| − | '''Operation Compass''' was the first major [[World War II]] Allied military operation in the Western Desert Campaign. It resulted in British Commonwealth forces pushing across a great stretch of [[Libya]] and capturing over 100,000<ref>"These initial exchanges were a prelude to the German advance into North Africa, after Wavell's armies put the Italians to flight, captured Tobruk and took 100,000 prisoners." The Silent Service: The Inside Story of the Royal Navy's Submarine Heroes, John Parker, Hachette, 2013</ref>or 130,000 (depending on the source) Italian and Libyan soldiers with very few casualties of their own. | + | '''Operation Compass''' was the first major [[World War II]] Allied military operation in the Western Desert Campaign. It resulted in British Commonwealth forces pushing across a great stretch of [[Libya]] and capturing 100,000<ref>"These initial exchanges were a prelude to the German advance into North Africa, after Wavell's armies put the Italians to flight, captured Tobruk and took 100,000 prisoners." The Silent Service: The Inside Story of the Royal Navy's Submarine Heroes, John Parker, Hachette, 2013</ref>or 130,000 (depending on the source) Italian and Libyan soldiers with very few casualties of their own. |