Editing Operation Compass (section)

===Sollum, Halfaya and Fort Capuzzo===

{{Main|Fort Capuzzo}}

[[File:Rolls-Royce Armoured Car Bardia 1940.jpg|thumb|left|{{centre|A 1924 [[Rolls-Royce Armoured Car]] with modified turret, in the [[Bardia]] area of the Western Desert, 1940.}}]]
Exploitation continued by the two armoured brigades and the 7th Support Group, with the infantry of 16th Infantry Brigade (which had been detached from the 4th Indian Division) following up. By 15 December, Sollum and the Halfaya Pass had been captured and the British by-passed Italian garrisons further south in the desert. Fort Capuzzo, {{cvt|40|mi}} inland at the end of the frontier wire, was captured {{lang|fr|en passant}} by 7th Armoured Division in December 1940, as it advanced westwards to Bardia. The 7th Armoured Division concentrated south-west of Bardia, waiting for the arrival of 6th Australian Division. By this time the WDF had taken {{nowrap|38,300 prisoners}} and captured {{nowrap|237 guns}} and {{nowrap|73 tanks,}} while suffering casualties of {{nowrap|133 killed,}} {{nowrap|387 wounded}} and eight missing.{{sfn|Playfair|1957|p=273}}