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The Italian invasion of Egypt () was an offensive in the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, against British, Commonwealth and Free French forces in the Kingdom of Egypt. The invasion by the Italian 10th Army () ended border skirmishing on the frontier and began the Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943) proper. The Italian strategy was to advance from
Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...
along the Egyptian coast to seize the Suez Canal. After numerous delays, the scope of the offensive was reduced to an advance as far as Sidi Barrani and the engagement of any British forces in the area. The 10th Army advanced about into Egypt against British screening forces of the 7th Support Group ( 7th Armoured Division) the main force remaining in the vicinity of Mersa Matruh, the principal British base in the Western Desert. On 16 September 1940, the 10th Army halted and took up defensive positions around the port of Sidi Barrani. British casualties were ten men killed and the Italians suffered 120. The army was to wait in fortified camps, until engineers had built the Via della Vittoria (Victory Road) along the coast, an extension of the Libyan Via Balbia. The Italians began to accumulate supplies for an advance against the 7th Armoured Division and the
4th Indian Division The 4th Indian Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division of the Indian Army. This division of the British Indian Army was formed in Egypt in 1939 during the Second World War. During the Second World War, i ...
at Mersa Matruh, about further on. On 8 December, before the 10th Army was ready to resume its advance on Mersa Matruh, the British began
Operation Compass Operation Compass (also it, Battaglia della Marmarica) was the first large British military operation of the Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943) during the Second World War. British, Empire and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces of ...
, a five-day raid against the fortified Italian camps outside Sidi Barrani. The raid succeeded and the few units of the 10th Army in Egypt that were not destroyed were forced into a hurried retreat. The British pursued the remnants of the 10th Army along the coast to
Sollum Sallum ( ar, السلوم, translit=as-Sallūm various transliterations include ''El Salloum'', ''As Sallum'' or ''Sollum'') is a harbourside village or town in Egypt. It is along the Egypt/Libyan short north–south aligned coast of the Mediterra ...
and across the border to Bardia,
Tobruk Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near ...
, Derna, Mechili, Beda Fomm and El Agheila on the Gulf of Sirte. The British suffered casualties of killed and wounded during Compass and took and Libyan prisoners, over and many
aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or by using the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in ...
.


Background


Libya

Cyrenaica, the eastern province of
Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...
, had been an Italian colony since the Italo-Turkish War (1911–1912), although resistance continued until 1932. With
Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...
, a part of
French North Africa French North Africa (french: Afrique du Nord française, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is the term often applied to the territories controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. I ...
to the west and
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
to the east, the Italians had to defend both frontiers and established a North Africa Supreme Headquarters, under the command of the Governor-General of Italian Libya, Marshal of the Air Force Italo Balbo. Supreme Headquarters had the 5th Army (
General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...
Italo Gariboldi Italo Gariboldi (20 April 1879 – 3 February 1970) was an Italian senior officer in the Royal Army (''Regio Esercito'') before and during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross by German dictator Adolf Hitler for hi ...
) in the west and the 10th Army ( Lieutenant-General
Mario Berti Mario Berti (3 February 1881 – 1964) was an Italian officer during World War I and a general in the Spanish Civil War and World War II.Macksey, p. 35 Personal life Mario Berti was born in La Spezia, which is located in modern-day Liguria. ...
) in the east, which in mid-1940 had nine metropolitan divisions with an establishment of about each, three (Blackshirt) divisions and two Italian Libyan colonial divisions with an establishment of each. Reservists had been recalled in 1939, along with the usual call-up of new conscripts.


Egypt

The British had based military forces in Egypt since 1882 but these were greatly reduced by the terms of the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936. The small British and Commonwealth force garrisoned the Suez Canal and the Red Sea route, which was vital to British communications with its Far Eastern and Indian Ocean territories. Ruled indirectly by the British, Egypt was neutral during the war. In mid-1939, Lieutenant-General Archibald Wavell was appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the new
Middle East Command Middle East Command, later Middle East Land Forces, was a British Army Command established prior to the Second World War in Egypt. Its primary role was to command British land forces and co-ordinate with the relevant naval and air commands to ...
, over the Mediterranean and Middle East theatres. Until the Franco-Axis armistice, French divisions in Tunisia faced the Italians on the western Libyan border forcing the garrison to divide and face both ways. In Libya, the Royal Italian Army had about and in Egypt the British had about with another training in Palestine. British forces included the Mobile Division (Egypt) commanded by Major-General Percy Hobart, one of two British armoured training formations, which in mid-1939 was renamed the Armoured Division (Egypt) and on 16 February 1940, it became the 7th Armoured Division. The Egyptian–Libyan border was defended by the Egyptian Frontier Force and in June 1940, the headquarters of the
6th Infantry Division 6th Division may refer to: Infantry divisions *6th Division (Australia) * 6th Division (Austria) * 6th (United Kingdom) Division * Finnish 6th Division (Winter War) *Finnish 6th Division (Continuation War) * 6th Division (Reichswehr) *6th Divisio ...
(Major-General Richard O'Connor) took over command in the Western Desert, with instructions to drive back the Italians from their frontier posts and dominate the
hinterland Hinterland is a German word meaning "the land behind" (a city, a port, or similar). Its use in English was first documented by the geographer George Chisholm in his ''Handbook of Commercial Geography'' (1888). Originally the term was associate ...
, if war began. The 7th Armoured Division, less the 7th Armoured Brigade, assembled at Mersa Matruh and sent the 7th Support Group forward towards the frontier as a covering force. The RAF also moved most of its bombers closer to the frontier and Malta was reinforced to threaten the Italian supply route to Libya. The HQ of the 6th Infantry Division, still lacking complete and fully trained units, was renamed the Western Desert Force on 17 June. In Tunisia, the French had eight divisions, capable only of limited operations and in Syria were three poorly armed and trained divisions, with about and border guards, were on occupation duties against the civilian population. Italian land and air forces in Libya greatly outnumbered the British in Egypt but suffered from poor morale and were handicapped by some inferior equipment. In Italian East Africa were another and East African troops with tanks and Italy declared war from 11 June 1940.


Terrain

The Western Desert is about long, from Mersa Matruh in Egypt, west to Gazala on the Libyan coast, along the Via Balbia, the only paved road. The
Sand Sea An erg (also sand sea or dune sea, or sand sheet if it lacks dunes) is a broad, flat area of desert covered with wind-swept sand with little or no vegetative cover. The word is derived from the Arabic word ''ʿarq'' (), meaning "dune field". St ...
, inland, marks the southern limit of the desert at its widest at Giarabub and Siwa; in British parlance, Western Desert came to include eastern Cyrenaica in Libya. From the coast, extending into the hinterland lies a raised, flat plain of stony desert about above sea level, that runs in depth until the Sand Sea. The region is inhabited by a small number of
Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu (; , singular ) are nomadic Arabs, Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The Bedouin originated in the Syrian Desert ...
nomads and local wildlife consists of scorpions, vipers and flies. Bedouin tracks link wells () and the easier traversed ground; desert navigation is by sun, star, compass and "desert sense", good perception of the environment gained by experience. (When the Italian invasion of Egypt began in September 1940, the
Maletti Group The Maletti Group ( it, Raggruppamento Maletti) was an mechanised unit formed by the Italian Royal Army () in Italian North Africa (, ASI), during the initial stages of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The Italian army ...
, _Major-General_Pietro_Maletti.html" ;"title="Pietro_Maletti.html" ;"title=" Major-General Pietro Maletti"> Major-General Pietro Maletti">Pietro_Maletti.html" ;"title=" Major-General Pietro Maletti"> Major-General Pietro Maletti lacking experience of desert conditions, got lost leaving Sidi Omar, disappeared and had to be found by reconnaissance aircraft.) In spring and summer, days are miserably hot and nights very cold. The ( or ), a hot desert wind, blows clouds of fine sand, reducing visibility to a few yards and coating eyes, lungs, machinery, food and equipment. Motor vehicles and aircraft need special oil and air filters and the barren ground means that water and food as well as military stores, have to be transported from outside.


Italian Army

In 1936, General Alberto Pariani had been appointed Chief of Staff of the Italian Army and began a reorganisation of divisions to fight ''wars of rapid decision'', according to thinking that speed, mobility and new technology could revolutionise military operations. In 1937, traditional three-regiment tertiary divisions began to change to two-regiment binary divisions, as part of a ten-year plan to reorganise the standing army into twelve mountain, three motorised and three armoured divisions. The effect of the change was to increase the administrative overhead of the army with no corresponding increase in effectiveness; new technology such as tanks, motor vehicles and wireless communications were slow to arrive and were inferior to those of potential enemies. The dilution of the officer class to find extra unit staffs was made worse by the politicisation of the army and the addition of Blackshirt Militia. The reforms also promoted the tactics of frontal assault to the exclusion of other theories of war, dropping the emphasis on fast, mobile warfare backed by artillery. By September 1939, sixteen divisions of the 67 in the Italian Army (excluding the garrison of Ethiopia) had been converted to binary divisions and had received their establishment of arms and equipment. The remaining divisions had obsolete equipment, no stock of replacements and lacked artillery, tanks, anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns and transport. Morale was considered to be high and the army had recent experience of military operations. The Italian navy had prospered under the Fascist regime, which had paid for fast, well-built and well-armed ships and a large submarine fleet but the navy lacked experience and training. The air force had been ready for war in 1936 but had stagnated and was not considered by the British to be capable of maintaining a high rate of operations. The 5th Army () in Tripolitania, the western half of Libya opposite Tunisia, had eight divisions; the 10th Army with six infantry divisions garrisoned the province Cyrenaica in the east. At the end of June, after the Fall of France, four divisions were transferred from the 5th Army to the 10th Army. When Italy declared war on 11 June, the 10th Army comprised the 1st Libyan Division on the frontier from Giarabub to Sidi Omar and (XXI Corps, Lieutenant-General
Lorenzo Dalmazzo Lorenzo "Renzo" Dalmazzo was an Italian lieutenant general and corps and army commander during World War II. Military career On 3 June 1918, he received the Knight's Military Order of Italy (5th Class). He served in the colony of Italian Somali ...
) from Sidi Omar to the coast, Bardia and Tobruk. (XX Corps, Lieutenant-General () was moved south-west of Tobruk, as a counter-attack force. Before the war, Balbo expressed his doubts to Mussolini and demanding more equipment including tankers, more medium tanks and anti-tank guns, which the Italian economy could not produce or the army transfer from elsewhere. In Rome, Badoglio, the chief-of-staff, fobbed him off with promises, "When you have the seventy medium tanks you will dominate the situation", as Balbo prepared to invade Egypt on 15 July. After Balbo was killed in an accident,
Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in ...
replaced him with Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, with orders to attack Egypt by 8 August. Graziani replied that the 10th Army was not properly equipped and that an attack could not possibly succeed; Mussolini ordered him to attack anyway.


Prelude


10th Army

The ten divisions of the 10th Army (Lieutenant-General Mario Berti) comprised the (XX Corps), (XXI Corps), (XXII Corps, Lieutenant-General) Enrico Mannella), (XXIII Corps, Lieutenant-General Annibale Bergonzoli). The army comprised metropolitan infantry divisions,
Blackshirt The Voluntary Militia for National Security ( it, Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale, MVSN), commonly called the Blackshirts ( it, Camicie Nere, CCNN, singular: ) or (singular: ), was originally the paramilitary wing of the Nation ...
( C.NN. infantry divisions and Libyan colonial divisions. XXIII Corps, with the metropolitan divisions "Cirene" and "Marmarica", the Blackshirt Division "23rd Marzo", the 1st and 2nd Libyan divisions (Lieutenant-General
Sebastiano Gallina Sebastiano Gallina (Cortemilia, 5 October 1873 – Orbassano, 9 January 1945) was an Italian general who served in the Italo-Turkish War, World War I, the Pacification of Libya, the Second Italo-Ethiopian War and World War II. Having spe ...
) and the Maletti Group was to conduct the invasion. Bergonzoli had about first to move the "Cirene" and "Marmarica" divisions, followed by the "23rd Marzo". The Libyan divisions had enough to move equipment, weapons and supplies but the infantry would have to walk; the Maletti Group had enough to move its troops. The Maletti Group comprised three battalions of Libyan infantry, additional artillery, much of the Italian armoured vehicle element in Libya and almost all of the M11/39 medium tanks. XXI Corps, with the Sirte and "28th Ottobre" divisions formed a reserve and XXII Corps with the "Catanzaro" and "3rd Gennaio" divisions were left at Tobruk because of the transport shortage.


5

Operational commands of the ( Royal Italian Air Force) were called , or the of an area. The 10th Army was supported by 5, with 5 had four bomber wings, a fighter wing, three fighter groups, two reconnaissance groups and two squadrons of colonial reconnaissance aircraft comprising 110
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 ''Sparviero'' (Italian for sparrowhawk) was a three-engined Italian medium bomber developed and manufactured by aviation company Savoia-Marchetti. It may be the best-known Italian aeroplane of the Second World War. ...
bombers, fifty
Breda Ba.65 The Breda Ba.65 was an Italian all-metal single-engine, low-wing monoplane used by '' Aviazione Legionaria'' during the Spanish Civil War and ''Regia Aeronautica'' in the first half of World War II. It was the only Italian ground-attack aircra ...
ground attack aircraft, 170
Fiat CR.42 The Fiat CR.42 ''Falco'' ("Falcon", plural: ''Falchi'') is a single-seat sesquiplane fighter developed and produced by Italian aircraft manufacturer Fiat Aviazione. It served primarily in the Italian in the 1930s and during the Second World Wa ...
fighters and six IMAM Ro.37,
Caproni Ca.309 The Caproni Ca.309 ''Ghibli'' was an Italian aircraft used in World War II. Its nickname 'Ghibli' refers to a desert wind that later served as the inspiration for animation Studio Ghibli's name. Development The Caproni Ca.309 was designed by ...
and Caproni Ca.310bis long-range reconnaissance aircraft. On 9 September, another sixty-four bombers, seventy-five ground-attack aircraft and fifteen reconnaissance aircraft arrived from Italy. 5 was organised to follow and support the army in the field as a self-contained unit.


Berti could expect little support from the
Royal Italian Navy The ''Regia Marina'' (; ) was the navy of the Kingdom of Italy (''Regno d'Italia'') from 1861 to 1946. In 1946, with the birth of the Italian Republic (''Repubblica Italiana''), the ''Regia Marina'' changed its name to ''Marina Militare'' ("M ...
(), because ten submarines had been lost since Italy declared war, the fleet was too important to risk and was short of fuel.


Italian plans

Three times, deadlines were set for an Italian invasion and cancelled; the first plan was intended to coincide with an expected German invasion of England on 15 July 1940. Balbo took all the trucks from the 5th Army and the M11/39 medium tanks being delivered from Italy, to reinforce the 10th Army for a crossing of the frontier wire and an occupation of Sollum as soon as war was declared. After a British counter-attack was repulsed and the Italian armies were replenished, the advance would continue. Although this plan was based on a realistic appreciation of what the Italian armies in Libya could achieve, it fell through when the invasion of England was cancelled. The second plan, for 22 August, was for a limited advance to Sollum and Shawni el Aujerin to the east, with three columns moving on three lines of advance. Once Sollum had been occupied, an advance on Sidi Barrani would be considered, an example of advance-in-mass, used on the northern front in the Ethiopian War. The Italian non-motorized infantry divisions were to use the only road but the summer heat in August, which would have affected them most, led to another postponement. The third plan was for an invasion on 9 September with Sidi Barrani as the objective, which Graziani disclosed to his staff six days before Mussolini ordered the invasion. The non-motorised, metropolitan divisions would advance along the coast and attack through Halfaya Pass, occupy Sollum and continue to Sidi Barrani. A southern column of the Libyan divisions and the Maletti Group was to advance along the Dayr al Hamra–Bir ar Rabiyah–Bir Enba track, to outflank the British on the escarpment. The Maletti Group was to drive south and east through the desert but the Italian staff failed to provide proper maps and navigation equipment; when moving to its assembly and jumping-off points, the group got lost and XXIII Corps Headquarters had to send aircraft to help lead the group into position; the Libyan divisions arriving late at the rendezvous near Fort Capuzzo. The embarrassment of the Maletti Group added to doubts about the lack of lorries, transport aircraft and British domination of the terrain, which led to another change of plan. The fourth plan was set for 13 September, with Sidi Barrani and the area to the south as the objective. The 10th Army, with only five divisions, due to the shortage of transport and the tanks of the Maletti Group, would advance in mass down the coast road, occupy Sollum and advance through Buq Buq to Sidi Barrani. The 10th Army was to consolidate at Sidi Barrani and bring up supplies, destroy a British counter-attack and resume the advance to Matruh. The non-motorized infantry divisions were to use the coast road because they would be ineffective anywhere else. A similar operation had been conducted on the northern front in Ethiopia but went against mobile warfare theory, for which there were ample forces to execute. Graziani believed the only way to defeat the British was by mass, having overestimated their strength.


Western Desert Force

Against an estimated troops based in Libya and about in
Italian East Africa Italian East Africa ( it, Africa Orientale Italiana, AOI) was an Italian colony in the Horn of Africa. It was formed in 1936 through the merger of Italian Somalia, Italian Eritrea, and the newly occupied Ethiopian Empire, conquered in the S ...
, Wavell had a ration strength of about in Egypt; fourteen non-brigaded battalions of British infantry; the 2nd New Zealand Division (Major-General Bernard Freyberg) with one infantry brigade, an understrength cavalry regiment, a machine gun battalion and a field artillery regiment. The
4th Indian Infantry Division The 4th Indian Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division of the Indian Army. This division of the British Indian Army was formed in Egypt in 1939 during the Second World War. During the Second World W ...
(Major-General
Noel Beresford-Peirse Lieutenant-General Sir Noel Monson de la Poer Beresford-Peirse KBE, CB, DSO (22 December 1887 – 14 January 1953) was a British Army officer. Family background Beresford-Peirse was the son of Colonel William John de la Poer Beresford-Pei ...
) had two infantry brigades and some artillery, the 7th Armoured Division (Major-General Sir Michael Creagh) had two armoured brigades with two armoured regiments each instead of three. The 7th Support Group, with three motorised infantry battalions, artillery, engineers and machine-gunners, was to harass the Italians and to fight delaying actions between the border and Matruh if attacked but to retain the capacity to engage the main Italian force. At Matruh an infantry force would await the Italian attack, while from the escarpment on the desert flank the bulk of the 7th Armoured Division, would be ready to counter-attack. The covering force was to exaggerate its size and the 7th Support Group was to use its mobility to cover the desert flank, while along the coast road, the 3rd Coldstream Guards, a company of the 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) and a company of Free French Motor Marines, with supporting artillery and machine-gunners, would fall back in stages, demolishing the road as they retired. At the end of May 1940, the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
in the
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
had including Bristol Bombay medium bombers and modern
Blenheim Blenheim ( ) is the English name of Blindheim, a village in Bavaria, Germany, which was the site of the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. Almost all places and other things called Blenheim are named directly or indirectly in honour of the battle. Places ...
light bombers, Gloster Gladiator fighters and types. In July, four
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness b ...
fighters arrived but only one could be spared for the Western Desert Force. By the end of July, the Mediterranean Fleet controlled the Eastern Mediterranean and were able to bombard Italian coastal positions and transport supplies along the coast to Matruh and beyond.


Border skirmishes

On 17 June, using the headquarters of the British
6th Infantry Division 6th Division may refer to: Infantry divisions *6th Division (Australia) * 6th Division (Austria) * 6th (United Kingdom) Division * Finnish 6th Division (Winter War) *Finnish 6th Division (Continuation War) * 6th Division (Reichswehr) *6th Divisio ...
, the headquarters of the WDF (Lieutenant-General O'Connor) was formed to control all troops facing the Italians in Cyrenaica, a force of about with aircraft, tanks and guns. O'Connor was to organise aggressive patrolling along the frontier and set out to dominate no-man's land by creating "
jock column During the Second World War, Jock columns were small combined arms groups of armoured cars, artillery and motorised infantry, generally drawn from the British 7th Armoured Division. They were used in the Western Desert Campaign by the British Ar ...
s", mobile combined-arms formations based on units of 7th Armoured Division. These small, well-trained, regular forces made the first attacks on Italian convoys and fortified positions across the border. British patrols closed up to the frontier wire on 11 June, with orders to dominate the area, harass the garrisons of the frontier forts and lay ambushes along the Via Balbia and inland tracks. Some Italian troops were unaware that war had been declared and seventy were captured on the track to Sidi Omar. Patrols ranged north to the coast road between Bardia and Tobruk, west to Bir el Gubi and south to Giarabub. Within a week, the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) had seized
Fort Capuzzo Fort Capuzzo it, (Ridotta Capuzzo) was a fort in the colony of Italian Libya, near the Libyan-Egyptian border, next to the Italian Frontier Wire. The '' Litoranea Balbo'' ran south from Bardia to Fort Capuzzo, inland, west of Sollum, then e ...
and at an ambush east of Bardia, captured the 10th Army Engineer-in-Chief,
Brigadier-General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...
Romolo Lastrucci. Italian reinforcements arrived at the frontier, began to conduct reconnaissance patrols, improved the frontier defences and recaptured Fort Capuzzo. On 13 August, the British raids were stopped to conserve the serviceability of vehicles; the 7th Support Group took over to observe the wire for from Sollum to Fort Maddalena, ready to fight delaying actions if the Italians invaded Egypt.


E


9–10 September

The (XXIII Corps) was to lead the 10th Army attack to Sidi Barrani in Egypt along the coast road with non-motorised and motorised formations. The corps had been given more lorries; the 62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica" and
63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" The 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" ( it, 63ª Divisione di fanteria "Cirene") was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The division was formed on 1 October 1937 in Benghazi in Italian Libya and named for the nearby ...
were part-motorised, the 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo" was motorised, as were the Maletti Group and the 1st Tank Group (). The part-motorised infantry divisions would move by shuttling forward and the non-motorized infantry would have to march the to Sidi Barrani. Bergonzoli wanted the 1st Tank Group as an advanced guard, two motorised infantry divisions in line and one motorised division in reserve. The two Libyan non-motorised infantry divisions would have to move on foot, with the Maletti Group bringing up the rear. The 1st Tank Group was held back in reserve, except for the LXII Tank Battalion "L" attached to the 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" and the LXIII Tank Battalion "L", which was attached to the 62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica". The 2nd Tank Group stayed at Bardia except for the IX Tank Battalion "L" attached to the 2nd Libyan Division. The II Tank Battalion "M" was with the Maletti Group, which had three fully-motorised Libyan infantry battalions. On 9 September, the activity of the Royal Italian Air Force increased and bombers from 55 Squadron, 113 Squadron and 211 Squadron RAF retaliated with attacks on Italian airfields, transport, supply dumps and a raid on Tobruk by Later in the day, fighters made a sweep over Buq Buq and the RAF flew more sorties against Italian airfields. British air reconnaissance revealed much ground movement at Bardia, Sidi Azeiz, Gabr Saleh and in the direction of Sidi Omar, on the frontier wire, from the west, which was interpreted as the beginning of the Italian invasion. The forward move of the 10th Army showed the limits of Italian mobility and navigation, when the Maletti Group got lost moving up to Sidi Omar. On 10 September, the armoured cars of the 11th Hussars spotted the Maletti Group and a thick mist shielded the British as they shadowed the slow Italian assembly. As the mist cleared, the hussars were attacked by Italian aircraft, tanks and artillery.


13–14 September

On 13 September the 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo" re-took Fort Capuzzo and a bombardment fell on Musaid, just over the Egyptian side of the border, which was then occupied. Artillery-fire and bombing began on Sollum airfield and barracks (which were empty), which raised a dust cloud. When the dust cleared the Italian army could be seen drawn up, ready to advance against the British covering force of the 3rd Coldstream Guards, some field artillery, an extra infantry battalion and a machine-gun company. The Italians advanced along the coast with two divisions leading, behind a screen of motorcyclists, tanks, motorised infantry and artillery. The Italian formation made an easy target for artillery and aircraft but the 1st Libyan Division soon occupied Sollum barracks and began to move down the escarpment to the port. On the inland plateau, an Italian advance towards Halfaya Pass was opposed by a covering force of a 3rd Coldstream company, a Northumberland Fusilier platoon and some artillery, which began to withdraw in the afternoon, as more Italian infantry and tanks arrived. During the evening, two columns of the 2nd Libyan Division, the 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" and the Maletti Group from Musaid and the 62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica" from Sidi Omar, converged on the pass. Next day, the Italian units on the escarpment began to descend through the pass, towards the Italian force advancing along the road from Sollum. A squadron of the 11th Hussars, the 2nd Rifle Brigade and cruiser tanks of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment (1st RTR) harassed the Italian force on the escarpment. Just after noon, the British troops on the coast retreated to Buq Buq and met reinforcements from the 11th Hussars and a motorised company of (French marines), which was enough to maintain contact with the Italians. The British withdrew to Alam Hamid on 15 September and Alam el Dab on 16 September, trying to inflict maximum losses without being pinned down and destroying the coast road as they went, damage which was made worse by the amount of Italian traffic.


16 September

The uncommitted part of the 1st Tank Group followed the 1st Libyan Division and the 2nd Libyan Division towards Bir Thidan el Khadim. At Alam el Dab near Sidi Barrani, about fifty Italian tanks, motorised infantry and artillery tried an outflanking move, which forced the Coldstream Guards to retreat. The armoured group was engaged by British field artillery and made no further move but by dark the 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo" had occupied Sidi Barrani. Above the escarpment, the British covering forces fell back parallel to those on the coast road and the threat from the desert flank did not materialise. British aircraft flew many reconnaissance and bombing sorties and 5 made sweeps with up to and bombers on British forward airfields and defensive positions. The British anticipated that the Italian advance would stop at Sidi Barrani and Sofafi and began to observe the positions with the 11th Hussars, as the 7th Support Group withdrew to rest and the 7th Armoured Division prepared to confront an advance on Matruh. Italian radio broadcasts about the invasion suggested that the advance would continue from Sidi Barrani but it soon appeared that the Italians were digging-in on an arc to the south and south-west at Maktila, Tummar (east), Tummar (west), Nibeiwa and on top of the escarpment at Sofafi as divisions further back occupied Buq Buq, Sidi Omar and Halfaya Pass.


Aftermath


Analysis

The 10th Army advanced about a day to enable the non-motorised units to keep up and at Sidi Barrani, built fortified camps. No bold mechanised strokes or flanking movements had been made by the armoured units, had guarded the infantry instead and the 10th Army suffered fewer than during the advance. The Maletti Group, the 1st Tank Group and the 1st CC.NN. Division "23rd Marzo" had failed to operate according to Italian armoured warfare theory. Lack of preparation, training and organisation had led to blunders in assembling and directing the Maletti Group and over-caution with the other tank battalions of 1st Tank Group. The rushed motorisation of the 1st CC.NN. Division "23rd Marzo", which had not been trained as a motorised division, disorganised the relationship between drivers and infantry. The advance reached Sidi Barrani with modest losses but failed to do much damage to the British. On 21 September, there were sixty-eight Fiat M.11/39 tanks left of the seventy-two sent to Libya. The 1st Medium Tank Battalion had nine serviceable and twenty-three unserviceable tanks and the 2nd Medium Tank Battalion had twenty-eight operational and eight non-operational tanks. Italian medium tank strength was expected to increase when deliveries of the new Fiat M13/40, which had a powerful
Cannone da 47/32 M35 The Cannone da 47/32 mod. 1935 was an Italian artillery piece that saw service during World War II. It was originally designed by Austrian firm Böhler, and produced in Italy under license. The ''Cannone da 47/32'' was used both as an infantry ...
gun, began. The II Medium Tank Battalion, with thirty-seven M13/40 tanks, arrived in Libya in early October, followed by the V Medium Tank Battalion with forty-six M13/40 tanks on 12 December. In mid-November the Italians had and light tanks in Libya and Egypt. Wavell wrote, Repair works began on the coast road, renamed {{{lang, it, Via della Vittoria from Bardia and construction of a water pipe begun, which were not expected to be ready before mid-December, after which the advance would be resumed as far as Matruh.{{sfn, Playfair, 1959, p=211 Mussolini wrote on 26 October {{quote, Forty days after the capture of Sidi Barrani I ask myself the question, to whom has this long halt been any use—to us or to the enemy? I do not hesitate to answer, it has been of much use, indeed, more to the enemy…. It is time to ask whether you feel you wish to continue to command.{{sfn, Macksey, 1971, p=47 and two days later, on 28 October, the Italians invaded Greece, beginning the
Greco-Italian War The Greco-Italian War (Greek language, Greek: Ελληνοϊταλικός Πόλεμος, ''Ellinoïtalikós Pólemos''), also called the Italo-Greek War, Italian Campaign in Greece, and the War of '40 in Greece, took place between the kingdom ...
. Graziani was allowed to continue planning at a leisurely pace and an Italian advance to Matruh was scheduled for mid-December.{{sfn, Macksey, 1971, p=47


Casualties

In 1971, Kenneth Macksey wrote that the 10th Army suffered {{nowrap, 530 casualties, {{nowrap, 120 killed and {{nowrap, 410 wounded against a British loss of "but forty men...and little equipment".{{sfn, Macksey, 1971, p=41 In 1993, Harold Raugh wrote of about {{nowrap, 2,000 Italian casualties against less than fifty British.{{sfn, Raugh, 1993, p=85 In 1995, the writers of the informal German official history, Germany and the Second World War, noted that equipment losses for both sides had not been accurately tabulated.{{sfn, Schreiber, 2015a, p=276 In 1997, Giorgio Bocca wrote that the Western Desert Force suffered casualties of forty men killed, ten tanks, eleven armoured cars and four lorries destroyed.{{sfn, Bocca, 1997, p=16 In his 1999 MA thesis, Howard Christie wrote that from 9 to 16 September, the 10th Army suffered casualties of {{nowrap, 120 men killed and {{nowrap, 410 wounded. Several tanks and lorries broke down and six aircraft were lost, two to accidents.{{sfn, Christie, 1999, p=55


Subsequent operations

On 17 September, the Mediterranean Fleet began to harass Italian communications and Benghazi harbour was mined. A destroyer and two merchant ships were sunk by torpedo and a destroyer hit a mine at Benghazi and sank. RAF Blenheims destroyed three aircraft on the ground at Benina. The road on the escarpment near Sollum was bombarded by a navy gunboat and targets near Sidi Barrani by two destroyers, from which fires and explosions were seen. Captured Italians spoke of damage, casualties and a loss of morale. An attempt to bombard Bardia by the cruiser {{HMS, Kent, 54, 6 and two destroyers was thwarted by Italian torpedo bombers, which hit the stern of ''Kent'' and put it out of action. Bombardments continued during the lull, which led to camps and depots being moved inland. Small British columns on land were set up to work with armoured car patrols, moving close to the Italian camps, gleaning information and dominating the vicinity.{{sfn, Playfair, 1959, pp=211–212


Operation Compass

On 8 December the British began
Operation Compass Operation Compass (also it, Battaglia della Marmarica) was the first large British military operation of the Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943) during the Second World War. British, Empire and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces of ...
, a five-day raid against the fortified Italian camps set up in a defensive line outside Sidi Barrani. Berti was on sick leave and Gariboldi had temporarily taken his place. The raid succeeded and the few units of the 10th Army in Egypt that were not destroyed were forced to withdraw. By 11 December, the British began a counter-offensive and the rest of the 10th Army was swiftly defeated. The British pursued the remnants of the 10th Army to Sollum, Bardia, Tobruk, Derna, Mechili, Beda Fomm and El Agheila on the Gulf of Sirte. The British lost {{nowrap, 1,900 men killed and wounded, about ten per cent of their infantry, in capturing {{nowrap, 133,298 Italian and Libyan prisoners, {{nowrap, 420
tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful ...
s and over {{nowrap, 845 guns and
aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or by using the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in ...
. The British were unable to continue beyond El Agheila, due to broken-down and worn out vehicles and the diversion of the best-equipped units to the Greek Campaign.{{sfn, Playfair, 1959, pp=211, 257–294, 351–366


Orders of Battle 10 June 1940


5th Army

Air Marshal Italo Balbo, Supreme Commander Italian Forces in North Africa. Details taken from Christie (1999) unless specified.{{sfn, Christie, 1999, pp=65, 68–79, 82, 104 * 5th Army (Western Sector Tripolitania, General Italo Gariboldi){{sfn, Greene, Massignani, Blennemann, 1990, p=17 **
X Corps 10th Corps, Tenth Corps, or X Corps may refer to: France * 10th Army Corps (France) * X Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars Germany * X Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * X ...
({{lang, it, Generale di Corpo d'armata ieutenant-General
Alberto Barbieri Alberto Barbieri is an Argentine academic, former rector of the University of Buenos Aires The University of Buenos Aires ( es, Universidad de Buenos Aires, UBA) is a public research university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Established in 1821, ...
from 10 June) ***
25th Infantry Division "Bologna" The 25th Infantry Division "Bologna" ( it, 25ª Divisione di fanteria "Bologna") was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Bologna was named after the city of Bologna and classified as an auto-transportable ...
***
55th Infantry Division "Savona" The 55th Infantry Division "Savona" ( it, 55ª Divisione di fanteria "Savona") was an infantry Division (military), division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. It was formed in April 1939 in Salerno and named after the city of Savona. ...
***
60th Infantry Division "Sabratha" The 60th Infantry Division "Sabratha" ( it, 60ª Divisione di fanteria "Sabratha") was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Sabratha was raised in May 1937, in Gharyan in Italian Libya and named after the n ...
** XX Corps ({{lang, it, Generale di Corpo d'armata Ferdinando Cona) *** 17th Infantry Division "Pavia" *** 27th Infantry Division "Brescia" ***
61st Infantry Division "Sirte" The 61st Infantry Division "Sirte" ( it, 61ª Divisione di fanteria "Sirte") was an infantry Division (military), division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The division was formed on 9 May 1937 in Misrata in Italian Libya and named ...
** XXIII Corps ({{lang, it, Generale di Corpo d'armata Annibale Bergonzoli) *** 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo" *** 2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre" ** 2nd Libyan Division (5th Army reserve)


10th Army

* 10th Army (Eastern Sector, Cyrenaica, General Mario Berti n leave in Italy, Gariboldi deputising ** XXI Corps ({{lang, it, Generale di Corpo d'armata
Lorenzo Dalmazzo Lorenzo "Renzo" Dalmazzo was an Italian lieutenant general and corps and army commander during World War II. Military career On 3 June 1918, he received the Knight's Military Order of Italy (5th Class). He served in the colony of Italian Somali ...
) *** 62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica" ***
63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" The 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" ( it, 63ª Divisione di fanteria "Cirene") was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The division was formed on 1 October 1937 in Benghazi in Italian Libya and named for the nearby ...
** XXII Corps ({{lang, it, Generale di Corpo d'armata Enrico Mannella) ***
64th Infantry Division "Catanzaro" The 64th Infantry Division "Catanzaro" ( it, 64ª Divisione di fanteria "Catanzaro") was an infantry division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The division was activated on 3 June 1940 and named for the Southern Italian city of Cat ...
*** 4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio" ** 1st Libyan Division (10th Army reserve)


{{lang, it, Squadra 5 (June 1940)

On 10 June 1940 there were 363 Italian aircraft in North Africa of which 306 were operational and 57 were trainers; 179 aircraft were unserviceable.{{efn, {{lang, it, Squadra 5 was the air force command responsible for Libya, with its HQ in Tripoli in western Libya,, having superseded {{lang, it, Aeronautica della Libia on 15 July 1940. {{lang, it, Settore Ovest (west) was based at Tripoli and {{lang, it, Settore Est (east) at Tobruk, to simplify the administration of the {{lang, it, Squadra over such great distances.{{sfn, Dunning, 1998, p=11 * Bomber ** 10th Stormo (Wing): 30
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 ''Sparviero'' (Italian for sparrowhawk) was a three-engined Italian medium bomber developed and manufactured by aviation company Savoia-Marchetti. It may be the best-known Italian aeroplane of the Second World War. ...
** 14th Stormo: 12 SM.79, 1
Fiat BR.20 The Fiat BR.20 ''Cicogna'' (Italian: "stork") was a low-wing twin-engine medium bomber that was developed and manufactured by Italian aircraft company Fiat. It holds the distinction of being the first all-metal Italian bomber to enter service;Big ...
** 15th Stormo: 35 SM.79, 8
Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 The Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 ''Pipistrello'' ( Italian: bat) was the first three-engine bomber/transport aircraft serving in the Italian ''Regia Aeronautica''.Angelucci and Matricardi 1978, p. 188. When it appeared in 1935, it represented a real ...
, 3 BR.20 ** 33rd Stormo: 31 SM.79 * Fighter ** 2nd Stormo: 36
Fiat CR.32 The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Designed by the aeronautical engineer Celestino Rosatelli, it was a compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable aircraft for its era, leading to ...
, 25
Fiat CR.42 The Fiat CR.42 ''Falco'' ("Falcon", plural: ''Falchi'') is a single-seat sesquiplane fighter developed and produced by Italian aircraft manufacturer Fiat Aviazione. It served primarily in the Italian in the 1930s and during the Second World Wa ...
** 50th Stormo: 11
Breda Ba.65 The Breda Ba.65 was an Italian all-metal single-engine, low-wing monoplane used by '' Aviazione Legionaria'' during the Spanish Civil War and ''Regia Aeronautica'' in the first half of World War II. It was the only Italian ground-attack aircra ...
(ground attack), 3
IMAM Ro.41 The IMAM Ro.41 was an Italian light biplane fighter aircraft, serving in the Regia Aeronautica in the 1930s-1940s, mainly as a trainer. It was a singular aircraft, being obsolescent as a fighter when it first appeared in 1934, but despite this ...
(reconnaissance), 23 Caproni Ca.310 (light bomber/reconnaissance) ** X Group: 27 Fiat CR.42 * Reconnaissance ** LXIV Group: 8 IMAM Ro.37bis, 5 RO.1bis ** LXXIII Group: 6 RO.37bis, 1 RO.1bis ** 143rd Squadron:
CANT Z.501 The CANT Z.501 ''Gabbiano'' (Italian: '' Gull'') was a high-wing central-hull flying boat, with two outboard floats. It was powered by a single engine installed in the middle of the main-planeAngelucci and Matricardi 1978, p. 186. and had a crew ...
/6 (maritime reconnaissance) * Colonial ** I {{lang, it, Gruppo Aviazione Presidio Coloniale: 18
Caproni Ca.309 The Caproni Ca.309 ''Ghibli'' was an Italian aircraft used in World War II. Its nickname 'Ghibli' refers to a desert wind that later served as the inspiration for animation Studio Ghibli's name. Development The Caproni Ca.309 was designed by ...
, CA.310, RO.37 (light bomber/reconnaissance) ** II {{lang, it, Gruppo Aviazione Presidio Coloniale: 21 CA.309, CA.310 and RO.37 (light bomber/reconnaissance)


Western Desert Force (WDF)

* Commander-in-Chief Middle East, General Sir Archibald Wavell ** Commander Western Desert Force: Lieutenant-General R. N. O'Connor * 7th Armoured Division (Major-General Michael Creagh) ** 4th Armoured Brigade, Mersa Matruh *** 1st Royal Tank Regiment *** 6th Royal Tank Regiment ** 7th Armoured Brigade, Sidi Suleiman *** 7th Hussars *** 8th Hussars ** 7th Support Group (Motorised Infantry Brigade) Sidi Barrani *** 1st K.R.R.C. Battalion *** 2nd Motor Battalion (The Rifle Brigade) *** 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards *** 1st Royal Northumberland Fusiliers *** 3rd Royal Horse Artillery *** F Battery, 4th Royal Horse Artillery *** 11th Hussars (attached to 7th Support Group from 7th Armoured Brigade)


Sidi Barrani

Operations on the Libyan–Egyptian Border * Cairo Infantry Brigade – Garrison for Mersa Matruh


Other Commonwealth Forces in Egypt

* 4th Indian Division (less one infantry brigade) Nile Delta ** 5th Indian Infantry Brigade ** 11th Indian Infantry Brigade ** Divisional Troops * 6th Australian Division (forming, Nile delta) * 2nd New Zealand Division (forming, Nile delta)


Orders of battle, September 1940


10th Army

* 10th Army Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, Supreme Commander of the Italian Forces in North Africa ** XXI Corps (10th Army Reserve, Tobruk) *** 61st Infantry Division "Sirte" *** 2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre" *** LX Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes, from the 60th Infantry Division "Sabratha") ** XXII Corps, {{lang, it, Generale di Divisione (Major-General) Enrico Mannella *** 64th Infantry Division "Catanzaro" *** 4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio" ** XXIII Corps, {{lang, it, Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Lieutenant-General) Annibale Bergonzoli *** 62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica" (part-motorised for the invasion) *** 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" (part-motorised for the invasion) ** Libyan Divisions Group, {{lang, it, Generale di Divisione Giuseppe Gallina *** 1st Libyan Division (non-motorised) *** 2nd Libyan Division (non-motorised) ** 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo" (Reserve, motorised for the invasion of Egypt) * Libyan Tank Command {{lang, it, Comando Carri Armati della Libia, {{lang, it, Generale di Divisione (Major-General) Valentino Babini ** 1st Tank Group *** I Tank Battalion "M" / 4th Tank Infantry Regiment ( M11/39 tanks, reserve to XXIII Corps) *** XXI Tank Battalion "L" ( L3/35 tankettes, from XXI Corps) *** LXII Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes, from the 62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica") *** LXIII Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes, from the 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene") ** 2nd Tank Group *** II Tank Battalion "M" / 4th Tank Infantry Regiment (M11/39 tanks) *** IX Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes, from the 2nd Libyan Division) *** XX Tank Battalion "L" (L3/33 and L3/35 tankettes, from XX Corps) *** LXI Tank Battalion "L" (L3/33 and L3/35 tankettes, from the 61st Infantry Division "Sirte") ** Maletti Group (attached XXIII Corps) *** Mixed Tank Battalion (1 × company from the II Tank Battalion "M" and 1 × company from the LX Tank Battalion "L") *** I Libyan Infantry Battalion *** V Libyan Infantry Battalion *** XIX Libyan Infantry Battalion *** V Tank Battalion "L" (L3/35 tankettes)


{{lang, it, Squadra 5, 1 September 1940

{, class = "wikitable sortable" , +{{lang, it, Squadra 5, 1 September 1940 (Dunning 1998){{sfn, Dunning, 1998, pp=26, 188 , - ! {{lang, it, Gruppo ! {{lang, it, Squadriglie ! Type ! No. ! Duties ! Base/s , - , 1 APC{{efn, {{lang, it, Aviazione Presidio Coloniale (desert reconnaissance and supply){{sfn, Dunning, 1998, p=26 , , 12, 89, 104 , , Ca 309 , , align="center", 21 , , armed
reconnaissance , , Mellaha , - , 7 , , 6. 86, 98 , , Ba 88 , , align="center", 32 , , ground attack , , Derna , - , 8 , , 92, 93, 94 , , CR 42 , , align="center", 11 , , day fighter, escort , , Derna , - , 10 , , 84, 90, 91 , , CR 42 , , align="center", 22 , , day fighter, escort , , Bir el Gobi , - , 12 , , 159, 160 , , Ba 65, CR 32 , , align="center", 7, 10 , , ground attack , , Tobruk T2 , - , 13 , , 77, 78, 82 , , CR 42 , , align="center", 28 , , day fighter , , Berka , - , 16 , , 167, 168 , , CR 32, Ba 65 , , align="center", 10, 5 , , ground attack , , Tobruk T2 , - , 32 , , 57, 58 , , SM 79 , , align="center", 5 , , armed
reconnaissance,
anti-shipping , , Derna , - , 33 , , 59, 60 , , SM 79 , , — , , anti-shipping , , Benina , - , 35 , , 43, 44 , , SM 79 , , — , , day bombing , , Bir el Bhera , - , 36 , , 45, 46 , , SM 79 , , — , , day bombing , , Bir el Bhera , - , 44 , , 6, 7 , , SM 79 , , align="center", 11 , , day bombing , , El Adem , - , 46 , , 20, 21 , , SM 79 , , — , , day bombing , , Benina , - , 47 , , 53, 54 , , SM 81, SM 79 , , — , , day bombing , , Benina , - , 54 , , 218, 219 , , SM 81 , , align="center", 13 , , night bombing , , Ain el Gazala , - , 63 , , 41, 113 , , Ro 37 , , align="center", 16 , , armed
reconnaissance , , (Cirenaica) , - , 64 , , 136 , , Ro 37 , , — , , armed
reconnaissance , , Gambut , - , 145 , , 604, 610 , , SM 74, SM 75 , , align="center", 3, 4 , , transport , , Benghazi , - , 147 , , 601, 602, 603 , , SM 75 , , align="center", 13 , , transport , , Benghazi, Tobruk , - , 148 , , 605, 606 , , SM 73 , , align="center", 7 , , transport , , Benghazi , - , 151 , , 366, 367, 368 , , CR 42 , , align="center", 30 , , day fighter , , Derna,
Ain el Gazala , - , BAS{{efn, {{lang, it, Battaglione Aviazione Sahariana, squadrons which guarded the oases in southern Libya.{{sfn, Dunning, 1998, pp=129–130 , , 99, 26 , , Ca 309 , , align="center", 6, 6 , , armed
reconnaissance , , Hon, Kufra , - , 67 , , 115 , , Ro 37 , , align="center", 10 , , armed
reconnaissance , , (Libya) , - , 73 , , 136, 137 , , Ro 37, Ca 310 , , align="center", 7, 6 , , armed
reconnaissance , , Menastir , - , {{lang, it, Autonomo{{efn, Under {{lang, it, Squadra 5 command.{{sfn, Dunning, 1998, p=13 , , 145 , , Z 501 , , align="center", 6 , , armed
reconnaissance,
convoy escort,
air–sea rescue , , Benghazi , - , {{lang, it, Autonomo , , 175 , , SM 79 , , align="center", 5 , , armed
reconnaissance , , Gambut, T5


Western Desert Force

Commander-in-Chief, Middle East: General Sir Archibald Wavell Commander Western Desert Force: Lieutenant-General R. N. O'Connor * Corps Troops ** 7th Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment (Matildas) ** 1st Royal Horse Artillery ** 104th Royal Horse Artillery ** 51st Field Regiment R.A. ** 7th Medium Regiments R.A. ** 64th Medium Regiments R.A. * 7th Armoured Division ** 4th Armoured Brigade ** 7th Armoured Brigade ** Support Group (Infantry Brigade) ** Divisional Troops * 4th Indian Division ** 5th Indian Infantry Brigade ** 11th Indian Infantry Brigade ** Divisional Troops ** 16th Infantry Brigade (att. 4th Indian Division until 11 December 1940) * 6th Australian Division (from mid-December){{sfn, Playfair, 1959, p=265, 271 ** 16th Australian Infantry Brigade ** 17th Australian Infantry Brigade ** 16th Infantry Brigade (det. 4th Indian Division 11 December) ** Divisional troops ** 7th RTR (det. 7th Armoured Division) * Selby Force (a Brigade Group for the defence of Mersa Matruh){{efn, The Western Desert Force consisted of about {{nowrap, 31,000 soldiers, {{nowrap, 120 guns, {{nowrap, 275 tanks and sixty armoured cars. The Italian 10th Army inside Egypt consisted of {{nowrap, 80,000 troops, {{nowrap, 250 guns and {{nowrap, 125 tanks. The 4th Indian Division was exchanged with the 6th Australian Division for the pursuit after the first part of Operation Compass.{{sfn, Christie, 1999, p=86


See also

*
List of Italian military equipment in World War II The following is a list of equipment used by the Royal Italian Army (''Regio Esercito''), Italian Air Force (''Regia Aeronautica''), and Royal Italian Navy (''Regia Marina'') during World War II. Bayonets Small arms Handguns Rifles ...
*
List of British military equipment of World War II The following is a list of British military equipment of World War II which includes artillery, vehicles and vessels. This also would largely apply to Commonwealth of Nations countries in World War II like Australia, India and South Africa as ...
* List of World War II battles * North African campaign timeline


Notes

{{notelist


Footnotes

{{Reflist, 20em


References

{{refbegin * {{cite book , last=Bocca , first=Giorgio , series=Oscar Storia No. 128 , title=Storia d'Italia nella guerra fascista 1940–1943 , trans-title=History of Italy in the Fascist War , publisher=Laterza , location=Bari , edition=Mondadori, Roma , year=1997 , orig-year=1969 , isbn=978-88-04-42699-8 * {{cite thesis , first=H. R. , last=Christie , title=Fallen Eagles: The Italian 10th Army in the Opening Campaign in the Western Desert, June 1940 – December 1940 , type=MA , year=1999 , publisher=U. S. Army Command and General Staff College , location=Fort Leavenworth, KS , id=DTIC ADA367611 , url=https://archive.org/details/DTIC_ADA367611 , access-date=8 March 2015 , oclc=465212715 , archive-date=12 December 2022 * {{cite book , last=Dunning , first=C. , title=Courage Alone: The Italian Air Force 1940–1943 , year=1998 , publisher=Hikoki , location=Aldershot , isbn=1-902109-02-3 * {{cite book , last1=Greene , first1=J. , last2=Massignani , first2=A. , last3=Blennemann , first3=U. , title=Mare Nostrum: The War in the Mediterranean, being a Study on Aspects of the Italian Army, Navy and Air Forces, with Comments on the German and Allied War Contribution in the Mediterranean & North Africa Fighting in World War II , year=1990 , publisher=Jack Greene , location=Watsonville, CA , edition=2nd online , oclc=26647786 * {{cite book , last=Jackson , first=A. , authorlink=Ashley Jackson (historian) , title=The British Empire and the second World War , year=2006 , publisher=Hambledon Continuum , location=London and New York , isbn=978-1-85285-417-1 * {{cite book , last=Jowett , first=Philip S. , title=The Italian Army 1940–45: Europe 1940–1943 , volume=I , publisher=Osprey , location=Oxford/New York , year=2000 , isbn=978-1-85532-864-8 * {{cite book , last=Lewin , first=Ronald , author-link=Ronald Lewin , year=1998 , orig-year=1968 , title=Rommel As Military Commander , publisher=B&N Books , location=New York , isbn=978-0-7607-0861-3 , url=https://archive.org/details/rommelasmilitary0000lewi , url-access=registration , via=Archive Foundation * {{cite book , last=Luck , first=Hans von , author-link=Hans von Luck , title=Panzer Commander: The Memoirs of Colonel Hans von Luck , year=1989 , location=New York , publisher=Dell (Random House) , isbn=978-0-440-20802-0 * {{cite book , first=Major Kenneth , last=Macksey , author-link=Kenneth Macksey , series=Ballantine's Illustrated History of the Violent Century , id=Battle Book Number 22 , title=Beda Fomm: The Classic Victory , publisher=Ballantine Books , location=New York , year=1971 , isbn=978-0-345-02434-3 * {{cite book , title=Cry Havoc: The Arms Race and the Second World War 1931–1941 , last=Maiolo , first=Joe , year=2010 , publisher=John Murray , location=London , isbn=978-0-7195-6519-9 , url=https://archive.org/details/cryhavocarmsrace0000maio , url-access=registration , via=Archive Foundation * {{cite book , first=Richard , last=Mead , title=Churchill's Lions: A Biographical Guide to the Key British Generals of World War II , year=2007 , publisher=Spellmount , location=Stroud , isbn=978-1-86227-431-0 * {{cite book , last=Mollo , first=Andrew , title=The Armed Forces of World War II , publisher=
HMSO The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) is the body responsible for the operation of His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) and of other public information services of the United Kingdom. The OPSI is part of the National Archives of the Un ...
, year=1981 , location=New York , isbn=978-0-517-54478-5 * {{cite book , last=Pitt , first=B. , title=The Crucible of War: Wavell's Command , volume=I , year=1980 , edition=2001 , publisher=Cassell , location=London , isbn=978-0-304-35950-9 , url=https://archive.org/details/crucibleofwar00pitt , url-access=registration , via=Archive Foundation * {{cite book , ref={{harvid, Playfair, 1959 , first1= I. S. O. , last1=Playfair , author1-link=Ian Stanley Ord Playfair , first2=G. M. S. , last2=Stitt , first3=C. J. C. , last3=Molony , first4=S. E. , last4=Toomer , editor-last=Butler , editor-first=J. R. M. , editor-link=James Ramsay Montagu Butler , series=History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series , title=The Mediterranean and Middle East: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941) , volume=I , publisher=HMSO , year=1959 , orig-year=1954 , others=3rd impression , oclc=888934805 , display-authors=1 * {{cite book , last=Raugh , first=H. E. , title=Wavell in the Middle East, 1939–1941: A Study in Generalship , year=1993 , publisher=Brassey's , location=London , edition=1st , isbn=978-0-08-040983-2 * {{cite book , last1=Schreiber , first1=G. , last2=Stegemann , first2=B. , last3=Vogel , first3=D. , series= Germany and the Second World War , title=The Mediterranean, South-East Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941: From Italy's Declaration of non-Belligerence to the Entry of the United States into the War , volume=III , translator-last1=McMurry , translator-first1=D. S. , translator-last2=Osers , translator-first2=E. , translator-last3=Willmot , translator-first3=L. , editor-last=Falla , editor-first=P. S. , year=2015 , orig-year=1995 , publisher=Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt , location=Freiburg im Breisgau , edition=2nd pbk. trans. Oxford University Press, Oxford , isbn=978-0-19-873832-9 , display-authors=1 ** {{harvc , last=Schreiber , first=G. , c= Part I: Political and Military Developments in the Mediterranean Area, 1939–1940. Chapter 1: "Mussolini's Non-belligerence": 4. The Italian Fighting Forces (a) Equipment and Organisation , year=2015 , in1=Schreiber , in2=Stegemann, in3=Vogel * {{cite book , last1=Schreiber , first1=G. , last2=Stegemann , first2=B. , last3=Vogel , first3=D. , series= Germany and the Second World War , title=The Mediterranean, South-East Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941: From Italy's Declaration of non-Belligerence to the Entry of the United States into the War , volume=III , translator-last1=McMurry , translator-first1=D. S. , translator-last2=Osers , translator-first2=E. , translator-last3=Willmot , translator-first3=L. , editor-last=Falla , editor-first=P. S. , year=2015a , orig-year=1995 , publisher=Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt , location=Freiburg im Breisgau , edition=2nd pbk. trans. Oxford University Press, Oxford , isbn=978-0-19-873832-9 , display-authors=1 ** {{harvc , last=Schreiber , first=G. , c= Part I: Political and Military Developments in the Mediterranean Area, 1939–1940. Chapter 3: The Strategic Dilemma of the summer and autumn of 1940: An Alternative or Interim Strategy (c) The Offensive against Sidi Barrani , year=2015a , in1=Schreiber , in2=Stegemann, in3=Vogel * {{cite book , ref={{harvid, Wavell, 1946 , first=Archibald , last=Wavell , year=1940 , author-link=Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell , title=Despatch on Operations in the Middle East from August, 1939 to November, 1940 , publisher=War Office , location=London {{refend


Further reading

{{refbegin * {{cite book , first=E. , last=Bauer , editor-first=Peter , editor-last=Young , title=The History of World War II , location=New York , publisher=Galahad Books , orig-year=1979 , edition=Orbis: London, rev. , year=2000 , isbn=978-1-85605-552-9 * {{cite book , first=Jeremy , last=Black , author-link=Jeremy Black (historian) , series=Warfare and History , title=World War Two: A Military History , publisher=Routledge , location=London , year=2003 , isbn=978-0-415-30535-8 * {{cite book , first=Winston , last=Churchill , author-link=Winston Churchill , series=The Second World War , title=Their Finest Hour , volume=II , publisher=Houghton Mifflin , location=Boston , year=1986 , orig-year=1949 , isbn=978-0-395-41056-1 * {{cite thesis , last=Dando , first=N. , title=The Impact of Terrain on British Operations and Doctrine in North Africa 1940–1943 , type=PhD , url=https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk//handle/10026.1/3035 , year=2014 , publisher=Plymouth University , access-date=25 March 2015 , oclc=885436735 * {{cite book , first1=Commander G. A. , last1=Titterton , first2=First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Nigel , last2=Essenhigh , first3=David , last3=Brown , series=Naval Staff Histories , title=The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: September 1939 – October 1940 , volume=I , publisher=Frank Cass , year=2002 , orig-year=1952 , isbn=978-0-7146-5179-8 * {{cite book , first=Ian W. , last=Walker , title=Iron Hulls, Iron Hearts: Mussolini's Elite Armoured Divisions in North Africa , year=2003 , publisher=Crowood , location=Marlborough , isbn=978-1-86126-646-0 {{refend


External links

* {{cite web , url=http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/londongazette.html , title=Archibald Wavell's Despatch on Operations in the Middle East From August, 1939 to November, 1940 , work=Supplement to the
London Gazette London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major se ...
, Number 37609, date=June 13, 1946 , access-date=October 31, 2009
The Italian Army in Egypt during World War II
* {{cite magazine , url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,764342,00.html , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080504160229/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,764342,00.html , url-status=dead , archive-date=May 4, 2008 , title=Bush Battles , magazine=
Time Magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Ma ...
, date=12 August 1940 , access-date=July 15, 2009 {{World War II {{portalbar, Egypt, Italy, World War II {{DEFAULTSORT:Italian Invasion Of Egypt Conflicts in 1940 1940 in Egypt North African campaign Egypt in World War II I
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
Battles of World War II involving France Battles and operations of World War II involving India World War II invasions
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...
Invasions of Egypt Egypt–Italy military relations Military history of Italy during World War II