Editing Operation Compass (section)

===Border skirmishes===
{{Main|Fort Capuzzo|Frontier Wire (Libya)}}

[[File:WesternDesertBattle Area1941 en.svg|thumb|{{centre|Area of operations December 1940 to February 1941 (enlargeable)}}]]
Italy declared war on Britain and [[French Third Republic|France]] on 10 June 1940. During the next few months there were raids and skirmishes between Italian forces in Libya and British and Commonwealth forces in Egypt. On 12 June 1940, the [[Mediterranean Fleet]] bombarded Tobruk. The force included the cruisers {{HMS|Liverpool|C11|6}} and {{HMS|Gloucester|62|6}} and exchanged fire with the Italian cruiser {{lang|it|[[Italian cruiser San Giorgio|San Giorgio]]}}. Royal Air Force Blenheim bombers from 45, 55 and 211 squadrons, hit {{lang|it|San Giorgio}} with one bomb.{{sfn|Playfair|1957|pp=112–113}} On 19 June, the British submarine {{HMS|Parthian|N75|6}} fired two torpedoes at {{lang|it|San Giorgio}} but missed. The gunners on {{lang|it|San Giorgio}} then supported the local land-based anti-aircraft units and claimed 47 British aircraft shot down or damaged. The naval gunners also shot down a [[Savoia-Marchetti SM.79]] aircraft and killed Italo Balbo, the Governor-General of Libya and Commander-in-chief of Italian forces in North Africa.{{sfn|Hunt|1990|p=21}}