Operation Compass

Operation Compass was the code-name for the British offensive launched against the Italian forces in North Africa during the World War II. Under the command of Major-General Richard O’Connor, the Western Desert Force began Operation Compass on December 8, 1940, against the Italian 10th Army positions in Western Egypt. The main objective of this military operation was to drive the Italians back into Lybia. Commanded by General Italo Gariboldi, they had been on the offensive against the British for several weeks, driving a wedge into British-controlled Egypt, but the Italian invasion had slowly ground to a halt. It was then, when the British Supreme Commander, Archibald Wavell, had ordered the commander British Troops Egypt, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, to devise a limited operation to push the Italians back. Originally, Operation Compass was planned as a five-day raid, but was extended after its initial success.

The British Western Desert Force was composed of the 7th Armored Division and the Indian 4th Division, which was replaced by the Australian 6th Division on December 15, totalling 36,000 troops, 150 artillery pieces, 275 tanks, and 142 aircraft. The Italian 10th Army was consisted of four army corps that amounted to approximately 150,000 soldiers, supported by 400 mechanically-unreliable, lightly-armored tanks.

Preceded by an intense bombing of Italian airfields that destroyed or damaged 29 aircraft on the ground, the Western Desert Force launched the assault against the Italian positions south of Sidi Barrani on December 8, 1940, achieving complete surprise. Supported by artillery, aircraft, and armor, the assault overran the Italian defensive lines within five hours and resulted in the destruction of the Maletti Group and the death of its commander, General Pietro Maletti. During the next three days, the 7th Armored Division and the Indian 4th Division advanced westward, annihilating 237 Italian artillery pieces, 70 tanks, and capturing 38,300 men as they went. Having pushed through Halfaya Pass, they crossed the border and took Fort Capuzzo.

On December 14, 1940, the Australian 6th Division replaced the Indian 4th Division. After heavy fighting, the Australians drove a wedge into Lybia and took Bardia on January 5, 1941. Pushing westward along the coast, they were also able to capture Tobruk on January 22, and Derna on February 3. Because of the Australian offensive, the Italian Supreme Commander, General Rodolfo Graziani made the decision to completely abandon the region of Cyrenaica and ordered the 10th Army to fall back through Beda Fomm. Having heard of the Italian move, O’Connor drafted a new plan to destroy the Italian 10th Army. He let the Australians keep pushing the Italians back along the coast and detached Major General Sir Michael Creagh’s 7th Armored Division with orders to turn inland, cross the desert, and take Beda Fomm before the Italians arrived.

After advancing 50 miles across the desert, the commander of the 7th Armored Division found that the North African rugged terrain was very difficult to cross. Then, he decided to send a smaller force composed of 2,000 men, supported only by light tanks, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Combe. Pushing forward, Combe Force captured Beda Fomm on February 4. Then, Combe proceded to set up defensive positions facing north up the coast, and on February 5, they came under heavy attack. Nevertheless, the Italians repeatedly failed to break through. For two days, Combe’s 2,000 men held off 20,000 Italians supported by 100 tanks. On February 7, 20 Italian tanks temporarily managed to breech the British lines to be defeated by Combe’s field guns later on the day. With the rest of the 7th Armored Division arriving and the Australians pressing from the north, the Italian 10th Army began to surrender to the British.