British Offensive
On 9 December 1940, the Western Desert Force (including portions of the Indian 4th Division and the British 7th Armoured Division) launched Operation Compass, a counterattack. The Italians were caught completely off-guard. By 10 December, the British and Indian forces had taken more than 20,000 Italian prisoners. The following day, they attacked Sollum, supported by ships of the Mediterranean Fleet. Sidi Barrani fell on the same day.
To O'Connor's shock, Wavell then replaced the experienced 4th Indian (who were immediately rushed to Port Sudan – see East African Campaign) with the newly arrived Australian 6th Division. The Australians then pressed on to capture Bardia and Tobruk, capturing 67,000 prisoners, over 500 guns, while losing 180 dead. In early February, the Italians were in headlong retreat along the coast, pursued by the Australians.
O'Connor ordered the 7th Armoured to advance overland through Mechili to Beda Fomm and cut off the Italian line of retreat. Major General Michael O'Moore Creagh sent Combe Force—an ad hoc flying column—racing ahead of his tanks. Combe Force reached Beda Fomm just ahead of the Italians, and established a roadblock. After a hard-fought battle on 6 February, the Italians, unable to break through Combe Force's lines and attacked on the flank and rear, surrendered 25,000 men, 200 artillery guns, 100 tanks and 1,500 vehicles.
In this swift campaign, the British captured 130,000 Italians at a cost of 2,000 casualties. All through this period, the Italians believed they were heavily outnumbered, when the reverse was the case. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, paraphrasing Churchill, quipped "Never has so much been surrendered by so many to so few." The remaining Italian forces retreated to El Agheila by 9 February 1941.
During the course of this battle, the Western Desert Force was renamed as XIII Corps.
Read more about this topic: Western Desert Campaign
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