Operation Compass

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "• At General Wavell’s direction, Compass begins with a two hour artillery bombardment of the Italian camp at Nibeiwa, Egypt.

- The Italian troops are caught by surprise due to O’Connor’s stealthy approach through the desert. Forty-eight Matilda-II tanks of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment attack the 2° Battaglione corazzati which has thirty-five M11/39s and the same number of L3/35 tankettes. The Matildas take numerous hits including from Italian artillery but none penetrate the armour. Troops of 4th Indian Division swarm into the camp after the Matildas. Generale di divisione Pietro Maletti is killed while manning a Cannone 47/32 anti-tank gun during the defense. Twenty three Italian AFVs are destroyed and the rest are captured along with the now leaderless infantry who surrender within five hours of the initial bombardment.

- Along the coast, tanks of the British 4th Armoured Brigade cut off the main road to prevent an Italian withdrawal.

- There is large scale biplane combat as Gladiators and older Gloster Gauntlets duel Fiat CR-32s and CR-42s while bombers from Egypt hit Italian positions and bombers from Malta strike the aerodrome at Tobruk."

 

Fiat CR-42s

 

 

Australian Gladiators making a low pass over No 3 Squadron mobile operation center during Compass

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "• While monitor Terror and gunboat Ladybird return to Alexandria to replenish, gunboat Aphis continues the bombardment of Bardia. By night, Bristol Bombays of No 216 Squadron bomb the fortress. "

 

[cardboard_killer]

80 years ago today, RAF Hurricane Is over Libya.

Edited December 28, 2020 by cardboard_killer

[cardboard_killer]

"

• XIII Corps begins the attack on Bardia. The Italian defensive perimeter consists of a continuous antitank ditch and barbed wire fences in front of 2 lines of “posts” (open concrete pits with 1-2 antitank guns and 2-4 machineguns, 800 yards apart and protected by lines of barbed wire, antitank ditches and sometimes mines). However, the posts can be picked off individually from the rear by a breakthrough. The Australian 6th Division has been rehearsing storming these defenses. Engineers practiced blowing the wire with Bangalore torpedoes and knocking down antitank ditches & stone obstacles while Infantrymen and tankers learned to neutralise the posts and artillery batteries. The troops have considerable tank and artillery support. In addition battleships Valiant, Barham, and Warspite fire 244 15-inch, 270 6-inch and 240 4.5-inch shells at posts, spotted by aircraft from HMS Illustrious. Monitor Terror and gunboats Ladybird & Aphis continue the bombardment, collapsing a cliff with emplaced Italian artillery. Aphis is near-missed by an Italian bomber. The attack goes in against the west and southwest fortress and once through, progress is rapid.

 

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Australian Mk-II Gladiator during the assault on Bardia

 

7.2in howitzer in action.

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "• While Italian artillery at Wadi Derna, Libya continues to pin down Australian 6th Division. British and Australian troops are taken by surprise when Italians counter-attack out of Derna, which is being encircled. Italian tanks backed by 47mm and 20mm guns mounted on lorries drive the Allies back, wrecking an armoured column and taking prisoners. The Regia Aeronautica, which has been on a maintenance stand-down, appears in strength, bombing and strafing the Allied units. The attack covers the successful evacuation of civilians and the bulk of the garrison to Benghazi."

 

Breda Ba-65 ground attack plane undergoing maintenance in Libya

[cardboard_killer]

[80 Years ago today] "• The wildly successful Operation Compass concludes with a halt before El Agheila. Other than patrols, XIII Corps is occupied with mopping up, reorganization, maintenance, and improving logistics for a future advance on Tripoli. "

 

Pilots of No. 3 Squadron RAAF study a map on the tailplane of one of their Gloster Gladiators at their landing ground near Sollum, Egypt, before an operation over Bardia during the closing stages of Operation COMPASS. Left to right: Flying Officers J R Perrin, J McD Davidson (squatting), W S Arthur and P St G Turnbull, Flight Lieutenants G H Steege and A C Rawlinson, Flying Officer V East, (unknown), Squadron Leader I D McLachlan (Commanding Officer) and Flying Officer A H Boyd.

Edited February 8, 2021 by cardboard_killer