Editing Operation Compass (section)

===Bardia===
{{Main|Battle of Bardia}}

The 6th Australian Division ([[Major General (Australia)|Major General]] [[Iven Mackay]]) attacked the Italian XXIII Corps (Lieutenant-General [{{lang|it|[[Generale di Corpo d'Armata]]}}] [[Annibale Bergonzoli]]) at Bardia from 3 to 5 January 1941, assisted by air support, naval gunfire and artillery. The [[16th Australian Infantry Brigade]] attacked at dawn from the west, where the defences were known to be weak. [[Sapper]]s blew gaps in the [[barbed wire]] with [[Bangalore torpedo]]es, then filled in and broke down the sides of the anti-tank ditch with [[Pickaxe|picks]] and [[shovel]]s. The Australian infantry and 23 [[Matilda II (tank)|Matilda II tanks]] of the 7th RTR, overran the Italian defences and took {{nowrap|8,000 prisoners.}} The [[17th Australian Infantry Brigade]] exploited the breach made in the perimeter and pressed south, as far as a secondary line of defences known as the Switch Line. On the second day, the 16th Australian Infantry Brigade captured Bardia, cutting the fortress in two. Thousands of prisoners were taken and the remnants of the Italian garrison held only the northern and southernmost parts of the fortress. On the third day, the [[19th Australian Infantry Brigade]] advanced south from Bardia, supported by artillery and the remaining six Matilda tanks. The 17th Australian Infantry Brigade attacked and the two brigades reduced the southern sector of the fortress. The Italian garrisons in the north surrendered to the 16th Australian Infantry Brigade and the 7th Support Group outside the fortress; about {{nowrap|25,000 prisoners}} were taken, along with {{nowrap|400 guns,}} {{nowrap|130 light}} and medium tanks and hundreds of motor vehicles.{{sfn|Playfair|1957|pp=282–287}} Italian casualties also included {{nowrap|1,703 killed}} and {{nowrap|3,740 men}} wounded.{{sfn|IOH|1979|p=374}}