# Operation Compass (1940)

URL: https://allhistories.com/libya/timeline/1940-operation-compass
Location: Cyrenaica, Libya
Themes: battle

In September 1940 Marshal Graziani's Tenth Army had advanced about 100 kilometres into Egypt and halted at Sidi Barrani, building a chain of fortified camps. General Archibald Wavell, the British commander in the Middle East, authorised a limited raid by the Western Desert Force under Richard O'Connor, about 36,000 men with modern tanks. Operation Compass began on 9 December 1940 and quickly overran the Italian camps around Sidi Barrani. The offensive was turned into a full-scale pursuit into Libya. Australian and British troops took Bardia on 5 January 1941 with some 40,000 prisoners and captured Tobruk on 22 January with about 25,000 more. Derna fell on 30 January, and the Italians abandoned Benghazi in early February as O'Connor's armour cut across the desert to intercept their retreat. In two months the Western Desert Force advanced 800 kilometres and captured about 130,000 prisoners, around 400 tanks and over 1,200 guns, at a cost of fewer than 2,000 casualties. The collapse of Italian Cyrenaica prompted Hitler to send German forces to Libya, transforming the North African front into one of the main theatres of the war. At this point in the timeline (9 December 1940), the King of Italy (sovereign of Libya) was Victor Emmanuel III (29 July 1900 – 9 May 1946 (sovereign of Libya 1911–1943)); the Governor-General of Italian Libya was Rodolfo Graziani (1 July 1940 – 25 March 1941).

## Why it matters
Compass destroyed the Italian army in Cyrenaica and drew Germany into the North African war.

Ruler at the Time: [Victor Emmanuel III](https://allhistories.com/libya/rulers/victor-emmanuel-iii)

Governor-General of Italian Libya: Rodolfo Graziani

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Operation Compass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Compass)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica — Operation Compass](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Operation+Compass)
- [Wikipedia — Battle of Bardia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bardia)
- [Wikipedia — Italian Libya (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Libya)