a> in Sudan was possible. Destruction of the dockyards and railway workshops and the sinking of vessels on the Nile could cut the communications between Khartoum and Cairo.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001225-48">[46]</a> British patrols visited Faya and rendezvoused with another French detachment with General <a href="Philippe_Leclerc" class="mw-redirect" title="Philippe Leclerc">Philippe Leclerc</a> for an attack on Kufra. The British were <a href="Strafed" class="mw-redirect" title="Strafed">strafed</a> by aircraft and ambushed by armoured cars of an Italian <a href="Auto-Saharan_Company" class="mw-redirect" title="Auto-Saharan Company">Auto-Saharan Company</a> (Auto-Avio-Sahariane), which destroyed several lorries. Leclerc decided that an attack on Kufra was not possible and the remaining British returned to Cairo, after a 45-day journey of 4,300 mi (6,900 km). Kufra was captured by the French on 1 March and became the new LRDG base in April.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957297-47">[45]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Aftermath">Aftermath</h2></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Analysis">Analysis</h3></div>

<caption>Approximate numbers of <a href="PoW" class="mw-redirect" title="PoW">PoW</a> and equipment captured, Western Desert and Cyrenaica (9 December 1940 – 8 February 1941)<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarding1941-49">[47]</a>

</caption>

<th>Place

</th>

<th>PoW

</th>

<th>Tanks

</th>

<th>Guns

</th></tr>

<tr>

<td>Sidi Barrani</td>

<td align="right">297

</td></tr>

<tr>

<td align="right">8

</td></tr>

<tr>

<td>Bardia</td>

<td align="right">275

</td></tr>

<tr>

<td>Tobruk</td>

<td align="right">208

</td></tr>

<tr>

<td>Mechili</td>

<td align="right">0

</td></tr>

<tr>

<td>Derna Benghazi</td>

<td align="right">24

</td></tr>

<tr>

<td>Benghazi Agedabia</td>

<td align="right">93

</td></tr>

<tr>

<td>Total</td>

<td align="right">845

</td></tr></tbody></table>

The success of the 7th Armoured Division encouraged a belief in the <a href="Royal_Tank_Regiment" title="Royal Tank Regiment">Royal Tank Regiment</a> that manoeuvre could win battles; the engagement with the <a href="Babini_Group" title="Babini Group">Babini Group</a> on 24 January, led to a conclusion that armoured divisions needed more artillery. No integration of tanks with infantry or the use of anti-tank guns offensively was considered necessary. The lack of cover in the desert encouraged dispersion to avoid air attack but this reduced firepower at the decisive point. Due to the lack of supplies and the shortage of transport, conservation during lulls also encouraged the use of "<a href="Jock_column" title="Jock column">jock columns</a>" (a small mobile force formed of a motorised infantry company, a field-gun battery and several armoured cars). The success of such columns against the Italians led to exaggerated expectations, which were confounded when German aircraft and better-equipped and -armed troops arrived in Libya. The 7th Armoured Division concluded that the defensive mentality of the Italians had justified the British taking of exceptional risks, which would be unjustified against German troops.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFrench2001215–216-50">[48]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Casualties">Casualties</h3></div>

The WDF suffered casualties of 500 killed, 55 missing, and 1,373 wounded.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWavell19463,_268-51">[49]</a> The RAF lost 26 aircraft, comprising six Hurricane and five Gladiator fighters, three Wellington bombers, a <a href="Vickers_Type_264_Valentia" title="Vickers Type 264 Valentia">Vickers Valentia</a> bomber/transport and eleven Blenheim light bombers. A far larger number of aircraft became non-operational due to damage, which could not be repaired quickly for lack of spare parts, a problem made worse by the increased use of explosive bullets by the Italians. (On 14 December, a raid on Bardia by nine Blenheims cost one aircraft shot down and seven damaged by explosive bullets.)<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTETerraine1997318-52">[50]</a> The Italian 10th Army lost at least 5,500 men killed, about 10,000 wounded, 133,298 men taken prisoner and losses of 420 tanks and 845 guns.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarding1941-49">[47]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Subsequent_operations">Subsequent operations</h3></div>

<div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="Battle_of_Greece" class="mw-redirect" title="Battle of Greece">Battle of Greece</a></div>

A week after the Italian surrender at Beda Fomm, the Defence Committee in London ordered Cyrenaica to be held with the minimum of forces and the surplus sent to Greece. In XIII Corps (formerly the WDF) the 6th Australian Division was fully equipped and had few losses to replace. The 7th Armoured Division had been operating for eight months, wearing out its mechanical equipment and was withdrawn to refit. Two regiments of the <a href="2nd_Armoured_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="2nd Armoured Division (United Kingdom)">2nd Armoured Division</a> were also worn out, leaving the division with only four tank regiments. The 6th Australian Division went to Greece in March, with a brigade group of the 2nd Armoured Division containing the best equipment. The remainder of the division and the new 9th Australian Division, minus two of its three brigades and most of its transport, sent to Greece, had two under-equipped brigades of the <a href="7th_Australian_Division" class="mw-redirect" title="7th Australian Division">7th Australian Division</a> attached. The division took over in Cyrenaica, on the assumption that the Italians could not begin a counter-offensive until May, even with German reinforcements.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair19562–3-53">[51]</a>

The 3rd Armoured Brigade of the 2nd Armoured Division was left in Cyrenaica comprising an under-strength light tank regiment, a second regiment using captured Italian tanks and from mid-March a cruiser tank regiment, also equipped with worn-out tanks. The 2nd Support Group had only one motor battalion, a field artillery regiment, one anti-tank battery and a machine-gun company; most of the divisional transport had been sent to Greece.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair19562–3-53">[51]</a> A few thousand men of the 10th Army escaped the disaster in Cyrenaica but the <a href="Fifth_Army_(Italy)" class="mw-redirect" title="Fifth Army (Italy)">5th Army</a> in Tripolitania had four divisions. The Sirte, Tmed Hassan and Buerat strongholds were reinforced from Italy, which brought the Italian armies up to about 150,000 men. German reinforcements were sent to Libya to form a blocking detachment (Sperrverband) under <a href="List_of_Adolf_Hitler's_directives" title="List of Adolf Hitler's directives">Directive 22</a> (11 January), these being the first units of the <a href="Afrika_Korps" title="Afrika Korps">Afrika Korps</a> (Generalleutnant <a href="Erwin_Rommel" title="Erwin Rommel">Erwin Rommel</a>). On 25 March 1941, Graziani was replaced by Gariboldi.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957359–362-54">[52]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Orders_of_battle">Orders of battle</h2></div>

December 1940, detail taken from Montanari (1990) unless specified.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990608–611-55">[53]</a>

<ul><li>Supreme Commander Italian Forces in North Africa, Marshal <a href="Rodolfo_Graziani" title="Rodolfo Graziani">Rodolfo Graziani</a></li>

<li>10th Army, General <a href="Italo_Gariboldi" title="Italo Gariboldi">Italo Gariboldi</a>, from 23 December General <a href="Giuseppe_Tellera" title="Giuseppe Tellera">Giuseppe Tellera</a> (<a href="Killed_in_action" title="Killed in action">Killed in action</a> [KIA] 7 February 1941)</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Libyan_Divisions_Group">Libyan Divisions Group</h4></div>

<ul><li>Libyan Divisions Group, headquarters in <a href="Sidi_Barrani" title="Sidi Barrani">Sidi Barrani</a> General <a href="Sebastiano_Gallina" title="Sebastiano Gallina">Sebastiano Gallina</a>

<ul><li><a href="1st_Libyan_Division_(Italy)" title="1st Libyan Division (Italy)">1st Libyan Division</a>, at Al Maktilah (General Giovanni Cerio)

<ul><li>1st Libyan Infantry Group, 3 × battalions, 1 × anti-tank company, <a href="Cannone_da_47/32" title="Cannone da 47/32">47/32 mod. 1935</a> anti-tank guns</li>

<li>2nd Libyan Infantry Group, 3 × battalions, 1 × anti-tank company, 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li>

<li>1st Libyan Artillery Group, 2 × groups <a href="8_cm_FK_M._5" title="8 cm FK M. 5">77/28 mod. 5</a> field guns</li>

<li>II Mixed Engineer Battalion</li>

<li>Attached units

<ul><li>1 artillery group from the <a href="2nd_CC.NN._Division_%2228_Ottobre%22" title="2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre"">2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre"</a>, <a href="Cannone_da_75/27_modello_11" title="Cannone da 75/27 modello 11">75/27 mod. 11</a> field guns</li>

<li>2 × batteries <a href="Cannone_da_65/17_modello_13" title="Cannone da 65/17 modello 13">65/17 mod. 13</a> mountain guns</li>

<li>1 × battery, 105/28 howitzers</li>

<li>1 × artillery company, <a href="Cannone_da_47/32" title="Cannone da 47/32">47/32 mod. 1935</a> anti-tank guns</li></ul></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="2nd_Libyan_Division_(Italy)" title="2nd Libyan Division (Italy)">2nd Libyan Division</a>, between Ras el Dai and Alam el Tummar (General <a href="Armando_Pescatori" title="Armando Pescatori">Armando Pescatori</a>)

<ul><li>3rd Libyan Infantry Group, 4 × battalions, 1 × anti-tank company, <a href="Cannone_da_47/32" title="Cannone da 47/32">47/32 mod. 1935</a> anti-tank guns</li>

<li>4th Libyan Infantry Group, 4 × battalions, 1 × anti-tank company, 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li>

<li>2nd Libyan Artillery Group, 2 × groups <a href="8_cm_FK_M._5" title="8 cm FK M. 5">77/28 mod. 5</a> field guns</li>

<li>I Mixed Engineer Battalion</li>

<li>Attached units

<ul><li>IX Tank Battalion L, with <a href="L3/35" title="L3/35">L3/35</a> tankettes</li>

<li>1 × group from the <a href="2nd_CC.NN._Division_%2228_Ottobre%22" title="2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre"">2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre"</a>, 75/27 mod. 11 field guns</li>

<li>1 × group, 105/28 howitzers</li>

<li>2 × batteries <a href="Cannone_da_65/17_modello_13" title="Cannone da 65/17 modello 13">65/17 mod. 13</a> mountain guns</li>

<li>1 × anti-tank company, <a href="Cannone_da_47/32" title="Cannone da 47/32">47/32 mod. 1935</a> anti-tank guns</li></ul></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="4th_CC.NN._Division_%223_Gennaio%22" title="4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio"">4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio"</a>, in Sidi Barrani (General Fabio Merzari)

<ul><li>228th CC.NN. Legion, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, <a href="Cannone_da_65/17_modello_13" title="Cannone da 65/17 modello 13">65/17 mod. 13</a> mountain guns, 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>250th CC.NN. Legion "Indomita", 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns, 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>204th Artillery Regiment, 2 × groups <a href="Cannone_da_75/27_modello_11" title="Cannone da 75/27 modello 11">75/27 mod. 11</a> field guns, 1 × group, <a href="10_cm_M._14_Feldhaubitze" title="10 cm M. 14 Feldhaubitze">100/17 mod. 1914</a> howitzers</li>

<li>IV CC.NN. Machine-Gun Battalion</li>

<li>IV CC.NN. Mixed Engineer Battalion</li>

<li>4th CC.NN. Anti-Tank Company, 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li>

<li>Attached units

<ul><li>1 × artillery group, 105/28 howitzers</li>

<li>1 × artillery group, 75/27 C.K. anti-aircraft guns</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="XXI_Corps">XXI Corps</h4></div>

<ul><li><a href="XXI_Army_Corps_(Italy)" title="XXI Army Corps (Italy)">XXI Corps</a>, headquarters in <a href="Buq_Buq" class="mw-redirect" title="Buq Buq">Buq Buq</a> General <a href="Carlo_Spatocco" title="Carlo Spatocco">Carlo Spatocco</a>

<ul><li><a href="XX_Tank_Battalion_L" class="mw-redirect" title="XX Tank Battalion L">XX Tank Battalion L</a>, <a href="L3/35" title="L3/35">L3/35</a> tankettes</li>

<li><a href="LXIII_Tank_Battalion_L" class="mw-redirect" title="LXIII Tank Battalion L">LXIII Tank Battalion L</a>, L3/35 tankettes</li>

<li>X Machine Gun Squadrons Group</li>

<li>1 × motorcyclist company</li>

<li><a href="63rd_Infantry_Division_%22Cirene%22" title="63rd Infantry Division "Cirene"">63rd Infantry Division "Cirene"</a>, at Alam el Rabia and Bir Bofafi (General Alessandro de Guidi)

<ul><li><a href="157th_Infantry_Regiment_%22Cirene%22" class="mw-redirect" title="157th Infantry Regiment "Cirene"">157th Infantry Regiment "Cirene"</a>, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns, 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>158th Infantry Regiment, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns, 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>45th Artillery Regiment, 2 × groups <a href="Cannone_da_75/27_modello_11" title="Cannone da 75/27 modello 11">75/27 mod. 11</a> field guns, 1 × group, <a href="10_cm_M._14_Feldhaubitze" title="10 cm M. 14 Feldhaubitze">100/17 mod. 1914</a> howitzers</li>

<li>LXIII Machine-Gun Battalion</li>

<li>LXIII Mixed Engineer Battalion</li>

<li>Attached units

<ul><li>I/21st Artillery Group, 105/28 howitzers</li>

<li>III/12th Artillery Group, 100/17 mod. 1914 howitzers</li>

<li>III/21st Artillery Group, 75/27 mod. 11 field guns</li>

<li>2 × batteries 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns</li>

<li>202nd CC.NN. Anti-Tank Company, 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li></ul></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="64th_Infantry_Division_%22Catanzaro%22" title="64th Infantry Division "Catanzaro"">64th Infantry Division "Catanzaro"</a>, at Alam Salamus (General <a href="Giuseppe_Amico" title="Giuseppe Amico">Giuseppe Amico</a>)

<ul><li><a href="141st_Infantry_Regiment_%22Catanzaro%22" title="141st Infantry Regiment "Catanzaro"">141st Infantry Regiment "Catanzaro"</a>, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>142nd Infantry Regiment, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>203rd Artillery Regiment, 2 × groups 75/27 mod. 11 field guns 1 × group, 100/17 mod. 1914 howitzers</li>

<li>LXIV Machine-Gun Battalion</li>

<li>LXIV Mixed Engineer Battalion</li>

<li>64th Anti-Tank Company, 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Maletti_Group" title="Maletti Group">Maletti Group</a>, at Alam Nibeiwa and Alam el Iktufa (General <a href="Pietro_Maletti" title="Pietro Maletti">Pietro Maletti</a>, KIA 9 December 1940)

<ul><li>I, V, XVII, XIX Libyan infantry battalions</li>

<li>I <a href="Auto-Saharan_Company" class="mw-redirect" title="Auto-Saharan Company">Auto-Saharan Battalion</a></li>

<li>II Tank Battalion M11/39, <a href="4th_Tank_Infantry_Regiment" class="mw-redirect" title="4th Tank Infantry Regiment">4th Tank Infantry Regiment</a> 37 × <a href="M11/39" class="mw-redirect" title="M11/39">M11/39</a> tanks</li>

<li>1 × group, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns</li>

<li>1 × group, 75/27 mod. 11 field guns</li>

<li>2 × anti-tank companies 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li>

<li>1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>1 × battery, 105/28 howitzers</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="XXIII_Corps">XXIII Corps</h4></div>

<ul><li><a href="XXIII_Army_Corps_(Italy)" title="XXIII Army Corps (Italy)">XXIII Corps</a>, HQ <a href="Sollum" class="mw-redirect" title="Sollum">Sollum</a>, General <a href="Annibale_Bergonzoli" title="Annibale Bergonzoli">Annibale Bergonzoli</a>

<ul><li><a href="1st_CC.NN._Division_%2223_Marzo%22" title="1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo"">1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo"</a>, <a href="Bardia" title="Bardia">Bardia</a> (General Francesco Antonelli)

<ul><li>219th CC.NN. Legion, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>233rd CC.NN. Legion, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>201st CC.NN. Artillery Regiment, 2 × groups 75/27 mod. 11 field guns 1 × group, 100/17 mod. 1914 howitzers</li>

<li>CCI CC.NN. Machine-Gun Battalion</li>

<li>CCI CC.NN. Mixed Engineer Battalion</li>

<li>201st CC.NN. Anti-Tank Company, 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li>

<li>Attached units

<ul><li>LXI Tank Battalion L, L3/35 tankettes</li></ul></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="2nd_CC.NN._Division_%2228_Ottobre%22" title="2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre"">2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre"</a>, at <a href="Sollum" class="mw-redirect" title="Sollum">Sollum</a> and <a href="Halfaya_Pass" title="Halfaya Pass">Halfaya Pass</a> (General Francesco Argentino)

<ul><li>231st CC.NN. Legion, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns, 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>238th CC.NN. Legion, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>202nd CC.NN. Artillery Regiment, 1 × group, 100/17 mod. 1914 howitzers 2 × groups detached</li>

<li>CCII CC.NN. Machine-Gun Battalion</li>

<li>CCII CC.NN. Mixed Engineer Battalion</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="62nd_Infantry_Division_%22Marmarica%22" title="62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica"">62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica"</a>, at <a href="Sidi_Omar" title="Sidi Omar">Sidi Omar</a> and Gabr du Fares (General <a href="Ruggero_Tracchia" title="Ruggero Tracchia">Ruggero Tracchia</a>)

<ul><li>115th Infantry Regiment, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>116th Infantry Regiment, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns, 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>44th Artillery Regiment, 2 × groups 75/27 mod. 11 field guns, 1 × group, 100/17 mod. 1914 howitzers</li>

<li>LXII Machine-Gun Battalion</li>

<li>LXII Mixed Engineer Battalion</li>

<li>62nd Anti-Tank Company, 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li>

<li>Attached units:

<ul><li><a href="LXII_Tank_Battalion_L" class="mw-redirect" title="LXII Tank Battalion L">LXII Tank Battalion L</a>, L3/35 tankettes</li>

<li>2 × batteries 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns</li>

<li>2 × anti-tank companies 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="XXII_Army_Corps_(Reserve)">XXII Army Corps (Reserve)</h4></div>

<ul><li><a href="XXII_Army_Corps_(Italy)" title="XXII Army Corps (Italy)">XXII Corps</a>, headquarters in <a href="Tobruk" title="Tobruk">Tobruk</a> General <a href="Enrico_Pitassi_Mannella" title="Enrico Pitassi Mannella">Enrico Pitassi Mannella</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990612–613-56">[54]</a>

<ul><li><a href="61st_Infantry_Division_%22Sirte%22" title="61st Infantry Division "Sirte"">61st Infantry Division "Sirte"</a>, at <a href="Kambut" title="Kambut">Gambut</a> (General Vincenzo della Mura)

<ul><li>69th Infantry Regiment, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns</li>

<li>70th Infantry Regiment, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns</li>

<li>43rd Artillery Regiment, 2 × groups 75/27 mod. 11 field guns, 1 × group, 100/17 mod. 1914 howitzers</li>

<li>LXI Mixed Engineer Battalion</li>

<li>Attached units:

<ul><li><a href="Ascari_del_Cielo" title="Ascari del Cielo">I Libyan Paratroopers Battalion "Diavoli neri"</a></li>

<li>II Paratroopers Battalion "Fanti dell'aria"</li></ul></li></ul></li>

<li>Artillery Command

<ul><li>10th Army Corps Artillery Regiment</li>

<li>20th Army Corps Artillery Regiment</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Babini_Group" title="Babini Group">Babini Group</a> at Marsa Lucch (General <a href="Valentino_Babini" title="Valentino Babini">Valentino Babini</a>)

<ul><li>I Tank Battalion M11/39, <a href="4th_Tank_Infantry_Regiment" class="mw-redirect" title="4th Tank Infantry Regiment">4th Tank Infantry Regiment</a>, 37 × M11/39 tanks</li>

<li><a href="III_Tank_Battalion_M13/40" class="mw-redirect" title="III Tank Battalion M13/40">III Tank Battalion M13/40</a>, <a href="32nd_Tank_Infantry_Regiment" class="mw-redirect" title="32nd Tank Infantry Regiment">32nd Tank Infantry Regiment</a>, 37 × <a href="M13/40" class="mw-redirect" title="M13/40">M13/40</a> tanks</li>

<li>XXI Tank Battalion L, L3/35 tankettes (disbanded at Tobruk late in December 1940, personnel used to raise the XXI Tank Battalion M13/40 at Benghazi in January 1941)</li>

<li><a href="LX_Tank_Battalion_L" class="mw-redirect" title="LX Tank Battalion L">LX Tank Battalion L</a>, L3/35 tankettes</li>

<li>1 × Bersaglieri motorcycle battalion</li>

<li>1 × group, 75/27 mod. 11 field guns</li>

<li>1 × group, 100/17 mod. 1914 howitzers</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Cyrenaica_military_garrisons">Cyrenaica military garrisons</h4></div>

<ul><li><a href="Tobruk" title="Tobruk">Tobruk</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990611-57">[55]</a>

<ul><li><a href="Royal_Italian_Army" title="Royal Italian Army">Royal Italian Army</a>:

<ul><li>XXI Libyan Coastal Battalion</li>

<li>2 × mixed engineer units</li>

<li>2 × anti-aircraft groups, <a href="Breda_Model_35" class="mw-redirect" title="Breda Model 35">20/65 mod. 35</a> anti-aircraft guns</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Royal_Italian_Navy" class="mw-redirect" title="Royal Italian Navy">Royal Italian Navy</a>

<ul><li>cruiser <a href="Italian_cruiser_San_Giorgio" title="Italian cruiser San Giorgio">San Giorgio</a></li>

<li>10 × coastal batteries</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Guardia_alla_Frontiera" title="Guardia alla Frontiera">Guardia alla Frontiera</a>

<ul><li>Infantry: 2,300 men</li>

<li>Artillery: 2 × groups</li></ul></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Bardia" title="Bardia">Bardia</a>

<ul><li>Royal Italian Army:

<ul><li>1 × fortification machine-gun squadrons group</li>

<li>3 × anti-tank companies, 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li>

<li>V Coastal Fortification Group</li>

<li>XVII Group, 75/27 mod. 11 field guns</li>

<li>2 × batteries 75/27 mod. 11 field guns</li></ul></li>

<li>Guardia alla Frontiera

<ul><li>Infantry: 2,500 men</li>

<li>Artillery: 17 × batteries</li></ul></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Giarabub" class="mw-redirect" title="Giarabub">Giarabub</a>

<ul><li>Royal Italian Army

<ul><li>1 × motorised Libyan machine-gun company</li>

<li>1 × fusiliers company</li>

<li>4 × Libyan fortification machine-gun companies</li>

<li>1 × section, 2 × 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns</li>

<li>1 × platoon, 4 × 20/65 mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns</li>

<li>1/2 × anti-tank company, 6 × 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Libyan_Sahara_garrisons">Libyan Sahara garrisons</h4></div>

<ul><li><a href="Kufra" title="Kufra">Kufra</a> Oasis<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990612-58">[56]</a>

<ul><li>2 × Libyan fortification machine-gun companies</li>

<li>1 × <a href="Auto-Saharan_Company" class="mw-redirect" title="Auto-Saharan Company">Auto-Saharan Company</a></li>

<li>1 × Auto-Saharan Company, 20/65 mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Jalu" title="Jalu">Jalu</a> Oasis

<ul><li>1 × machine-gun battalion</li>

<li>1 × Libyan reserve battalion</li>

<li>1 × Auto-Saharan Company</li>

<li>1 × anti-tank company, 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li>

<li>1 × battery, 20/65 mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns</li></ul></li></ul>

The 10th Army in Egypt consisted of 80,000 troops, 250 guns and 125 tanks.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChristie199986-59">[57]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading4"><h4 id="Reinforcements">Reinforcements</h4></div>

These reinforcements reached the 10th Army after the start of Operation Compass (data taken from Montanari, 1990).<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990330–332-60">[58]</a>

<ul><li><a href="60th_Infantry_Division_%22Sabratha%22" title="60th Infantry Division "Sabratha"">60th Infantry Division "Sabratha"</a>, took up positions at <a href="Derna%2C_Libya" title="Derna, Libya">Derna</a> (General Guido Della Bona)

<ul><li><a href="85th_Infantry_Regiment_%22Sabratha%22" class="mw-redirect" title="85th Infantry Regiment "Sabratha"">85th Infantry Regiment "Sabratha"</a>, 3 × battalions, 1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns, 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>86th Infantry Regiment, 3 × battalions, 1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li>

<li>42nd Artillery Regiment, 2 × groups 75/27 mod. 11 field guns</li>

<li>LXIV Machine-Gun Battalion</li>

<li>LXIV Mixed Engineer Battalion</li>

<li>Attached units

<ul><li>60th Bersaglieri Motorcycle Company</li>

<li>XVIII Libyan Infantry Battalion</li>

<li>1 × machine-gun battalion</li>

<li>1 × group, 75/27 mod. 11 field guns</li>

<li>3 × anti-tank companies 47/32 mod. 1935 anti-tank guns</li>

<li>6 × batteries 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns</li>

<li>4 × batteries 20/65 mod. 35 anti-aircraft guns</li>

<li>1 × chemical company</li></ul></li></ul></li>

<li>Bignami Column, took up positions at <a href="Mechili" title="Mechili">Mechili</a> (General Mario Bignami, organised 22 January 1940)

<ul><li>10th Artillery Regiment, 1 × group, 75/27 mod. 11 field guns (from <a href="25th_Infantry_Division_%22Bologna%22" title="25th Infantry Division "Bologna"">25th Infantry Division "Bologna"</a>)</li>

<li><a href="VI_Tank_Battalion_M13/40" class="mw-redirect" title="VI Tank Battalion M13/40">VI Tank Battalion M13/40</a>, <a href="33rd_Tank_Infantry_Regiment" class="mw-redirect" title="33rd Tank Infantry Regiment">33rd Tank Infantry Regiment</a>, 37 × M13/40 tanks</li>

<li>XXI Tank Battalion M13/40, 37 × M13/40 tanks (Raised with personnel from the disbanded XXI Tank Battalion L in January 1941)</li>

<li>XXV Motorised Machine Gun Battalion (from the 25th Infantry Division "Bologna")</li>

<li>XXVII Motorised Machine Gun Battalion (from the <a href="27th_Infantry_Division_%22Brescia%22" title="27th Infantry Division "Brescia"">27th Infantry Division "Brescia"</a>)</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="10th_Bersaglieri_Regiment" title="10th Bersaglieri Regiment">10th Bersaglieri Regiment</a>

<ul><li>XVI, XXXIV, XXXV Bersaglieri battalions</li>

<li>1 × battery, 65/17 mod. 13 mountain guns</li>

<li>1 × company, 81 mm mortars</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="V_Tank_Battalion_M13/40" class="mw-redirect" title="V Tank Battalion M13/40">V Tank Battalion M13/40</a>, <a href="32nd_Tank_Infantry_Regiment" class="mw-redirect" title="32nd Tank Infantry Regiment">32nd Tank Infantry Regiment</a>, 37 × <a href="M13/40" class="mw-redirect" title="M13/40">M13/40</a> tanks, joined the <a href="Babini_Group" title="Babini Group">Babini Group</a> (Special Armoured Brigade)</li>

<li>VII Anti-aircraft Group, <a href="Cannone_da_75/46_C.A._modello_34" title="Cannone da 75/46 C.A. modello 34">75/46 mod. 34</a> anti-aircraft guns</li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Western_Desert_Force_2">Western Desert Force</h3></div>

Western Desert Force, 9 December 1940 Details taken from Christie (1999) and Montanari (1990) unless specified.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChristie199965,_68–78,_82,_104-61">[59]</a><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990203–204-62">[60]</a>

<ul><li>Commander-in-Chief, Middle East (General Sir <a href="Archibald_Wavell" class="mw-redirect" title="Archibald Wavell">Archibald Wavell</a>)</li>

<li><a href="Western_Desert_Force" title="Western Desert Force">Western Desert Force</a> (Lieutenant-General <a href="Richard_O'Connor" title="Richard O'Connor">Richard O'Connor</a>)

<ul><li>1st Battalion, <a href="Royal_Sussex_Regiment" title="Royal Sussex Regiment">Royal Sussex</a> (7th Indian Infantry Brigade battalion)</li>

<li>4th Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment (7th Indian Infantry Brigade battalion)</li>

<li><a href="7th_Royal_Tank_Regiment" title="7th Royal Tank Regiment">7th Royal Tank Regiment</a> (Until 11 December, then 6th Australian Division)</li>

<li>2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment Royal Artillery</li>

<li>7th Heavy Field Regiment <a href="Royal_Artillery" title="Royal Artillery">Royal Artillery</a></li>

<li><a href="104th_(Essex_Yeomanry)_Regiment%2C_Royal_Horse_Artillery" class="mw-redirect" title="104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery">104th (Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery</a></li>

<li>6 × light anti-aircraft batteries</li>

<li><a href="7th_Armoured_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)">7th Armoured Division</a> (Major General <a href="Michael_O'Moore_Creagh" title="Michael O'Moore Creagh">Michael O'Moore Creagh</a>)

<ul><li><a href="4th_Armoured_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" class="mw-redirect" title="4th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)">4th Armoured Brigade</a> (Brigadier J. A. L. Caunter)

<ul><li><a href="7th_Queen's_Own_Hussars" title="7th Queen's Own Hussars">7th Queen's Own Hussars</a> (−1 troop)</li>

<li><a href="2nd_Royal_Tank_Regiment" title="2nd Royal Tank Regiment">2nd Royal Tank Regiment</a></li>

<li><a href="6th_Royal_Tank_Regiment" title="6th Royal Tank Regiment">6th Royal Tank Regiment</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="7th_Armoured_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" title="7th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)">7th Armoured Brigade</a> (Brigadier Hugh E. Russell)

<ul><li><a href="3rd_The_King's_Own_Hussars" title="3rd The King's Own Hussars">3rd The King's Own Hussars</a></li>

<li><a href="8th_King's_Royal_Irish_Hussars" title="8th King's Royal Irish Hussars">8th King's Royal Irish Hussars</a></li>

<li><a href="1st_Royal_Tank_Regiment" title="1st Royal Tank Regiment">1st Royal Tank Regiment</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="7th_Support_Group_(United_Kingdom)" title="7th Support Group (United Kingdom)">Support Group</a> (Infantry Brigade) (Brigadier <a href="William_Gott" title="William Gott">William Gott</a>)

<ul><li>1st Battalion <a href="King's_Royal_Rifle_Corps" title="King's Royal Rifle Corps">King's Royal Rifle Corps</a></li>

<li>2nd Battalion <a href="Rifle_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="Rifle Brigade">Rifle Brigade</a></li>

<li><a href="1st_Regiment_Royal_Horse_Artillery" title="1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery">1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery</a></li>

<li><a href="4th_Regiment_Royal_Horse_Artillery" class="mw-redirect" title="4th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery">4th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="11th_Hussars_(Prince_Albert's_Own)" class="mw-redirect" title="11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own)">11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own)</a> (Reconnaissance)</li>

<li><a href="3rd_Regiment_Royal_Horse_Artillery" title="3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery">3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery</a></li>

<li><a href="106th_(Lancashire_Yeomanry)_Regiment%2C_Royal_Horse_Artillery" class="mw-redirect" title="106th (Lancashire Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery">106th (Lancashire Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery</a> (2 × anti-tank batteries, 2 × anti-aircraft batteries)</li>

<li>2nd (Cheshire) Field Squadron <a href="Royal_Engineers" title="Royal Engineers">Royal Engineers</a></li>

<li>141st Field Park Royal Engineers</li>

<li>2 × <a href="Royal_Air_Force_Regiment" class="mw-redirect" title="Royal Air Force Regiment">Royal Air Force Regiment</a> armoured car companies</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="4th_Indian_Division" class="mw-redirect" title="4th Indian Division">4th Indian Division</a> (Major General <a href="Noel_Beresford-Peirse" title="Noel Beresford-Peirse">Noel Beresford-Peirse</a>, until 11 December)

<ul><li><a href="5th_Indian_Infantry_Brigade" title="5th Indian Infantry Brigade">5th Indian Infantry Brigade</a> (Brigadier <a href="Wilfrid_Lewis_Lloyd" title="Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd">Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd</a>)

<ul><li>1st Battalion, <a href="Royal_Fusiliers" title="Royal Fusiliers">Royal Fusiliers</a></li>

<li>3rd Battalion, <a href="1st_Punjab_Regiment" title="1st Punjab Regiment">1st Punjab Regiment</a></li>

<li>4th Battalion, <a href="6th_Rajputana_Rifles" title="6th Rajputana Rifles">6th Rajputana Rifles</a></li>

<li>1× anti-tank company</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="11th_Indian_Infantry_Brigade" title="11th Indian Infantry Brigade">11th Indian Infantry Brigade</a> (Brigadier <a href="Reginald_Savory" title="Reginald Savory">Reginald Savory</a>)

<ul><li>1st Battalion, <a href="6th_Rajputana_Rifles" title="6th Rajputana Rifles">6th Rajputana Rifles</a></li>

<li>2nd Battalion, <a href="Queen's_Own_Cameron_Highlanders" title="Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders">Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders</a></li>

<li>4th Battalion, <a href="7th_Rajput_Regiment" class="mw-redirect" title="7th Rajput Regiment">7th Rajput Regiment</a></li>

<li>1 × anti-tank company</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="16th_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" title="16th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)">16th British Infantry Brigade</a> (Brigadier <a href="Cyril_Lomax" title="Cyril Lomax">Cyril Lomax</a>, until 11 December)

<ul><li>2nd Battalion, <a href="Queen's_Regiment" title="Queen's Regiment">Queen's Regiment</a></li>

<li>1st Battalion, <a href="Argyll_%26_Sutherland_Highlanders" class="mw-redirect" title="Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders">Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders</a></li>

<li>2nd Battalion, <a href="Leicestershire_Regiment" class="mw-redirect" title="Leicestershire Regiment">Leicestershire Regiment</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Central_India_Horse_(21st_King_George_V's_Own_Horse)" class="mw-redirect" title="Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse)">Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse)</a> (Reconnaissance)</li>

<li>1st Battalion, <a href="Northumberland_Fusiliers" class="mw-redirect" title="Northumberland Fusiliers">Northumberland Fusiliers</a> (machine gunners, 1 × company)</li>

<li>1st Field Regiment Royal Artillery</li>

<li>25th Field Regiment Royal Artillery</li>

<li>31st Field Regiment Royal Artillery</li>

<li>4th Field Squadron Royal Engineers</li>

<li>12th Field Squadron Royal Engineers</li>

<li>18th Field Squadron Royal Engineers</li>

<li>21st Field Squadron Royal Engineers</li>

<li>11th Field Park Royal Engineers</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="7th_Indian_Infantry_Brigade" title="7th Indian Infantry Brigade">7th Indian Infantry Brigade</a> (Brigadier <a href="Harold_Rawdon_Briggs" title="Harold Rawdon Briggs">Harold Briggs</a>, <a href="Mersa_Matruh" class="mw-redirect" title="Mersa Matruh">Mersa Matruh</a> garrison, two battalions detached, until 11 December)

<ul><li>2nd Battalion, <a href="11th_Sikh_Regiment" title="11th Sikh Regiment">11th Sikh Regiment</a> (detached from)</li></ul></li>

<li>Selby Force (Brigadier Arthur Selby)

<ul><li>3rd Battalion, <a href="Coldstream_Guards" title="Coldstream Guards">Coldstream Guards</a></li>

<li>1 × company <a href="Northumberland_Fusiliers" class="mw-redirect" title="Northumberland Fusiliers">Northumberland Fusiliers</a> (Machine Gunners)</li>

<li>1 × company, 1st Battalion, <a href="South_Staffordshire_Regiment" title="South Staffordshire Regiment">South Staffordshire Regiment</a></li>

<li>1 × company, 1st Battalion, <a href="Cheshire_Regiment" title="Cheshire Regiment">Cheshire Regiment</a></li>

<li>1 × platoon, 1st Battalion <a href="Durham_Light_Infantry" title="Durham Light Infantry">Durham Light Infantry</a></li>

<li>1 × troop, <a href="7th_Queen's_Own_Hussars" title="7th Queen's Own Hussars">7th Queen's Own Hussars</a></li>

<li>1 × section, 8th Field Regiment Royal Artillery</li>

<li>1 × section, <a href="107th_(South_Nottinghamshire_Hussars)_Regiment%2C_Royal_Horse_Artillery" class="mw-redirect" title="107th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery">107th (South Nottinghamshire Hussars) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="6th_Australian_Division" class="mw-redirect" title="6th Australian Division">6th Australian Division</a> (Major General <a href="Iven_Mackay" title="Iven Mackay">Iven Mackay</a>, from 11 December)

<ul><li><a href="16th_Australian_Infantry_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="16th Australian Infantry Brigade">16th Australian Infantry Brigade</a> (Brigadier <a href="Arthur_Allen_(general)" title="Arthur Allen (general)">Arthur Allen</a>)

<ul><li><a href="2/1st_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/1st Battalion (Australia)">2/1st Australian Battalion</a></li>

<li><a href="2/2nd_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/2nd Battalion (Australia)">2/2nd Australian Battalion</a></li>

<li><a href="2/3rd_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/3rd Battalion (Australia)">2/3rd Australian Battalion</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="17th_Australian_Infantry_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="17th Australian Infantry Brigade">17th Australian Infantry Brigade</a> (Brigadier <a href="Stanley_Savige" title="Stanley Savige">Stanley Savige</a>)

<ul><li><a href="2/5th_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/5th Battalion (Australia)">2/5th Australian Battalion</a></li>

<li><a href="2/6th_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/6th Battalion (Australia)">2/6th Australian Battalion</a></li>

<li><a href="2/7th_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/7th Battalion (Australia)">2/7th Australian Battalion</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="19th_Australian_Infantry_Brigade" class="mw-redirect" title="19th Australian Infantry Brigade">19th Australian Infantry Brigade</a> (Brigadier <a href="Horace_Robertson" title="Horace Robertson">Horace Robertson</a>)

<ul><li><a href="2/4th_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/4th Battalion (Australia)">2/4th Australian Battalion</a></li>

<li><a href="2/8th_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/8th Battalion (Australia)">2/8th Australian Battalion</a></li>

<li><a href="2/11th_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/11th Battalion (Australia)">2/11th Australian Battalion</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="2/6th_Cavalry_Commando_Regiment_(Australia)" title="2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment (Australia)">6th Division Reconnaissance Regiment</a> (Reconnaissance)</li>

<li><a href="2/1st_Field_Regiment_(Australia)" title="2/1st Field Regiment (Australia)">2/1st Field Regiment</a></li>

<li><a href="2/2nd_Field_Regiment_(Australia)" title="2/2nd Field Regiment (Australia)">2/2nd Field Regiment</a></li>

<li><a href="2/3rd_Field_Regiment" class="mw-redirect" title="2/3rd Field Regiment">2/3rd Field Regiment</a></li>

<li>2/1st Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers</li>

<li>2/2nd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers</li>

<li>2/3rd Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>

The Western Desert Force consisted of about 31,000 soldiers, 120 guns, 275 tanks and sixty armoured cars. The 4th Indian Division was exchanged with the 6th Australian Division for the pursuit after the first part of Operation Compass.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChristie199986-59">[57]</a>

<ul><li><a href="North_African_campaign_timeline" class="mw-redirect" title="North African campaign timeline">North African campaign timeline</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_British_military_equipment_of_World_War_II" title="List of British military equipment of World War II">List of British military equipment of World War II</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_Australian_military_equipment_of_World_War_II" title="List of Australian military equipment of World War II">List of Australian military equipment of World War II</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_Italian_military_equipment_in_World_War_II" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Italian military equipment in World War II">List of Italian military equipment in World War II</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_Italy_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Italy during World War II">Military history of Italy during World War II</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2></div>

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><div class="reflist reflist-lower-alpha">

<li id="cite_note-2"><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a> Formed in 1940 and augmented by prisoners captured at Sidi Barrani to five battalions of infantry. The LAF participated in the first two occupations of Cyrenaica, mostly performing garrison and lines-of-communication duties.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTERodd1970255-1">[1]</a>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-46"><a href="#cite_ref-46">^</a> Cairo to Bahariya Oasis, Ain Dalla, Two Hills/Big Cairn, Murzuk, Traghen, Tummo, Zouar, Faya, Tekro, Sarra, Bishara, Jebel Sherif, Sarra, via Jebel Uweinat to the Nile and Cairo.<a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001230–231-45">[44]</a>

</li>

</ol></div></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Footnotes">Footnotes</h2></div>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTERodd1970255-1">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERodd1970255_1-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERodd1970255_1-1">b</a> <a href="#CITEREFRodd1970">Rodd 1970</a>, p. 255.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957266-3"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957266_3-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 266.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972106,_121Hunt199051-4"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972106,_121Hunt199051_4-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMacksey1972">Macksey 1972</a>, pp. 106, 121; <a href="#CITEREFHunt1990">Hunt 1990</a>, p. 51.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHunt199051-5"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHunt199051_5-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFHunt1990">Hunt 1990</a>, p. 51.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEChristie199932,_48-6"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChristie199932,_48_6-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFChristie1999">Christie 1999</a>, pp. 32, 48.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEWalker200361-7"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWalker200361_7-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFWalker2003">Walker 2003</a>, p. 61.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957262-8"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957262_8-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 262.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001102-9"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPitt2001102_9-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPitt2001">Pitt 2001</a>, p. 102.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957112–113-10"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957112–113_10-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 112–113.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHunt199021-11"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHunt199021_11-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFHunt1990">Hunt 1990</a>, p. 21.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMackenzie195126–27-12"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMackenzie195126–27_12-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMackenzie1951">Mackenzie 1951</a>, pp. 26–27.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957210-13"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957210_13-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 210.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMackenzie195127-14"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMackenzie195127_14-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMackenzie1951">Mackenzie 1951</a>, p. 27.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957264Mead2007331-15"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957264Mead2007331_15-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 264; <a href="#CITEREFMead2007">Mead 2007</a>, p. 331.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957265-16"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957265_16-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 265.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957260–261-17"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957260–261_17-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 260–261.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957263,_265-18"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957263,_265_18-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 263, 265.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey197268-19"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMacksey197268_19-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMacksey1972">Macksey 1972</a>, p. 68.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957281-20"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957281_20-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 281.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957265–267-21"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957265–267_21-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 265–267.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEIOH1979374-22">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEIOH1979374_22-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEIOH1979374_22-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEIOH1979374_22-2">c</a> <a href="#CITEREFIOH1979">IOH 1979</a>, p. 374.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957267–268-23"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957267–268_23-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 267–268.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957268–269-24"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957268–269_24-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 268–269.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEIOH1979375-25"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEIOH1979375_25-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFIOH1979">IOH 1979</a>, p. 375.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957269-26"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957269_26-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 269.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001114-27"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPitt2001114_27-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPitt2001">Pitt 2001</a>, p. 114.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957270-28"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957270_28-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 270.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957271–273-29">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957271–273_29-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957271–273_29-1">b</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 271–273.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEBiermanSmith200246-30"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBiermanSmith200246_30-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFBiermanSmith2002">Bierman & Smith 2002</a>, p. 46.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTERichards1974270,_273-31"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERichards1974270,_273_31-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFRichards1974">Richards 1974</a>, pp. 270, 273.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957273-32"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957273_32-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 273.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957282–287-33"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957282–287_33-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 282–287.

</li>

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("./mw/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("./mw/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("./mw/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("./mw/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://ww2timelines.com/1941/january/01121941.htm">"ww2 jan 1941"</a>.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972121–123-35"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972121–123_35-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMacksey1972">Macksey 1972</a>, pp. 121–123.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957353-36"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957353_36-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 353.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELong1952242-37"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELong1952242_37-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFLong1952">Long 1952</a>, p. 242.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972123-38"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972123_38-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMacksey1972">Macksey 1972</a>, p. 123.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELong1952242–245-39"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELong1952242–245_39-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFLong1952">Long 1952</a>, pp. 242–245.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972124–127-40"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972124–127_40-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMacksey1972">Macksey 1972</a>, pp. 124–127.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELong1952250–253,_255–256-41"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELong1952250–253,_255–256_41-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFLong1952">Long 1952</a>, pp. 250–253, 255–256.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972127–129-42"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMacksey1972127–129_42-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMacksey1972">Macksey 1972</a>, pp. 127–129.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957351–362-43"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957351–362_43-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 351–362.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001229–240-44"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPitt2001229–240_44-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPitt2001">Pitt 2001</a>, pp. 229–240.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001230–231-45"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPitt2001230–231_45-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPitt2001">Pitt 2001</a>, pp. 230–231.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957297-47">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957297_47-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957297_47-1">b</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, p. 297.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPitt2001225-48"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPitt2001225_48-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPitt2001">Pitt 2001</a>, p. 225.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarding1941-49">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHarding1941_49-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHarding1941_49-1">b</a> <a href="#CITEREFHarding1941">Harding 1941</a>.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEFrench2001215–216-50"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFrench2001215–216_50-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFFrench2001">French 2001</a>, pp. 215–216.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEWavell19463,_268-51"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWavell19463,_268_51-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFWavell1946">Wavell 1946</a>, pp. 3, 268.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTETerraine1997318-52"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTETerraine1997318_52-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFTerraine1997">Terraine 1997</a>, p. 318.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair19562–3-53">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair19562–3_53-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair19562–3_53-1">b</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1956">Playfair 1956</a>, pp. 2–3.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957359–362-54"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPlayfair1957359–362_54-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFPlayfair1957">Playfair 1957</a>, pp. 359–362.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990608–611-55"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990608–611_55-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMontanari1990">Montanari 1990</a>, pp. 608–611.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990612–613-56"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990612–613_56-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMontanari1990">Montanari 1990</a>, pp. 612–613.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990611-57"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990611_57-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMontanari1990">Montanari 1990</a>, p. 611.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990612-58"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990612_58-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMontanari1990">Montanari 1990</a>, p. 612.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEChristie199986-59">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChristie199986_59-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChristie199986_59-1">b</a> <a href="#CITEREFChristie1999">Christie 1999</a>, p. 86.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990330–332-60"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990330–332_60-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMontanari1990">Montanari 1990</a>, pp. 330–332.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEChristie199965,_68–78,_82,_104-61"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChristie199965,_68–78,_82,_104_61-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFChristie1999">Christie 1999</a>, pp. 65, 68–78, 82, 104.

</li>

<li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990203–204-62"><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMontanari1990203–204_62-0">^</a> <a href="#CITEREFMontanari1990">Montanari 1990</a>, pp. 203–204.

</li>

</ol></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

Books

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .refbegin{margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul{margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{margin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul li{list-style:none}@media(max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{padding-left:1.6em;text-indent:-1.6em}}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .refbegin{font-size:90%}}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><div class="refbegin" style="">

<ul><li><cite id="CITEREFBiermanSmith2002" class="citation book cs1">Bierman, John; Smith, Colin (2002). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/battleofalameint00bier">The Battle of Alamein: Turning Point, World War II</a>. New York: Viking. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-670-03040-8</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFFrench2001" class="citation book cs1">French, David (2001) [2000]. Raising Churchill's Army: The British Army and the War against Germany 1919–1945. Oxford: Oxford University Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-19-924630-4</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFHarding1941" class="citation cs2">Harding, J. (BGS) (23 February 1941), Appendix E, H.Q. Cyrenaica Command Intelligence Summary No. 6 (23 Feb 41) WO 169/1258 – via The National Archives</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFHunt1990" class="citation book cs1"><a href="David_Hunt_(diplomat)" title="David Hunt (diplomat)">Hunt, Sir David</a> (1990) [1966]. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/donatwar0000hunt">A Don at War</a>. London: Frank Cass. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-7146-3383-1</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFIOH1979" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">La prima offensiva britannica in Africa settentrionale (ottobre 1940 – febbraio 1941) [The First British Offensive in North Africa (October 1940 – February 1941)] (in Italian). Vol. I. Rome: Esercito. Corpo di stato maggiore: Ufficio storico Annex 32. 1979. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/6863876">6863876</a>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFLong1952" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Gavin_Long" title="Gavin Long">Long, Gavin</a> (1952). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG1070200/">To Benghazi</a>. <a href="Australia_in_the_War_of_1939%E2%80%931945" title="Australia in the War of 1939–1945">Australia in the War of 1939–1945</a> (12th online scan ed.). Canberra: <a href="Australian_War_Memorial" title="Australian War Memorial">Australian War Memorial</a>. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/314648263">314648263</a>. Retrieved 13 July 2015.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFMackenzie1951" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Compton_Mackenzie" title="Compton Mackenzie">Mackenzie, Compton</a> (1951). Eastern Epic: September 1939 – March 1943 Defence. Vol. I. London: Chatto & Windus. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/59637091">59637091</a>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFMacksey1972" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Kenneth_Macksey" title="Kenneth Macksey">Macksey, Major Kenneth</a> (1972) [1971]. Pitt, B.; Mason, D. (eds.). Beda Fomm: The Classic Victory. Ballantine's Illustrated History of the Violent Century, Battle Books. Vol. 22. New York: Ballantine Books. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-345-02434-3</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFMead2007" class="citation book cs1">Mead, Richard (2007). Churchill's Lions: A Biographical Guide to the Key British Generals of World War II. Stroud: Spellmount. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-86227-431-0</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFMontanari1990" class="citation book cs1">Montanari, Mario (1990). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://issuu.com/rivista.militare1/docs/africa-sett-vol-i-parte2-sngola-testo">Le Operazioni in Africa Settentrionale: Sidi el Barrani (Giugno 1940 – Febbraio 1941) Parte Seconda</a> [Operations in North Africa: Sidi el Barrani (June 1940 – February 1941) Second Part]. Vol. I (2nd [online scan] ed.). Roma: Esercito Italiano Ufficio Storico. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/885609741">885609741</a>. Retrieved 26 November 2019.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFPitt2001" class="citation book cs1">Pitt, B. (2001) [1980]. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/crucibleofwar00pitt">The Crucible of War: Wavell's Command</a>. Vol. I (Cassell ed.). London: Jonathan Cape. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-304-35950-9</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFPlayfair1957" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Ian_Stanley_Ord_Playfair" class="mw-redirect" title="Ian Stanley Ord Playfair">Playfair, Major-General I. S. O.</a>; et al. (1957) [1954]. <a href="James_Ramsay_Montagu_Butler" class="mw-redirect" title="James Ramsay Montagu Butler">Butler, J. R. M.</a> (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. I (4th ed.). HMSO. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-84574-065-8</bdi>.</cite> <code class="cs1-code">{{cite book}}</code>: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)</li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFPlayfair1956" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Ian_Stanley_Ord_Playfair" class="mw-redirect" title="Ian Stanley Ord Playfair">Playfair, Major-General I. S. O.</a>; et al. (2004) [1st. pub. <a href="HMSO" class="mw-redirect" title="HMSO">HMSO</a> 1956]. <a href="James_Ramsay_Montagu_Butler" class="mw-redirect" title="James Ramsay Montagu Butler">Butler, J. R. M.</a> (ed.). The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Germans Come to the Help of their Ally (1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. II. Naval & Military Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-84574-066-5</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFRichards1974" class="citation book cs1">Richards, Denis (1974) [1953]. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-RAF-I/UK-RAF-I-5.html">Royal Air Force 1939–1945: The Fight At Odds</a>. Vol. I (pbk. ed.). London: <a href="HMSO" class="mw-redirect" title="HMSO">HMSO</a>. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-11-771592-9</bdi>. Retrieved 16 May 2017.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFRodd1970" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Francis_Rodd%2C_2nd_Baron_Rennell" title="Francis Rodd, 2nd Baron Rennell">Rodd, F.</a> (1970) [1948]. British Military Administration of Occupied Territories in Africa during the Years 1941–1947 (repr. Greenwood Press, CT ed.). London: HMSO. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1056143039">1056143039</a>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFTerraine1997" class="citation book cs1">Terraine, John (1997) [1985]. The Right of the Line (Wordsworth ed.). London: Hodder and Stoughton. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-85326-683-6</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWalker2003" class="citation book cs1">Walker, Ian W. (2003). Iron Hulls, Iron Hearts: Mussolini's Elite Armoured Divisions in North Africa. Marlborough: Crowood. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-86126-646-0</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWavell1946" class="citation book cs1">Wavell, Archibald (25 June 1946). Operations in the Middle East from 7th December, 1940 to 7th February, 1941. Wavell's Official Despatches.</cite> published in <cite class="citation magazine cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37628/supplement/3261">"No. 37628"</a>. <a href="The_London_Gazette" title="The London Gazette">The London Gazette</a> (Supplement). 25 June 1946. pp. 3261–3269.</cite></li></ul>

</div>

Theses

<ul><li><cite id="CITEREFChristie1999" class="citation thesis cs1">Christie, Howard R. (1999). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150216220301/http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/cdm/ref/collection/p4013coll2/id/597">Fallen Eagles: The Italian 10th Army in the Opening Campaign in the Western Desert, June 1940 – December 1940</a> (MA). Fort Leavenworth, KS: U. S. Army Command and General Staff College. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/465212715">465212715</a>. A116763. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://cgsc.cdmhost.com/cdm/ref/collection/p4013coll2/id/597">the original</a> on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.</cite></li></ul>

</div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2></div>

Books

<ul><li><cite id="CITEREFBauer2000" class="citation book cs1">Bauer, E. (2000) [1979]. Young, Peter (ed.). The History of World War II (Orbis: London, rev. ed.). New York: Galahad Books. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-85605-552-9</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFBiagi1964" class="citation book cs1">Biagi, E., ed. (1964). La Caporetto della Marmarica: Le decisioni irrevocabili [The Caporetto of Marmarica: The Irrevocable Decisions]. La seconda guerra mondiale. Milano/Firenze: SADEA/Della Volpe. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/797715412">797715412</a>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFBuckingham2012" class="citation book cs1">Buckingham, William F. (2012) [2008]. Tobruk: The Great Siege, 1941–42. Stroud: The History Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-7524-4501-4</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFChurchill1949" class="citation book cs1">Churchill, Winston (1949). Their Finest Hour. The Second World War. Vol. II (1st ed.). Houghton Mifflin. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/396145">396145</a>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFCoulthard-Clark2001" class="citation book cs1">Coulthard-Clark, Chris (2001). The Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles. Crow's Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-86508-634-7</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFForty1990" class="citation book cs1">Forty, G. (1990). The First Victory: O'Connor's Desert Triumph, Dec 1940 – Feb 1941. Tunbridge Wells: Nutshell Publishing. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-871876-20-8</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFGrey2008" class="citation book cs1">Grey, Jeffrey (2008) [1990]. A Military History of Australia (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-511-37806-5</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFLatimer2013" class="citation book cs1"><a href="Jon_Latimer" title="Jon Latimer">Latimer, Jon</a> (2013) [2000]. Operation Compass 1940: Wavell's Whirlwind Offensive (repr. ed.). Oxford: Osprey. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-85532-967-6</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFLeaRowe2023" class="citation book cs1">Lea, David; Rowe, Annamarie (6 October 2023). A Political Chronology of Africa. Taylor & Francis. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-85743-116-2</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFMontanelli1982" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source"><a href="Indro_Montanelli" title="Indro Montanelli">Montanelli, Indro</a> (1982). L'Italia della disfatta (in Italian). Milano: Rizzoli editore. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/252028214">252028214</a>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFRickard2010" class="citation book cs1">Rickard, J. N. (2010). Politics of Command: Lieutenant-General A. G. L. McNaughton and the Canadian Army, 1939–1943. Buffalo, Toronto: University of Toronto Press. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-4426-4002-3</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFRoy2011" class="citation book cs1">Roy, Kaushik (2011). The Indian Army in the Two World Wars. History of War. Leiden: BRILL. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-90-04-21145-2</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWahlert2010" class="citation book cs1">Wahlert, Glenn (2010) [2006]. The Western Desert Campaign, 1940–41. Australian Army campaigns (Big Sky ed.). Canberra, ACT: Army History Unit. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-9757669-2-7</bdi>.</cite></li>

<li><cite id="CITEREFWayne2008" class="citation book cs1">Wayne, Ralph (2008). Aces, Warriors and Wingmen. Mississauga, Ont: John Wiley & Sons. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-283-20300-5</bdi>.</cite></li></ul>

</div>

Journals

<ul><li><cite class="citation magazine cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070620114016/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,765077-1,00.html">"Battle of the Marmarica"</a>. <a href="Time_(magazine)" title="Time (magazine)">Time</a>. No. 23 December 1940. 23 December 1940. <a href="ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0040-781X">0040-781X</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,765077-1,00.html">the original</a> on 20 June 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2007.</cite></li></ul>

</div>

Newspapers

<ul><li><cite class="citation book cs1"><a href="Archibald_Wavell" class="mw-redirect" title="Archibald Wavell">Wavell, Archibald</a> (13 June 1946). Operations in the Middle East from August, 1939 to November, 1940. Wavell's Official Despatches.</cite> published in <cite class="citation magazine cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37609/supplement/2997">"No. 37609"</a>. <a href="The_London_Gazette" title="The London Gazette">The London Gazette</a> (3rd supplement). 13 June 1946. pp. 2997–3006.</cite></li>

<li><cite class="citation book cs1">Wavell, Archibald (3 July 1946). Operations in the Middle East from 7th February, 1941 to 15th July, 1941. Wavell's Official Despatches.</cite> published in <cite class="citation magazine cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37638/supplement/3423">"No. 37638"</a>. <a href="The_London_Gazette" title="The London Gazette">The London Gazette</a> (Supplement). 2 July 1946. pp. 3423–3444.</cite></li></ul>

</div>

Reports

<ul><li><cite id="CITEREFThompson2002" class="citation report cs1">Thompson, D. H. (2002). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a404277.pdf">Discarded Victory: North Africa, 1940–1941</a> (PDF) (Report). USAWC strategy research project. Carlisle Barracks, PA: US Army War College. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/50872739">50872739</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150924093859/http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a404277.pdf">Archived</a> (PDF) from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.</cite></li></ul>

</div>

Theses

<ul><li><cite id="CITEREFDando2014" class="citation thesis cs1">Dando, N. (2014). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk//handle/10026.1/3035">The Impact of Terrain on British Operations and Doctrine in North Africa 1940–1943</a> (PhD). Plymouth University. <a href="OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/885436735">885436735</a>. Retrieved 25 March 2015.</cite></li></ul>

</div>

Websites

<ul><li><cite id="CITEREFPaterson" class="citation web cs1">Paterson, Ian A. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070929135531/http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/battles1941.htm#Beda">"History of the British 7th Armoured Division: Beda Fomm"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/battles1941.htm#Beda">the original</a> on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2008.</cite></li></ul>

</div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2></div>

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .infobox .side-box{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">

/* start https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}

/* end https://en.wikipedia.org/ */

</style><div class="side-box side-box-right sistersitebox">

<div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Operation_Compass" class="extiw external" title="commons:Category:Operation Compass">Operation Compass</a>.</div></div>

</div>

<ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.inilossum.com/2gue_HTML/2guerra1941-5.html">La battaglia della Marmarica</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ganino.com/?d=33&action=fullnews&showcomments=1&id=6">A few memories of Corporal Nazzareno Ganino of the Sabratha Division</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.egyptstudycircle.org.uk/Articles/p280QC223.pdf">The Italian Army in Egypt during World War II</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://static.awm.gov.au/images/collection/pdf/RCDIG1070232--1-.pdf">The Engagement at Derna, AWM</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150402102744/https://static.awm.gov.au/images/collection/pdf/RCDIG1070232--1-.pdf">Archived</a> 2 April 2015 at the <a href="Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150402135657/http://www.historyanimated.com/wwiianimated.com/index.php/operation-compass-dec-1940-feb-1941">Animated Map of Operation Compass</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://desertwar.net/operation-compass.html">Operation Compass Desert War.net</a></li></ul>

<div class="navbox-styles"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="World_War_II25329" style=";wide;padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2" style="background-color:#C3D6EF;color:inherit;"><div id="World_War_II25329" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><div>

<ul><li><a href="Outline_of_World_War_II" title="Outline of World War II">Outline</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_World_War_II_battles" title="List of World War II battles">Battles</a>

<ul><li><a href="List_of_World_War_II_military_operations" title="List of World War II military operations">Operations</a></li></ul></li>

<li>Leaders

<ul><li><a href="Allied_leaders_of_World_War_II" title="Allied leaders of World War II">Allied</a></li>

<li><a href="Commanders_of_World_War_II" title="Commanders of World War II">Commanders</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="World_War_II_casualties" title="World War II casualties">Casualties</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_Allied_World_War_II_conferences" title="List of Allied World War II conferences">Conferences</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;">General</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Lists_of_World_War_II_topics" title="Lists of World War II topics">Topics</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Air_warfare_of_World_War_II" title="Air warfare of World War II">Air warfare of World War II</a>

<ul><li><a href="List_of_air_operations_during_the_Battle_of_Europe" title="List of air operations during the Battle of Europe">In Europe</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Blitzkrieg" title="Blitzkrieg">Blitzkrieg</a></li>

<li><a href="Comparative_officer_ranks_of_World_War_II" title="Comparative officer ranks of World War II">Comparative military ranks</a></li>

<li><a href="World_War_II_cryptography" title="World War II cryptography">Cryptography</a></li>

<li><a href="Declarations_of_war_during_World_War_II" title="Declarations of war during World War II">Declarations of war</a></li>

<li><a href="Diplomatic_history_of_World_War_II" title="Diplomatic history of World War II">Diplomacy</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_governments_in_exile_during_World_War_II" title="List of governments in exile during World War II">Governments in exile</a></li>

<li><a href="Home_front_during_World_War_II" title="Home front during World War II">Home front</a>

<ul><li><a href="Australian_home_front_during_World_War_II" title="Australian home front during World War II">Australian</a></li>

<li><a href="United_Kingdom_home_front_during_World_War_II" class="mw-redirect" title="United Kingdom home front during World War II">United Kingdom</a></li>

<li><a href="United_States_home_front_during_World_War_II" title="United States home front during World War II">United States</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Lend-Lease" title="Lend-Lease">Lend-Lease</a></li>

<li><a href="Manhattan_Project" title="Manhattan Project">Manhattan Project</a>

<ul><li><a href="British_contribution_to_the_Manhattan_Project" title="British contribution to the Manhattan Project">British contribution</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="List_of_military_awards_and_decorations_of_World_War_II" title="List of military awards and decorations of World War II">Military awards</a></li>

<li><a href="Lists_of_World_War_II_military_equipment" title="Lists of World War II military equipment">Military equipment</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_production_during_World_War_II" title="Military production during World War II">Military production</a></li>

<li><a href="Naval_history_of_World_War_II" title="Naval history of World War II">Naval history</a></li>

<li><a href="Nazi_plunder" title="Nazi plunder">Nazi plunder</a></li>

<li><a href="Opposition_to_World_War_II" title="Opposition to World War II">Opposition</a></li>

<li><a href="Technology_during_World_War_II" title="Technology during World War II">Technology</a>

<ul><li><a href="Allied_technological_cooperation_during_World_War_II" title="Allied technological cooperation during World War II">Allied cooperation</a></li>

<li><a href="Mulberry_harbour" class="mw-redirect" title="Mulberry harbour">Mulberry harbour</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Total_war#World_War_II" title="Total war">Total war</a> </li>

<li><a href="Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II" title="Strategic bombing during World War II">Strategic bombing</a></li>

<li><a href="List_of_World_War_II_puppet_states" title="List of World War II puppet states">Puppet states</a></li>

<li><a href="Women_in_World_War_II" title="Women in World War II">Women</a></li>

<li><a href="Art_and_World_War_II" title="Art and World War II">Art and World War II</a></li>

<li><a href="Music_in_World_War_II" title="Music in World War II">Music in World War II</a></li>

<li><a href="Weather_events_during_wars#World_War_II" title="Weather events during wars">Weather events during World War II</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="List_of_theaters_and_campaigns_of_World_War_II" title="List of theaters and campaigns of World War II">Theaters</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Asiatic-Pacific_theater" title="Asiatic-Pacific theater">Asia and Pacific</a>

<ul><li><a href="Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">China</a></li>

<li><a href="South-East_Asian_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South-East Asian theatre of World War II">South-East Asia</a></li>

<li><a href="Pacific_War" title="Pacific War">Pacific</a></li>

<li><a href="Pacific_Ocean_theater_of_World_War_II" title="Pacific Ocean theater of World War II">North and Central Pacific</a></li>

<li><a href="South_West_Pacific_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="South West Pacific theatre of World War II">South-West Pacific</a></li>

<li><a href="Indian_Ocean_in_World_War_II" title="Indian Ocean in World War II">Indian Ocean</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="European_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="European theatre of World War II">Europe</a>

<ul><li><a href="Western_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Western Front (World War II)">Western Front</a></li>

<li><a href="Eastern_Front_(World_War_II)" title="Eastern Front (World War II)">Eastern Front</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Mediterranean_and_Middle_East_theatre_of_World_War_II" title="Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II">Mediterranean and Middle East</a>

<ul><li><a href="North_African_campaign" title="North African campaign">North Africa</a></li>

<li><a href="East_African_campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African campaign (World War II)">East Africa</a></li>

<li><a href="Italian_campaign_(World_War_II)" title="Italian campaign (World War II)">Italy</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="French_West_Africa_in_World_War_II" title="French West Africa in World War II">West Africa</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Battle of the Atlantic">Atlantic</a>

<ul><li><a href="Timeline_of_the_Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Timeline of the Battle of the Atlantic">timeline</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="American_Theater_(World_War_II)" class="mw-redirect" title="American Theater (World War II)">Americas</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Aftermath_of_World_War_II" title="Aftermath of World War II">Aftermath</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Chinese_Civil_War" title="Chinese Civil War">Chinese Civil War</a></li>

<li><a href="Decolonization" title="Decolonization">Decolonization</a></li>

<li><a href="Division_of_Korea" title="Division of Korea">Division of Korea</a></li>

<li><a href="First_Indochina_War" title="First Indochina War">First Indochina War</a></li>

<li><a href="Flight_and_expulsion_of_Germans_(1944%E2%80%931950)" title="Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–1950)">Expulsion of Germans</a></li>

<li><a href="Greek_Civil_War" title="Greek Civil War">Greek Civil War</a></li>

<li><a href="Indonesian_National_Revolution" title="Indonesian National Revolution">Indonesian National Revolution</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Keelhaul" title="Operation Keelhaul">Keelhaul</a></li>

<li><a href="Marshall_Plan" title="Marshall Plan">Marshall Plan</a></li>

<li><a href="Allied-occupied_Germany" title="Allied-occupied Germany">Occupation of Germany</a></li>

<li><a href="Occupation_of_Japan" title="Occupation of Japan">Occupation of Japan</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Osoaviakhim" title="Operation Osoaviakhim">Osoaviakhim</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Paperclip" title="Operation Paperclip">Paperclip</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_occupations_by_the_Soviet_Union" title="Military occupations by the Soviet Union">Soviet occupations</a>

<ul><li><a href="Occupation_of_the_Baltic_states" title="Occupation of the Baltic states">Baltic</a></li>

<li><a href="Hungary%E2%80%93Soviet_Union_relations" title="Hungary–Soviet Union relations">Hungary</a></li>

<li><a href="Polish_People's_Republic" title="Polish People's Republic">Poland</a></li>

<li><a href="Soviet_occupation_of_Romania" title="Soviet occupation of Romania">Romania</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Oder%E2%80%93Neisse_line" title="Oder–Neisse line">Territorial changes of Germany</a></li>

<li><a href="Treaty_on_the_Final_Settlement_with_Respect_to_Germany" title="Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany">Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany</a></li>

<li><a href="United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="War_crimes_in_World_War_II" title="War crimes in World War II">War crimes</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Allied_war_crimes_during_World_War_II" title="Allied war crimes during World War II">Allied war crimes</a>

<ul><li><a href="Soviet_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="Soviet war crimes">Soviet war crimes</a>

<ul><li><a href="Soviet_atrocities_committed_against_prisoners_of_war_during_World_War_II" title="Soviet atrocities committed against prisoners of war during World War II">Atrocities against prisoners of war</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="British_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="British war crimes">British war crimes</a></li>

<li><a href="United_States_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="United States war crimes">United States war crimes</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="German_war_crimes#World_War_II" title="German war crimes">German war crimes</a>

<ul><li><a href="Forced_labour_under_German_rule_during_World_War_II" title="Forced labour under German rule during World War II">forced labour</a></li>

<li><a href="War_crimes_of_the_Wehrmacht" title="War crimes of the Wehrmacht">Wehrmacht war crimes</a></li>

<li><a href="The_Holocaust" title="The Holocaust">The Holocaust</a>

<ul><li><a href="Aftermath_of_the_Holocaust" title="Aftermath of the Holocaust">Aftermath</a></li>

<li><a href="International_response_to_the_Holocaust" title="International response to the Holocaust">Response</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Nuremberg_trials" title="Nuremberg trials">Nuremberg trials</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Italian_war_crimes" title="Italian war crimes">Italian war crimes</a></li>

<li><a href="Japanese_war_crimes" title="Japanese war crimes">Japanese war crimes</a>

<ul><li><a href="Nanjing_Massacre" title="Nanjing Massacre">Nanjing Massacre</a></li>

<li><a href="International_Military_Tribunal_for_the_Far_East" title="International Military Tribunal for the Far East">Prosecution</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Usta%C5%A1e" title="Ustaše">Croatian war crimes</a>

<ul><li><a href="Genocide_of_Serbs_in_the_Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia">Genocide of Serbs</a></li>

<li><a href="The_Holocaust_in_the_Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="The Holocaust in the Independent State of Croatia">Persecution of Jews</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="History_of_the_Jews_in_Romania#The_Holocaust" title="History of the Jews in Romania">Romanian war crimes</a></li>

<li>Sexual violence

<ul><li><a href="German_military_brothels_in_World_War_II" title="German military brothels in World War II">German military brothels</a></li>

<li><a href="German_camp_brothels_in_World_War_II" title="German camp brothels in World War II">Camp brothels</a></li>

<li><a href="Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Germany" title="Rape during the occupation of Germany">Rape during the occupation of Germany</a>  / <a href="Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Japan" title="Rape during the occupation of Japan">Japan</a>  / <a href="Rape_during_the_Soviet_occupation_of_Poland" title="Rape during the Soviet occupation of Poland">Poland</a>  / <a href="Rape_during_the_occupation_of_Manchuria" title="Rape during the occupation of Manchuria">Manchuria</a></li>

<li><a href="Rape_during_the_liberation_of_France" title="Rape during the liberation of France">Rape during the liberation of France</a>  / <a href="Rape_during_the_liberation_of_Serbia" title="Rape during the liberation of Serbia">Serbia</a></li>

<li><a href="Sook_Ching" title="Sook Ching">Sook Ching</a></li>

<li><a href="Comfort_women" title="Comfort women">Comfort women</a></li>

<li><a href="Manila_massacre#Mass_rapes" title="Manila massacre">Rape of Manila</a></li>

<li><a href="Marocchinate" title="Marocchinate">Marocchinate</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="World_War_II_by_country" title="World War II by country">Participants</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Allies_of_World_War_II" title="Allies of World War II">Allies</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Algeria_in_World_War_II" title="Algeria in World War II">Algeria</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_Australia_during_World_War_II" class="mw-redirect" title="Military history of Australia during World War II">Australia</a></li>

<li><a href="Belgium_in_World_War_II" title="Belgium in World War II">Belgium</a></li>

<li><a href="Brazil_in_World_War_II" title="Brazil in World War II">Brazil</a></li>

<li><a href="Bulgaria_during_World_War_II" title="Bulgaria during World War II">Bulgaria</a> (<a href="1944_Bulgarian_coup_d'%C3%A9tat" title="1944 Bulgarian coup d'état">from September 1944</a>)</li>

<li><a href="Canada_in_World_War_II" title="Canada in World War II">Canada</a></li>

<li><a href="Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">China</a></li>

<li><a href="Occupation_of_Czechoslovakia_(1938%E2%80%931945)" title="Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–1945)">Czechoslovakia</a></li>

<li><a href="Denmark_in_World_War_II" title="Denmark in World War II">Denmark</a></li>

<li><a href="Second_Italo-Ethiopian_War" title="Second Italo-Ethiopian War">Ethiopia</a></li>

<li><a href="Eswatini_in_World_War_II" title="Eswatini in World War II">Eswatini</a> (formerly Swaziland)</li>

<li><a href="Finland_in_World_War_II" title="Finland in World War II">Finland</a> (<a href="Lapland_War" title="Lapland War">from September 1944</a>)</li>

<li><a href="France_during_World_War_II" title="France during World War II">France</a></li>

<li><a href="Free_France" title="Free France">Free France</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_Greece_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Greece during World War II">Greece</a></li>

<li><a href="India_in_World_War_II" title="India in World War II">India</a></li>

<li><a href="Italian_Co-belligerent_Army" title="Italian Co-belligerent Army">Italy</a> (<a href="Italian_Civil_War" title="Italian Civil War">from September 1943</a>)</li>

<li><a href="Liberia_in_World_War_II" title="Liberia in World War II">Liberia</a></li>

<li><a href="Luxembourg_in_World_War_II" title="Luxembourg in World War II">Luxembourg</a></li>

<li><a href="Mexico_during_World_War_II" title="Mexico during World War II">Mexico</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_the_Netherlands_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the Netherlands during World War II">Netherlands</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_Newfoundland_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Newfoundland during World War II">Newfoundland</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_New_Zealand_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of New Zealand during World War II">New Zealand</a></li>

<li><a href="Norwegian_campaign" title="Norwegian campaign">Norway</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_the_Philippines_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the Philippines during World War II">Philippines</a></li>

<li><a href="History_of_Poland_(1939%E2%80%931945)" title="History of Poland (1939–1945)">Poland</a></li>

<li><a href="Romania_in_World_War_II" title="Romania in World War II">Romania</a> (<a href="1944_Romanian_coup_d'%C3%A9tat" title="1944 Romanian coup d'état">from August 1944</a>)</li>

<li><a href="Sierra_Leone_in_World_War_II" title="Sierra Leone in World War II">Sierra Leone</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_South_Africa_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of South Africa during World War II">South Africa</a></li>

<li><a href="Southern_Rhodesia_in_World_War_II" title="Southern Rhodesia in World War II">Southern Rhodesia</a></li>

<li><a href="Soviet_Union_in_World_War_II" title="Soviet Union in World War II">Soviet Union</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_the_United_Kingdom_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II">United Kingdom</a>

<ul><li><a href="British_Empire_in_World_War_II" title="British Empire in World War II">British Empire</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_the_United_States_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of the United States during World War II">United States</a>

<ul><li><a href="Puerto_Ricans_in_World_War_II" title="Puerto Ricans in World War II">Puerto Rico</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="World_War_II_in_Yugoslavia" title="World War II in Yugoslavia">Yugoslavia</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Axis_powers" title="Axis powers">Axis</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Italian_protectorate_of_Albania_(1939%E2%80%931943)" class="mw-redirect" title="Italian protectorate of Albania (1939–1943)">Albania protectorate</a></li>

<li><a href="Bulgaria_during_World_War_II" title="Bulgaria during World War II">Bulgaria</a> (until September 1944)</li>

<li><a href="State_of_Burma" title="State of Burma">State of Burma</a></li>

<li><a href="Wang_Jingwei_regime" title="Wang Jingwei regime">Republic of China (Wang Jingwei)</a></li>

<li><a href="Independent_State_of_Croatia" title="Independent State of Croatia">Independent State of Croatia</a></li>

<li><a href="Finland_in_World_War_II" title="Finland in World War II">Finland</a> (until September 1944)</li>

<li><a href="Nazi_Germany" title="Nazi Germany">German Reich</a></li>

<li><a href="Hungary_in_World_War_II" title="Hungary in World War II">Hungary</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_Italy_during_World_War_II" title="Military history of Italy during World War II">Italy</a> (until September 1943)

<ul><li><a href="Italian_Social_Republic" title="Italian Social Republic">Italian Social Republic</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Empire_of_Japan" title="Empire of Japan">Empire of Japan</a></li>

<li><a href="Manchukuo" title="Manchukuo">Manchukuo</a></li>

<li><a href="Mengjiang" title="Mengjiang">Mengjiang</a></li>

<li><a href="Second_Philippine_Republic" title="Second Philippine Republic">Philippines</a></li>

<li><a href="Romania_in_World_War_II" title="Romania in World War II">Romania</a> (until August 1944)</li>

<li><a href="Slovak_Republic_(1939%E2%80%931945)" title="Slovak Republic (1939–1945)">Slovak Republic</a></li>

<li><a href="Thailand_in_World_War_II" title="Thailand in World War II">Thailand</a></li>

<li><a href="Vichy_France" title="Vichy France">Vichy France</a>

<ul><li><a href="Leased_Territory_of_Guangzhouwan" class="mw-redirect" title="Leased Territory of Guangzhouwan">Guangzhouwan</a></li>

<li><a href="French_Indochina_in_World_War_II" title="French Indochina in World War II">French Indochina</a></li>

<li><a href="Madagascar_in_World_War_II" title="Madagascar in World War II">French Madagascar</a></li>

<li><a href="Mandate_for_Syria_and_the_Lebanon" title="Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon">Syria–Lebanon</a></li>

<li><a href="French_North_Africa" title="French North Africa">French North Africa</a></li>

<li><a href="French_West_Africa_in_World_War_II" title="French West Africa in World War II">French West Africa</a></li></ul></li>

<li>Collaboration</li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Neutral_powers_during_World_War_II" title="Neutral powers during World War II">Neutral</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Kingdom_of_Afghanistan" title="Kingdom of Afghanistan">Afghanistan</a></li>

<li><a href="History_of_Andorra#20th_and_21st_centuries" title="History of Andorra">Andorra</a></li>

<li><a href="Bhutan" title="Bhutan">Bhutan</a></li>

<li><a href="Irish_neutrality_during_World_War_II" title="Irish neutrality during World War II">Ireland</a></li>

<li><a href="Liechtenstein_in_World_War_II" title="Liechtenstein in World War II">Liechtenstein</a></li>

<li><a href="Invasion_and_occupation_of_Monaco_during_World_War_II#World_War_II" title="Invasion and occupation of Monaco during World War II">Monaco</a></li>

<li><a href="Portugal_during_World_War_II" title="Portugal during World War II">Portugal</a></li>

<li><a href="History_of_San_Marino#World_War_II" title="History of San Marino">San Marino</a></li>

<li><a href="Neutral_powers_during_World_War_II#Saudi_Arabia" title="Neutral powers during World War II">Saudi Arabia</a></li>

<li><a href="Spain_during_World_War_II" title="Spain during World War II">Spain</a></li>

<li><a href="Sweden_during_World_War_II" title="Sweden during World War II">Sweden</a></li>

<li><a href="Switzerland_during_the_World_Wars" class="mw-redirect" title="Switzerland during the World Wars">Switzerland</a></li>

<li><a href="Tibet_(1912%E2%80%931951)" title="Tibet (1912–1951)">Tibet</a></li>

<li><a href="Military_history_of_Turkey#World_War_II" title="Military history of Turkey">Turkey</a></li>

<li><a href="Vatican_City_during_World_War_II" title="Vatican City during World War II">Vatican City</a></li>

<li><a href="Kingdom_of_Yemen#World_War_II_and_after" title="Kingdom of Yemen">Yemen</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Resistance_during_World_War_II" title="Resistance during World War II">Resistance</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="World_War_II_in_Albania" title="World War II in Albania">Albania</a></li>

<li><a href="Austrian_resistance" title="Austrian resistance">Austria</a></li>

<li><a href="Belgian_Resistance" title="Belgian Resistance">Belgium</a></li>

<li><a href="Bulgarian_resistance_movement_during_World_War_II" title="Bulgarian resistance movement during World War II">Bulgaria</a></li>

<li><a href="Resistance_in_the_Protectorate_of_Bohemia_and_Moravia" title="Resistance in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia">Czech lands</a></li>

<li><a href="Danish_resistance_movement" title="Danish resistance movement">Denmark</a></li>

<li><a href="Japanese_occupation_of_the_Dutch_East_Indies#Underground_resistance" title="Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies">Dutch East Indies</a></li>

<li><a href="Estonian_anti-German_resistance_movement_1941%E2%80%931944" title="Estonian anti-German resistance movement 1941–1944">Estonia</a></li>

<li><a href="Arbegnoch" title="Arbegnoch">Ethiopia</a></li>

<li><a href="French_Resistance" title="French Resistance">France</a></li>

<li><a href="German_resistance_to_Nazism" title="German resistance to Nazism">Germany</a></li>

<li><a href="Greek_resistance" title="Greek resistance">Greece</a></li>

<li><a href="Italian_resistance_movement" title="Italian resistance movement">Italy</a></li>

<li><a href="Political_dissidence_in_the_Empire_of_Japan#Dissidence_during_World_War_II" title="Political dissidence in the Empire of Japan">Japan</a></li>

<li><a href="Korea" title="Korea">Korea</a>

<ul><li><a href="Korean_Liberation_Army" title="Korean Liberation Army">Korean Liberation Army</a></li>

<li><a href="Korean_Volunteer_Army" title="Korean Volunteer Army">Korean Volunteer Army</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Latvian_anti-Nazi_resistance_movement_1941%E2%80%931945" title="Latvian anti-Nazi resistance movement 1941–1945">Latvia</a></li>

<li><a href="Resistance_in_Lithuania_during_World_War_II" title="Resistance in Lithuania during World War II">Lithuania</a></li>

<li><a href="Luxembourg_Resistance" title="Luxembourg Resistance">Luxembourg</a></li>

<li><a href="Malayan_Peoples'_Anti-Japanese_Army" title="Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army">Malaya</a></li>

<li><a href="Dutch_resistance" title="Dutch resistance">Netherlands</a></li>

<li><a href="Northeast_Anti-Japanese_United_Army" class="mw-redirect" title="Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army">Northeast China</a></li>

<li><a href="Norwegian_resistance_movement" title="Norwegian resistance movement">Norway</a></li>

<li><a href="Philippine_resistance_against_Japan" title="Philippine resistance against Japan">Philippines</a></li>

<li><a href="Polish_resistance_movement_in_World_War_II" title="Polish resistance movement in World War II">Poland</a></li>

<li><a href="Romanian_resistance_movement_during_World_War_II" title="Romanian resistance movement during World War II">Romania</a></li>

<li><a href="Free_Thai_Movement" title="Free Thai Movement">Thailand</a></li>

<li><a href="Soviet_partisans" title="Soviet partisans">Soviet Union</a></li>

<li><a href="Slovak_National_Uprising" title="Slovak National Uprising">Slovakia</a></li>

<li><a href="Ukrainian_Insurgent_Army" title="Ukrainian Insurgent Army">Western Ukraine</a></li>

<li>Vietnam

<li><a href="Yugoslav_Partisans" title="Yugoslav Partisans">Yugoslavia</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Prisoner_of_war" title="Prisoner of war">POWs</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Finnish_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Finnish prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Finnish prisoners in the Soviet Union</a></li>

<li>German prisoners

<ul><li><a href="German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="German prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a>

<ul><li><a href="German_prisoners_of_war_in_Azerbaijan" title="German prisoners of war in Azerbaijan">Azerbaijan</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_United_States" title="German prisoners of war in the United States">United States</a></li>

<li><a href="German_prisoners_of_war_in_the_United_Kingdom" title="German prisoners of war in the United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Italian_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Italian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Italian prisoners in the Soviet Union</a></li>

<li><a href="Japanese_prisoners_of_war_in_World_War_II" title="Japanese prisoners of war in World War II">Japanese prisoners</a>

<ul><li><a href="Japanese_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Japanese prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Soviet Union</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="German_atrocities_committed_against_Polish_prisoners_of_war" title="German atrocities committed against Polish prisoners of war">German atrocities against Polish POWs</a></li>

<li>Soviet prisoners

<ul><li><a href="Soviet_prisoners_of_war_in_Finland" title="Soviet prisoners of war in Finland">Finland</a></li>

<li><a href="German_atrocities_committed_against_Soviet_prisoners_of_war" title="German atrocities committed against Soviet prisoners of war">atrocities by Germans</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Polish_prisoners-of-war_in_the_Soviet_Union_after_1939" class="mw-redirect" title="Polish prisoners-of-war in the Soviet Union after 1939">Polish prisoners in the Soviet Union</a></li>

<li><a href="Romanian_prisoners_of_war_in_the_Soviet_Union" title="Romanian prisoners of war in the Soviet Union">Romanian prisoners in the Soviet Union</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="List_of_timelines_of_World_War_II" title="List of timelines of World War II">Timeline</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0;;wide"><tbody><tr><th id="Prelude7712" scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Causes_of_World_War_II" title="Causes of World War II">Prelude</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Abyssinia_Crisis" title="Abyssinia Crisis">Africa</a>

<ul><li><a href="Second_Italo-Ethiopian_War" title="Second Italo-Ethiopian War">Second Italo-Ethiopian War</a></li></ul></li>

<ul><li><a href="Second_Sino-Japanese_War" title="Second Sino-Japanese War">Second Sino-Japanese War</a></li>

<li><a href="Battles_of_Khalkhin_Gol" title="Battles of Khalkhin Gol">Battles of Khalkhin Gol</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Events_preceding_World_War_II_in_Europe" title="Events preceding World War II in Europe">Europe</a>

<ul><li><a href="Remilitarisation_of_the_Rhineland" title="Remilitarisation of the Rhineland">Remilitarisation of the Rhineland</a></li>

<li><a href="Anschluss" title="Anschluss">Anschluss</a></li>

<li><a href="Munich_Agreement" title="Munich Agreement">Munich Agreement</a></li>

<li><a href="Occupation_of_Czechoslovakia_(1938%E2%80%931945)" title="Occupation of Czechoslovakia (1938–1945)">Occupation of Czechoslovakia</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Himmler" title="Operation Himmler">Operation Himmler</a></li>

<li><a href="Italian_invasion_of_Albania" title="Italian invasion of Albania">Italian invasion of Albania</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1939)" title="Timeline of World War II (1939)">1939</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Invasion_of_Poland" title="Invasion of Poland">Invasion of Poland</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_the_Atlantic" title="Battle of the Atlantic">Battle of the Atlantic</a></li>

<li><a href="Phoney_War" title="Phoney War">Phoney War</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Changsha_(1939)" title="Battle of Changsha (1939)">First Battle of Changsha</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_South_Guangxi" title="Battle of South Guangxi">Battle of South Guangxi</a></li>

<li><a href="Winter_War" title="Winter War">Winter War</a></li>

<li><a href="1939%E2%80%931940_Winter_Offensive" title="1939–1940 Winter Offensive">1939–1940 Winter Offensive</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1940)" title="Timeline of World War II (1940)">1940</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Norwegian_campaign" title="Norwegian campaign">Norwegian campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="German_invasion_of_Denmark_(1940)" title="German invasion of Denmark (1940)">German invasion of Denmark</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Zaoyang%E2%80%93Yichang" title="Battle of Zaoyang–Yichang">Battle of Zaoyang–Yichang</a></li>

<li><a href="German_invasion_of_Luxembourg" title="German invasion of Luxembourg">German invasion of Luxembourg</a></li>

<li><a href="German_invasion_of_the_Netherlands" title="German invasion of the Netherlands">German invasion of the Netherlands</a></li>

<li><a href="German_invasion_of_Belgium_(1940)" title="German invasion of Belgium (1940)">German invasion of Belgium</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_France" title="Battle of France">Battle of France</a></li>

<li><a href="Dunkirk_evacuation" title="Dunkirk evacuation">Dunkirk evacuation</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Britain" title="Battle of Britain">Battle of Britain</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_the_Mediterranean" title="Battle of the Mediterranean">Battle of the Mediterranean</a></li>

<li><a href="Western_Desert_campaign" title="Western Desert campaign">North Africa</a></li>

<li><a href="French_West_Africa_in_World_War_II" title="French West Africa in World War II">West Africa</a></li>

<li><a href="Italian_invasion_of_British_Somaliland" title="Italian invasion of British Somaliland">British Somaliland</a></li>

<li><a href="Hundred_Regiments_Offensive" title="Hundred Regiments Offensive">Hundred Regiments Offensive</a></li>

<li><a href="Soviet_occupation_of_the_Baltic_states_(1940)" title="Soviet occupation of the Baltic states (1940)">Baltic states</a></li>

<li><a href="Soviet_occupation_of_Bessarabia_and_Northern_Bukovina" title="Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina">Eastern Romania</a></li>

<li><a href="Japanese_invasion_of_French_Indochina" title="Japanese invasion of French Indochina">Japanese invasion of French Indochina</a></li>

<li><a href="Greco-Italian_War" title="Greco-Italian War">Italian invasion of Greece</a></li>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1941)" title="Timeline of World War II (1941)">1941</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Battle_of_South_Henan" title="Battle of South Henan">Battle of South Henan</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Shanggao" title="Battle of Shanggao">Battle of Shanggao</a></li>

<li><a href="Invasion_of_Yugoslavia" title="Invasion of Yugoslavia">Invasion of Yugoslavia</a></li>

<li><a href="German_invasion_of_Greece" title="German invasion of Greece">German invasion of Greece</a>

<ul><li><a href="Battle_of_Crete" title="Battle of Crete">Battle of Crete</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Anglo-Iraqi_War" title="Anglo-Iraqi War">Anglo-Iraqi War</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_South_Shanxi" title="Battle of South Shanxi">Battle of South Shanxi</a></li>

<li><a href="Syria%E2%80%93Lebanon_campaign" title="Syria–Lebanon campaign">Syria–Lebanon campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="East_African_campaign_(World_War_II)" title="East African campaign (World War II)">East African campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Barbarossa" title="Operation Barbarossa">Invasion of the Soviet Union</a>

<ul><li><a href="Summer_War" title="Summer War">Summer War</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Continuation_War" title="Continuation War">Finland</a> (<a href="Operation_Silver_Fox" title="Operation Silver Fox">Silver Fox</a>)</li>

<li><a href="June_Uprising_in_Lithuania" title="June Uprising in Lithuania">Lithuania</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Kiev_(1941)" title="Battle of Kiev (1941)">Battle of Kiev</a></li>

<li><a href="Anglo-Soviet_invasion_of_Iran" title="Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran">Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Changsha_(1941)" title="Battle of Changsha (1941)">Second Battle of Changsha</a></li>

<li><a href="Siege_of_Leningrad" title="Siege of Leningrad">Siege of Leningrad</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Moscow" title="Battle of Moscow">Battle of Moscow</a></li>

<li><a href="Bombing_of_Gorky_in_World_War_II" title="Bombing of Gorky in World War II">Bombing of Gorky</a></li>

<li><a href="Siege_of_Sevastopol_(1941%E2%80%931942)" title="Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942)">Siege of Sevastopol</a></li>

<li><a href="Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor" title="Attack on Pearl Harbor">Attack on Pearl Harbor</a></li>

<li><a href="Japanese_invasion_of_Thailand" title="Japanese invasion of Thailand">Japanese invasion of Thailand</a></li>

<li><a href="Philippines_campaign_(1941%E2%80%931942)" title="Philippines campaign (1941–1942)">Fall of the Philippines</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Guam_(1941)" title="Battle of Guam (1941)">Battle of Guam</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Wake_Island" title="Battle of Wake Island">Battle of Wake Island</a></li>

<li><a href="Malayan_campaign" title="Malayan campaign">Malayan campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Borneo_(1941%E2%80%931942)" title="Battle of Borneo (1941–1942)">Battle of Borneo</a></li>

<li><a href="Japanese_invasion_of_Burma" title="Japanese invasion of Burma">Japanese invasion of Burma</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Changsha_(1941%E2%80%931942)" title="Battle of Changsha (1941–1942)">Third Battle of Changsha</a></li>

<li><a href="Great_Famine_(Greece)" title="Great Famine (Greece)">Greek famine of 1941–1944</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1942)" title="Timeline of World War II (1942)">1942</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Fall_of_Singapore" title="Fall of Singapore">Fall of Singapore</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_the_Java_Sea" title="Battle of the Java Sea">Battle of the Java Sea</a></li>

<li><a href="St_Nazaire_Raid" title="St Nazaire Raid">St Nazaire Raid</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Christmas_Island" title="Battle of Christmas Island">Battle of Christmas Island</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_the_Coral_Sea" title="Battle of the Coral Sea">Battle of the Coral Sea</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Madagascar" title="Battle of Madagascar">Battle of Madagascar</a></li>

<li><a href="Zhejiang-Jiangxi_campaign" title="Zhejiang-Jiangxi campaign">Zhejiang-Jiangxi campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Gazala" title="Battle of Gazala">Battle of Gazala</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Dutch_Harbor" title="Battle of Dutch Harbor">Battle of Dutch Harbor</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Midway" title="Battle of Midway">Battle of Midway</a></li>

<li><a href="Aleutian_Islands_campaign" title="Aleutian Islands campaign">Aleutian Islands campaign</a>

<ul><li><a href="Japanese_occupation_of_Kiska" title="Japanese occupation of Kiska">Kiska</a></li>

<li><a href="First_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="First Battle of El Alamein">First Battle of El Alamein</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Stalingrad" title="Battle of Stalingrad">Battle of Stalingrad</a></li>

<li><a href="Kokoda_Track_campaign" title="Kokoda Track campaign">Kokoda Track campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Rzhev%2C_summer_1942" title="Battle of Rzhev, summer 1942">Rzhev</a></li>

<li><a href="Dieppe_Raid" title="Dieppe Raid">Jubilee</a></li>

<li><a href="Second_Battle_of_El_Alamein" title="Second Battle of El Alamein">Second Battle of El Alamein</a></li>

<li><a href="Guadalcanal_campaign" title="Guadalcanal campaign">Guadalcanal campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Torch" title="Operation Torch">Torch</a></li>

<li><a href="Chinese_famine_of_1942%E2%80%931943" title="Chinese famine of 1942–1943">Chinese famine of 1942–1943</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1943)" title="Timeline of World War II (1943)">1943</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Black_May_(1943)" class="mw-redirect" title="Black May (1943)">Black May</a></li>

<li><a href="Tunisian_campaign" title="Tunisian campaign">Tunisian campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_West_Hubei" title="Battle of West Hubei">Battle of West Hubei</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Attu" title="Battle of Attu">Battle of Attu</a></li>

<li><a href="Bombing_of_Gorky_in_World_War_II#June_1943" title="Bombing of Gorky in World War II">Bombing of Gorky</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Kursk" title="Battle of Kursk">Battle of Kursk</a></li>

<li><a href="Allied_invasion_of_Sicily" title="Allied invasion of Sicily">Allied invasion of Sicily</a></li>

<li><a href="Smolensk_operation" title="Smolensk operation">Smolensk</a></li>

<li><a href="Solomon_Islands_campaign" title="Solomon Islands campaign">Solomon Islands campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Cottage" title="Operation Cottage">Cottage</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_the_Dnieper" title="Battle of the Dnieper">Battle of the Dnieper</a></li>

<li><a href="Allied_invasion_of_Italy" title="Allied invasion of Italy">Allied invasion of Italy</a>

<ul><li><a href="Armistice_of_Cassibile" title="Armistice of Cassibile">Armistice of Cassibile</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Burma_campaign" title="Burma campaign">Burma</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Northern_Burma_and_Western_Yunnan" title="Battle of Northern Burma and Western Yunnan">Northern Burma and Western Yunnan</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Changde" title="Battle of Changde">Changde</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Kiev_(1943)" title="Battle of Kiev (1943)">Second Battle of Kiev</a></li>

<li><a href="Gilbert_and_Marshall_Islands_campaign" title="Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign">Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign</a>

<ul><li><a href="Battle_of_Tarawa" title="Battle of Tarawa">Tarawa</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Makin" title="Battle of Makin">Makin</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Bengal_famine_of_1943" title="Bengal famine of 1943">Bengal famine of 1943</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1944)" title="Timeline of World War II (1944)">1944</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Operation_Tempest" title="Operation Tempest">Tempest</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Monte_Cassino" title="Battle of Monte Cassino">Monte Cassino</a> / <a href="Battle_of_Anzio" title="Battle of Anzio">Anzio</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Korsun%E2%80%93Cherkassy" title="Battle of Korsun–Cherkassy">Korsun–Cherkassy</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Narva_(1944)" title="Battle of Narva (1944)">Narva</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Imphal" title="Battle of Imphal">Imphal</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Kohima" title="Battle of Kohima">Kohima</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Overlord" title="Operation Overlord">Overlord</a></li>

<li><a href="Normandy_landings" title="Normandy landings">Neptune</a></li>

<li><a href="Mariana_and_Palau_Islands_campaign" title="Mariana and Palau Islands campaign">Mariana and Palau</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Bagration" title="Operation Bagration">Bagration</a></li>

<li><a href="Lvov%E2%80%93Sandomierz_offensive" class="mw-redirect" title="Lvov–Sandomierz offensive">Western Ukraine</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Guam_(1944)" title="Battle of Guam (1944)">Second Battle of Guam</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Tannenberg_Line" title="Battle of Tannenberg Line">Tannenberg Line</a></li>

<li><a href="Warsaw_Uprising" title="Warsaw Uprising">Warsaw Uprising</a></li>

<li><a href="Second_Jassy%E2%80%93Kishinev_offensive" title="Second Jassy–Kishinev offensive">Eastern Romania</a></li>

<li><a href="Liberation_of_Paris" title="Liberation of Paris">Liberation of Paris</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Dragoon" title="Operation Dragoon">Dragoon</a></li>

<li><a href="Gothic_Line" title="Gothic Line">Gothic Line</a></li>

<li><a href="Belgrade_offensive" title="Belgrade offensive">Belgrade offensive</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_San_Marino" title="Battle of San Marino">Battle of San Marino</a></li>

<li><a href="Lapland_War" title="Lapland War">Lapland</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Market_Garden" title="Operation Market Garden">Market Garden</a></li>

<li><a href="Tallinn_offensive" title="Tallinn offensive">Estonia</a></li>

<li><a href="Operation_Crossbow" title="Operation Crossbow">Crossbow</a></li>

<li><a href="Combined_Bomber_Offensive" title="Combined Bomber Offensive">Pointblank</a></li>

<li><a href="Vietnamese_famine_of_1944%E2%80%931945" title="Vietnamese famine of 1944–1945">Vietnamese famine of 1944–1945</a></li>

<li><a href="Philippines_campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945)" title="Philippines campaign (1944–1945)">Philippines (1944–1945)</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Leyte_Gulf" title="Battle of Leyte Gulf">Leyte</a></li>

<li><a href="Syrmian_Front" title="Syrmian Front">Syrmian Front</a></li>

<li><a href="Budapest_offensive" title="Budapest offensive">Hungary</a>

<ul><li><a href="Siege_of_Budapest" title="Siege of Budapest">Budapest</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Burma_campaign_(1944%E2%80%931945)" title="Burma campaign (1944–1945)">Burma (1944–1945)</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_the_Bulge" title="Battle of the Bulge">Ardennes</a>

<ul><li><a href="Operation_Bodenplatte" title="Operation Bodenplatte">Bodenplatte</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Dutch_famine_of_1944%E2%80%931945" title="Dutch famine of 1944–1945">Dutch famine of 1944–1945</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:5.5em;background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;vertical-align:top;"><a href="Timeline_of_World_War_II_(1945%E2%80%931991)" class="mw-redirect" title="Timeline of World War II (1945–1991)">1945</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Vistula%E2%80%93Oder_offensive" title="Vistula–Oder offensive">Vistula–Oder</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Manila_(1945)" title="Battle of Manila (1945)">Battle of Manila</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Iwo_Jima" title="Battle of Iwo Jima">Battle of Iwo Jima</a></li>

<li><a href="Japanese_coup_d'%C3%A9tat_in_French_Indochina" title="Japanese coup d'état in French Indochina">Indochina</a></li>

<li><a href="Vienna_offensive" title="Vienna offensive">Vienna offensive</a></li>

<li><a href="Project_Hula" title="Project Hula">Project Hula</a></li>

<li><a href="Western_Allied_invasion_of_Germany" title="Western Allied invasion of Germany">Western invasion of Germany</a></li>

<li><a href="Bratislava%E2%80%93Brno_offensive" title="Bratislava–Brno offensive">Bratislava–Brno offensive</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Okinawa" title="Battle of Okinawa">Battle of Okinawa</a></li>

<li><a href="Second_Guangxi_campaign" title="Second Guangxi campaign">Second Guangxi campaign</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_West_Hunan" title="Battle of West Hunan">West Hunan</a></li>

<li><a href="Spring_1945_offensive_in_Italy" title="Spring 1945 offensive in Italy">Italy (Spring 1945)</a></li>

<li><a href="Battle_of_Berlin" title="Battle of Berlin">Battle of Berlin</a></li>

<li><a href="Prague_offensive" title="Prague offensive">Prague offensive</a></li>

<li><a href="End_of_World_War_II_in_Europe" title="End of World War II in Europe">Surrender of Germany</a>

<ul><li><a href="German_Instrument_of_Surrender" title="German Instrument of Surrender">document</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Borneo_campaign" title="Borneo campaign">Borneo</a></li>

<li><a href="Raid_on_Taipei" title="Raid on Taipei">Taipei</a></li>

<li><a href="Allied_naval_bombardments_of_Japan_during_World_War_II" title="Allied naval bombardments of Japan during World War II">Naval bombardment of Japan</a></li>

<li><a href="Soviet_invasion_of_Manchuria" title="Soviet invasion of Manchuria">Manchuria</a></li>

<li><a href="Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki" title="Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki">Atomic bombings</a>

<ul><li><a href="Debate_over_the_atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki" title="Debate over the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki">Debate</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Soviet_invasion_of_South_Sakhalin" title="Soviet invasion of South Sakhalin">South Sakhalin</a></li>

<li><a href="Invasion_of_the_Kuril_Islands" title="Invasion of the Kuril Islands">Kuril Islands</a>

<ul><li><a href="Battle_of_Shumshu" title="Battle of Shumshu">Shumshu</a></li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Surrender_of_Japan" title="Surrender of Japan">Surrender of Japan</a>

<ul><li><a href="Potsdam_Declaration" title="Potsdam Declaration">Potsdam Declaration</a></li>

<li><a href="Japanese_Instrument_of_Surrender" title="Japanese Instrument of Surrender">document</a></li>

<li><a href="End_of_World_War_II_in_Asia" title="End of World War II in Asia">End of World War II in Asia</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2" style="background-color:#DCDCDC;color:inherit;"><div>

<ul><li> <a href="Portal%3AWorld" title="Portal:World">World portal</a></li>

<li><a href="Bibliography_of_World_War_II" title="Bibliography of World War II">Bibliography</a></li>

<li>Category</li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

<div class="navbox-styles"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Tobruk_in_the_Second_World_War125" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Tobruk_in_the_Second_World_War125" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="Tobruk" title="Tobruk">Tobruk</a> in the Second World War</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Fighting around Tobruk</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="British_capture_of_Tobruk" title="British capture of Tobruk">British capture of Tobruk</a> (January 1941)</li>

<li><a href="Siege_of_Tobruk" title="Siege of Tobruk">Siege of Tobruk</a> (April-November 1941)

<ul><li><a href="Twin_Pimples_raid" title="Twin Pimples raid">Twin Pimples raid</a> ((July 1941)</li></ul></li>

<li><a href="Axis_capture_of_Tobruk" title="Axis capture of Tobruk">Axis capture of Tobruk</a> (June 1942)</li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Allied campaigns and offences</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Western_Desert_campaign" title="Western Desert campaign">Western Desert campaign</a>

<ul><li> (December 1940-February 1941)</li>

<li><a href="Operation_Brevity" title="Operation Brevity">Operation Brevity</a> (May 1941)</li>

<li><a href="Operation_Battleaxe" title="Operation Battleaxe">Operation Battleaxe</a> (June 1941)</li>

<li><a href="Operation_Crusader" title="Operation Crusader">Operation Crusader</a> (November-December 1941)</li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Allied units involved</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="The_Rats_of_Tobruk" title="The Rats of Tobruk">The Rats of Tobruk</a></li></ul>

Original units:

<ul><li><a href="9th_Division_(Australia)" title="9th Division (Australia)">9th Division (Australia)</a> (main unit)</li>

<li><a href="7th_Division_(Australia)" title="7th Division (Australia)">7th Division (Australia)</a></li>

<li><a href="3rd_Indian_Motor_Brigade" title="3rd Indian Motor Brigade">3rd Indian Motor Brigade</a></li></ul>

Replacement units:

<ul><li><a href="Czechoslovak_11th_Infantry_Battalion" title="Czechoslovak 11th Infantry Battalion">Czechoslovak 11th Infantry Battalion</a></li>

<li><a href="Polish_Independent_Carpathian_Rifle_Brigade" title="Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade">Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade</a></li>

<li><a href="70th_Infantry_Division_(United_Kingdom)" title="70th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)">70th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)</a></li>

<li><a href="16th_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" title="16th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)">16th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)</a></li>

<li><a href="4th_Royal_Tank_Regiment" title="4th Royal Tank Regiment">4th Royal Tank Regiment</a></li></ul>

Artillery: (some original units, some replacements)

<ul><li><a href="1st_Regiment_Royal_Horse_Artillery" title="1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery">1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery</a></li>

<li><a href="4th_Anti-Aircraft_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)" title="4th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom)">4th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (United Kingdom)</a></li>

<li><a href="51st_(London)_Heavy_Anti-Aircraft_Regiment%2C_Royal_Artillery" title="51st (London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery">51st (London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery</a></li>

<li><a href="89th_(Cinque_Ports)_Heavy_Anti-Aircraft_Regiment%2C_Royal_Artillery" title="89th (Cinque Ports) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery">89th (Cinque Ports) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery</a></li>

<li>13th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery</li></ul>

Outside units:

<ul><li><a href="Eighth_Army_(United_Kingdom)" title="Eighth Army (United Kingdom)">Eighth Army (United Kingdom)</a></li>

<li><a href="Tobruk_Ferry_Service" title="Tobruk Ferry Service">Tobruk Ferry Service</a>

<ul><li><a href="Scrap_Iron_Flotilla" title="Scrap Iron Flotilla">Scrap Iron Flotilla</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Axis units involved</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="132nd_Armored_Division_%22Ariete%22" title="132nd Armored Division "Ariete"">132nd Armored Division "Ariete"</a> (Italy)</li>

<li><a href="55th_Infantry_Division_%22Savona%22" title="55th Infantry Division "Savona"">55th Infantry Division "Savona"</a> (Italy)</li>

<li><a href="61st_Infantry_Division_%22Sirte%22" title="61st Infantry Division "Sirte"">61st Infantry Division "Sirte"</a> (Italy)</li>

<li><a href="101st_Motorized_Division_%22Trieste%22" title="101st Motorized Division "Trieste"">101st Motorized Division "Trieste"</a> (Italy)</li>

<li><a href="Afrika_Korps" title="Afrika Korps">Afrika Korps</a> (Germany)

<ul><li><a href="15th_Panzer_Division_(Wehrmacht)" class="mw-redirect" title="15th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)">15th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)</a></li>

<li><a href="21st_Panzer_Division_(Wehrmacht)" class="mw-redirect" title="21st Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)">21st Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)</a> Originally 5th Light Division</li>

<li><a href="90th_Light_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)" title="90th Light Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)">90th Light Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)</a></li></ul></li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

<div class="navbox-styles"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox authority-control" aria-labelledby="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q696018#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata646" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Authority_control_databases_frameless&#124;text-top&#124;10px&#124;alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata&#124;link=https&#58;//www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q696018#identifiers&#124;class=noprint&#124;Edit_this_at_Wikidata646" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Authority control databases </div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">National</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://id.loc.gov/authorities/sh2010012781">United States</a></li><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nli.org.il/en/authorities/987007597671005171">Israel</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"><ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lux.collections.yale.edu/view/concept/2c28a7a0-f3ca-44ef-8c8f-97537550d6a4">Yale LUX</a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div><div class="zim-footer">

This article is issued from <a class="external text" title="Last edited on 2025-08-01" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?title=Operation_Compass&oldid=1303658889">Wikipedia</a>. The text is available under <a class="external text" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0</a> unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

</div>

</div></div>

</div>

</main>

</div>

</body></html>