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==Battle of the Camps==

==Battle of the Camps==

Following the Italian advance, Wavell ordered the commander British Troops Egypt, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson to plan a limited operation to push the Italians back. Operation Compass was originally planned as a five day raid but was extended after its initial success. On December 8 1940 the Western Desert Force under the command of Major-General Richard O'Connor and comprising British 7th Armoured Division and Indian 4th Infantry Division reinforced by British 16th Infantry Brigade attacked. O'Connor's forces were able to get to the rear of the Italian positions via a gap in the defenses south of Sidi Barrani. A key role in the planning of the operation (and discovery of the gap) is often credited to Brigadier Eric Dorman-Smith.

Following the Italian halt, Wavell ordered the commander British Troops Egypt, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson to plan a limited operation to push the Italians back. Operation Compass was originally planned as a five day raid but was extended after its initial success. On 8 December 1940, the Western Desert Force (under the command of Major-General Richard O'Connor) and comprising the British 7th Armoured Division and Indian 4th Infantry Division reinforced by British 16th Infantry Brigade attacked. O'Connor's forces were able to exploit to the rear of the Italian positions via a gap in the defenses south of Sidi Barrani.  

As a counter-espionage measure, many of the troops involved in Operation Compass were not informed that the operation was not an exercise until they were very nearly engaged in combat. The attack was supported by 25 Pounder artillery, Blenheim bombers, and Matilda Mk.II [[tank]]s.

To keep the raid a secret, many of the British and Indian troops involved in Operation Compass were not informed that the operation was not an exercise until they were very nearly engaged in combat. The attack was supported by British 25 Pounder artillery, Royal Air Force Blenheim bombers, and British Matilda Mk.II [[tank]]s.

The opening stage of Operation Compass was known by the Italians as the "Battle of the Marmarica". The British knew it as the "Battle of the Camps". The "Battle of the Marmarica" name was derived from the name of the coastal plain where the battle was fought. The "Battle of the Camps" name was derived from the individual Italian camps set up in a defensive line outside of Sidi Barrani.

The opening stage of Operation Compass was known by the Italians as the ''"Battle of the Marmarica"''. The British knew it as the ''"Battle of the Camps"''. The "Battle of the Marmarica" name was derived from the name of the coastal plain where the battle was fought. The "Battle of the Camps" name was obtained from the individual camps the Italians set up in a defensive line outside of Sidi Barrani.

The Italian defenses were better suited to a colonial war. Within five hours of the onset of combat, the Italian positions were over run, General Pietro Maletti was dead, and about 4,000 Italian and Libyan soldiers were dead or captured. Over the next few days the British 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades encountered significant resistance and found it extremely difficult to advance. Due praise went to Italian anti-tank and artillery gunners who managed to destroy eighteen British tanks but eventually, 237 artillery pieces, 73 light and medium tanks, and about 38,300 Italian and Libyan soldiers would be destroyed or captured. The Rajputana Rifles had lost 41 officers and 394 men killed and wounded in the attacks and dozens of British tanks had been destroyed or disabled. The British and Indian forces having licked their wounds then moved quickly west along the Via della Vittoria, through Halfaya Pass, and again captured Fort Capuzzo in Libya.

The Italian defenses were better suited to a colonial war. Within five hours of the onset of combat, the Italian positions were overrun, General Pietro Maletti was killed, and about 4,000 Italian and Libyan soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. Over the next few days the British 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades encountered significant resistance and found it extremely difficult to advance. Much praise went to Italian anti-tank and artillery gunners who managed to destroy eighteen British tanks, but eventually 237 artillery pieces, 73 light and medium tanks, and about 20,000 or 38,300 Italian and Libyan soldiers (depending on the source) would be captured. The Rajputana Rifles had lost 41 officers and 394 other ranks killed or wounded in the attacks and dozens of British tanks had been destroyed or disabled. The participating British and Indian forces having paused to recover, then moved quickly west along the Via della Vittoria, through Halfaya Pass, and again captured Fort Capuzzo in Libya.

O'Connor wanted to continue attacking. He wanted to get at least as far as Benghazi. However, on December 11 General Wavell had ordered the Indian 4th Infantry Division to take part in an offensive against Italian forces in Italian East Africa. O'Connor would state, "[This] came as a complete and very unpleasant surprise . . . It put 'paid' to the question of immediate exploitation . . . ". The Australian 6th Division replaced the Indian troops from December 14. The Australians had barely finished training, were missing their armoured regiment, and as yet had only one artillery regiment equipped with the new 25 pounder field guns.

General O'Connor wanted to continue attacking. He wanted to get at least as far as Benghazi. However, on December 11 General Wavell had ordered the Indian 4th Infantry Division to take part in an offensive against Italian forces in Italian East Africa. O'Connor would later write, ''"[This] came as a complete and very unpleasant surprise . . . It put 'paid' to the question of immediate exploitation ... "'' The Australian 6th Division replaced the Indian brigades starting on 14 December. The Australians had just completed their intense training and were lacking their armoured regiment, but had one artillery regiment equipped with new 25 pounder field guns.

US War Correspodent Edward Kennedy reported that the 4th Blackshirt Division fought well in defence of the Maktila positions:{{cquote|With the dawn the British column, made entirely of English and Scottish regiments—started for Sidi Barrani with tanks leading the way ... Two-thirds of a mile south of the town they came under the fire of Italians entrenched on a ridge ... After seven hours of hard fighting, in which the British said the Blackshirts fought well and inflicted considerable casualties, the British drove them back and took the ridge at 2 pm. <ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19401216&id=AvQtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=x9sFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6472,3067063&hl=en British Astonished At Great Italian Supplies, Ottawa Citizen, 16 December 1940]]</ref>}}

US War Correspodent Edward Kennedy reported that the 4th Blackshirt Division fought well in defence of the Maktila positions:{{cquote|With the dawn the British column, made entirely of English and Scottish regiments—started for Sidi Barrani with tanks leading the way ... Two-thirds of a mile south of the town they came under the fire of Italians entrenched on a ridge ... After seven hours of hard fighting, in which the British said the Blackshirts fought well and inflicted considerable casualties, the British drove them back and took the ridge at 2 pm. <ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19401216&id=AvQtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=x9sFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6472,3067063&hl=en British Astonished At Great Italian Supplies, Ottawa Citizen, 16 December 1940]]</ref>}}