1940
December 9
- Gen O'Connors's Western Desert Force (WDF) begins Operation “Compass"
- It was to be in four stages: (1) the recapture of Sidi Barrani; (2) the build-up of sufficient forces on the frontier; (3) the occupation of bardia and the Jararub Oasis at the southern end of the frontier; (4) the capture of Tobruk
- The opening phase of "Compass" was designed to deal with the forts of Nibeiwa and East and West Tummar, then to advance towards Sidi Barrani and Buq Buq, to isolate the enemy at Maktila and Sidi Barrani
- The 4/7th Rajputs from 11th Indian Brigade with the Matildas from 7th Royal Tank Regiment attacked Nibeiwa
December 10
- By 1000 hours Nibeiwa was conquested by the Western Desert Force. Some 2-3,000 prisioners had been seized, plus large quantities of guns, ammunition, vehicles and supplies
- The force moved immediately on to Tummar West and East, then to Point 90, with much the same results
- Maktila was bombarded by the Royal Navy during the night
December 11
- The garrison abandoned Maktila
- The 7th Royal Tank Regiment joined the 16th British Infantry Brigade to attack Sidi Barrani
- The assault force was strengthened by replacing two of the battalions which had been fighting all the previous day, while the cruiser tanks of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, 4th Armoured Brigade, 7th Armoured Division were attached to protect the northern flank
- The attack began at 1615 hours, with the Camerons and the Rajputanas attacking from the north, while the Queen's and the leicesters came in from the south, both attacks supported by artillery, by the remaining eleven infantry tanks and by the 2 RTR cruisers. It was all over before dark
December 16
- By this date the British forces had occupied Sollum, taken Fort Capuzzo and driven the Italians out of Egypt
1941
January 1
- The Western Desert Force renamed as XIII Corps
- Fierst Australian troops begin to move up to Bardia
January 3
- At 6000 hours 16 Australian Brigade, supported by the Matilda Mk II of 7 RTR, the light tanks and carriers of 'A' Squadron, 6 Australian Cavalry and the medium machine -guns of one company of the Northumberland Fusiliers assault the western perimeter
- At same time 17 Australian Infantry Brigade carry out vigorous patrolling to the south, to attract the enemy's attention and draw him away from the western front
- Also at same time 7 Armoured Division make a feint against the northern sector and prevent any enemy relieving Bardia from Tobruk
- At 1130 17 Australian Infantry brigade, 7 RTR and 'A' Squadron 6 Australian Cavalry resume the attack against southern sector but is received by heavy artillery fire
January 4
- 16 Brigade continues the advance and soon reaches the coast both north and south of the town, where the garrison starts to surrender
- By the end of the day it was all over and Bardia was captured
January 8
- Italians have a garrison of some 25,000 men in Tobruk under Gen Mannella, commander of XXII Corps. Its main elements were the units of 61 Sirte Division, plus 200 artillery guns, medium and light tanks, and some 7,000 garrison and depot troops. The nearest relief forces were those of Xx Corps, which included 60 Sabratha Division at derna, and an armoured brigade under Gen babini near Mechili
-There were two main routes to Tobruk from Bardia - one along the coast and the other running parallel to it some 10 miles inland (joining Fort Capuzzo to El Adem airfield
- O'Connors plan was for the 7 Armoured Division to advance along the Capuzzo track, while 6 Australian Division used the coast road
January 9
- The entire defensive perimeter of Tobruk was surrounded, with two armoured brigades to the south, south-west and west, while 7th Armoured Brigade's Support Group had moved to cut the coast road
- According O'Connor's plan, 7 Armoured Division would distract the enemy along the perimeter, while the Australians broke through in the south-east
- 16 Australian Brigade would make the initial assault, while 17 Brigade carried out a "demonstration by fire" in the east to confuse the defenders
- Once the breach was made, 19 Brigade would then deepen the penetration, supported by the divisional cavalry squadron (the squadron was now partially re-equipped with 16 captured Italian medium tanks (M11 and M13)
- Attack was fixed for 0540 on 21 January
January 21
- The assault to Tobruk starts on time
- By midday it was all over
January 22
- British armour pushed om towards Mechili to take on the Italian armour
- The Aussies continued along the coast road with the aim of capturing Derna
- Once both had been taken then a "pincer movement" would be mounted against Bengazhi
- However, once it was realised that the enemy was bent upon a complet withdrawal from Cyrenaica another plan was forged - to destroy the enemy army
- O'Connor's plan was to send a major part of his armour across desert to cut off the Italians, while the infantry pressed on along the coast, eventually taking Benghazi
February 2
- The Aussies reached Giovanni Berta in the Jebel Akhdar and found that the Italians had melted away
- 7 Armoured Division was therefore sent directly across the desert, from Mechili to the Gulf of Sirte, via Msua and Antelat, to set up a blocking position in the area of Beda Fomm/Sidi Saleh, well below Behghazi
- At the same time the Australians would continue to follow the enemy along the coastal road via Barce and Benghazi, keeping them moving and thinking that this was still the main thrust
January 3
- By noon the advance guard, under command of Lt Col john Combe, CO 11 Hussars, had arrived at Sidi Saleh and taken up position astride the coast road
- First contact came at 1430 hours when the head of a large convoy appeared on the road
- 15,000 Italians surrendered
February 5-7
- Battle of Beda Fomm/Sidi Saleh and surrender of 10th Italian Army
February 6
- Benghazi captured by XIII Corps
Order of Battle
HQ Western Desert Force
The total strength of O'Connor's force during the entire operation was never more than 32,000 men.
Corps Troops
7th Royal Tank Regiment - Matilda Mk II infantry tanks
1st Regiment RHA - 25pdr
3rd Regiment RHA (less two batteries) - 2pdr AT Guns
104th Regiment RHA - 25pdr
51st Field Regiment, RA - 25pdr
7th Medium Regiment, RA - 6 inch Howitzers & 6 inch Guns
64th Medium Regiment, RA - 4,5 inch Guns
7th Armoured Division
4th Armoured Brigade
7th Hussars
2nd Royal Tank Regiment
6th Royal Tank Regiment
7th Armoured Brigade
3rd Hussars
8th Hussars
1st Royal Tank Regiment
Support Group
1st King's Royal Rifle Corps
2nd Rifle Brigade
Divisional Troops
11th Hussars
'M' Battery, 3rd Regiment RHA
4th Indian Division
5th Indian Infantry Brigade
1st RF
3/1st Punjab Regiment
4/6th Rajputana Rifles
11th Indian Infantry Brigade
2nd Cameron Highlanders
1/6th Rajputana Rifles
4/7th Rajput Regiment
16th Infantry Brigade
1st Queen's
2nd Leicesters
1st A and SH
Divisional Troops
Central India Horse
Battery 3rd Regiment RHA
1st Field Regiment, RA
25th Field Regiment, RA
31st Field Regiment, RA
1st RNF (MG Bn)
Mersa Matruh Garrison
3rd Coldstream
1st South Staffs
1st DLI
1st Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, RA
'A' Company, 1st Bn
Later in the operation the 4th Indian Division was replaced by
6th Australian Division
HQ 6th Australian Division
16th Australian Infantry Brigade
2/1st Battalion
2/2nd Battalion
2/3rd Battalion
17th Australian Infantry Brigade
2/5th Battalion
2/6th Battalion
2/7th Battalion
19th Australian Infantry Brigade
2/4th Battalion
2/8th Battalion
2/11th Battalion
Divisional Troops
6th Cavalry Regiment
1st RNF (MG Bn) - transferred from 4th Indian Division
2/1st Field Regiment, RAA
2/2nd Field Regiment, RAA
2/3rd Field Regiment, RAA
3x Light Anti-Aircraft Batteries, RAA
Italian Forces
Just three days before the attack was launched, on 6th December, the Italian forces manning their forward positions were known to be as follows:
Maktila - 1st Libyan Division (5,000 Libyans)
Sidi Barrani - 4th Blackshirt Division (15,000 Libyans)
Tummar West & East - 2nd Libyan Division (6,000 Libyans)
Point 90 - Part of 1st Libyan Division (1,000 Libyans)
Nibweia - Maletti Group (2,500 Libyans)
Sofafi - Part of 63rd Division (3,000 Italians)
Rabia - Part of 63rd Division (7,000 Italians)
Along coast from Sidi Barrani to Buq Buq - Blackshirt Division (10,000 Italians)
Along the Escarpment - Remainder of 63rd Division (10,000 ? Italians)
References:
FORTY, George; "The Desert War"; Sutton Publishing; 2002
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