Editing Operation Compass (section)

===Battle of Beda Fomm===

{{Main|Battle of Beda Fomm}}

[[File:The British Army in North Africa 1940 E443.2.jpg|thumb|British [[Light Tank Mk VI|Light Tanks Mk VI]] on patrol, 2 August 1940]]
In late January, the British learned that the Italians were retreating along the {{lang|it|Litoranea Balbo}} ({{lang|it|Via Balbia}}) from Benghazi. The 7th Armoured Division was dispatched to intercept the remnants of the 10th Army by moving through the desert, south of the [[Jebel Akhdar, Libya|Jebel Akhdar]] (Green Mountain) via [[Msus]] and [[Antelat]], as the 6th Australian Division pursued the Italians along the coast road, north of the jebel. The terrain slowed the British tanks and Combe Force (Lieutenant-Colonel [[John Frederick Boyce Combe|John Combe]]), a flying column of wheeled vehicles, was sent ahead across the chord of the jebel. Late on 5 February, Combe Force arrived at the {{lang|it|Via Balbia}} south of Benghazi and set up road blocks near Sidi Saleh, about {{cvt|32|km|order=flip}} north of Ajedabia and {{cvt|48|km|order=flip}} south-west of Antelat; the leading elements of the 10th Army arrived thirty minutes later. Next day, the Italians attacked to break through the roadblock and continued to attack into 7 February. With British reinforcements arriving and the Australians pressing down the road from Benghazi, the remnants of the 10th Army surrendered. From Benghazi to Agedabia, the British took {{nowrap|25,000 prisoners,}} captured {{nowrap|107 tanks}} and {{nowrap|93 guns.}}{{sfn|Playfair|1957|pp=351–362}}