Editing Fort Capuzzo (section)

===1941===

On 10 April, after the Axis advance from El Agheila, small British mobile columns began to harass {{lang|de|Afrika Korps}} units around Fort Capuzzo, which was captured by the Germans on 12 April. Attacks by {{lang|de|Kampfgruppe Herf}} from 25 to 26 April, led the British columns to fall back.{{sfn|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Toomer|2004b|pp=36, 168, 204–205}} During [[Operation Brevity]] (15–16 May) an operation to capture the area between Sollum and the fort and inflict casualties, the [[22nd Guards Brigade|22nd Guards Brigade Group]] and the 4th RTR was to capture the fort and then attack northwards. The operation began on 15 May and the fort was captured by the 1st Durham Light Infantry (1st DLI) and a squadron of [[Infantry tank]]s.{{sfn|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Toomer|2004b|pp=159, 160–162}}

A counter-attack by II Battalion, Panzer Regiment 5 (with eight operational tanks) inflicted many losses and forced the 1st DLI back to [[Musaid]]. The German force advanced from Fort Capuzzo on the following afternoon.{{sfn|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Toomer|2004b|pp=159, 160–162}} Three Italian battalions with artillery from the [[102nd Motorized Division "Trento"|102nd Motorised Division "Trento"]] took over the area between Sollum, Musaid and Fort Capuzzo. Late on 15 June, the 7th Royal Tank Regiment (7th RTR) attacked Fort Capuzzo during [[Operation Battleaxe]] (15–17 June) and scattered the defenders. The British tanks broke through but infantry were slow to follow up and the tanks were not able rapidly to exploit the success.{{sfn|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Toomer|2004b|pp=164, 168–170}}

[[File:Defence of Fort Capuzzo by Italian anti-aircraft gunners.jpg|thumb|upright=.75|left|{{center|Defence of Fort Capuzzo by Italian anti-aircraft gunners, 15 June 1941}}]]
Next day, the 22nd Guards Brigade consolidated at the fort and Panzer Regiment 8 attacked near Capuzzo, only to be repulsed by the 4th Armoured Brigade. German attempts to work round the British flank failed but reduced the tank regiments in the area to {{nowrap|21 runners.}} On 17 June, the danger of encirclement increased as German attacks reached Sidi Suleiman and the 22nd Guards Brigade was ordered to retreat at {{nowrap|11:00 a.m.}} The remnants of the armoured brigades covered the British withdrawal, eventually to the start line, assisted by the RAF.{{sfn|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Toomer|2004b|pp=164, 168–170}} On 22 November, the fort was captured by the [[2nd Division (New Zealand)|2nd New Zealand Division]], during [[Operation Crusader]] (18 November – 30 December) which then advanced on Tobruk, apart from the 5th New Zealand Brigade which remained to capture the Sollum barracks.{{sfn|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Gleave|2004c|p=48}}