Editing Operation Compass (section)

===British plan===

Following the Italian advance, Wavell ordered the commander of British Troops Egypt, Lieutenant-General Sir [[Henry Maitland Wilson]], to plan a limited operation to push the Italians back. Operation Compass, for administrative reasons, was originally planned as a five-day raid but consideration was given to continuing the operation to exploit success.{{sfnm|1a1=Playfair|1y=1957|1p=264|2a1=Mead|2y=2007|2p=331}} On 28 November, Wavell wrote to Wilson that,

{{Blockquote|I do not entertain extravagant hopes of this operation but I do wish to make certain that if a big opportunity occurs we are prepared morally, mentally and administratively to use it to the fullest.{{sfn|Playfair|1957|p=265}}}}

The 7th Support Group was to observe the Italian camps on the escarpment around Sofafi, to prevent the garrisons from interfering, while the rest of the division and 4th Indian Division passed through the Sofafi–Nibeiwa gap. An Indian brigade and Infantry tanks of [[7th Royal Tank Regiment]] (7th RTR) would attack Nibeiwa from the west, as the 7th Armoured Division protected their northern flank. Once Nibeiwa was captured, a second Indian brigade and the 7th RTR would attack the Tummars. Selby Force (3rd Battalion [[Coldstream Guards]] plus some artillery) from the Matruh garrison was to contain the enemy camp at Maktila on the coast and the Royal Navy would bombard Maktila and Sidi Barrani.{{sfn|Playfair|1957|pp=260–261}} Preparations were kept secret and only a few officers knew during the training exercise held from  25 to 26 November, that the objectives marked out near Matruh were replicas of Nibeiwa and Tummar; the troops were also told that a second exercise was to follow and did not know that the operation was real until 7 December, as they arrived at their jumping-off points.{{sfn|Playfair|1957|pp=263, 265}}

Late on 8 December, an Italian reconnaissance aircrew reported that attack on Maktila and Nibeiwa was imminent but Maletti was not informed. On 9 December, the 1st Libyan Division was at Maktila and the 2nd Libyan Division was at Tummar. The Maletti Group was at Nibiewa and the 4th CC.NN. Division "3 Gennaio" and the headquarters of the Libyan Corps were at Sidi Barrani. The 63rd Infantry Division "Cirene" and the headquarters of XXI Corps were at Sofafi and the 64th Infantry Division "Catanzaro" was at Buq Buq. The HQ of XXIII Corps and the 2nd CC.NN. Division "28 Ottobre", were in Sollum and Halfaya Pass respectively and the [[62nd Infantry Division "Marmarica"]] was at Sidi Omar, south of Sollum.{{sfn|Macksey|1972|p=68}} Berti was on sick leave and Gariboldi, the 1st CC.NN. Division "23 Marzo" and the 10th Army Headquarters were far back at Bardia. (By the time Berti arrived in Libya, so had the British.){{sfn|Playfair|1957|p=281}} Operation Compass ({{lang|it|la battaglia della Marmarica}} / Battle of the [[Marmarica]]) began on the night of {{nowrap|7/8 December.}} The WDF, with the [[7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|7th Armoured Division]], [[4th Indian Division]] and the [[16th Infantry Brigade]] advanced {{cvt|113|km|order=flip}} to their start line. The RAF made attacks on Italian airfields and destroyed or damaged {{nowrap|29 aircraft}} on the ground. Selby Force (Brigadier A. R. Selby) with {{nowrap|1,800 men}} (the maximum for whom transport could be found), moved up from Matruh, set up a brigade of dummy tanks in the desert and reached a position south-east of Maktila by dawn on 9 December. Maktila had been bombarded by the [[monitor (warship)|monitor]] {{HMS|Terror|I03|6}} and the [[Insect-class gunboat|gunboat]] {{HMS|Aphis|1915|6}}; Sidi Barrani had been bombarded by the gunboat {{HMS|Ladybird|1916|6}}.{{sfn|Playfair|1957|pp=265–267}}