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That night, the Australian 2nd/7th Battalion's D Company under Captain Halliday attacked the Italian company dug in and around Posts 14, 17 and 19 from which a heavy volume of fire had been laid down. After a fierce fight, during which it sustained some casualties, the Australians cleared the positions, capturing 103 Italians.

That night, the Australian 2nd/7th Battalion's D Company under Captain Halliday attacked the Italian company dug in and around Posts 14, 17 and 19 from which a heavy volume of fire had been laid down. After a fierce fight, during which it sustained some casualties, the Australians cleared the positions, capturing 103 Italians.

The two attacking brigades were now too exhausted or disorganized to continue the advance, and O'Connor brought forward the 19th Brigade to resume the attack in the morning.<ref>"By Jan. 4th, the 17th Brigade was scattered, 16th Brigade exhausted. Mackay sent in his reserve, 19th Brigade, for the coup de grace." [http://www.avalanchepress.com/Graziani4.php Western Desert Force]</ref>In the meantime, the Italians prepared their final effort and at first light several hundred Italians counterattacked, overrunning D Company near Wadi Muatered<ref>""B, C and D Companies attacked Italian posts perched on the far bank of the steep wadi, and all succeeded in forcing an entry. B and C clung to their gains; D was heavily counter-attacked and forced to withdraw into the wadi, which was covered by well-sited machine guns and registered by artillery ... only four returned to the battalion that day." Australian Battalion Commanders in the Second World War, Garth Pratten, Cambridge University Press, 2009</ref>from the 2nd/6th Battalion (under Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Godfrey), and nearly overrnunning another which waited until their attackers were at close range before opening fire.  

The two attacking brigades were now too exhausted or disorganized to continue the advance, and O'Connor brought forward the 19th Brigade to resume the attack in the morning.<ref>"By Jan. 4th, the 17th Brigade was scattered, 16th Brigade exhausted. Mackay sent in his reserve, 19th Brigade, for the coup de grace." [http://www.avalanchepress.com/Graziani4.php Western Desert Force]</ref>In the meantime, the Italians prepared their final effort and at first light several hundred Italians counterattacked, overrunning D Company near Wadi Muatered<ref>""B, C and D Companies attacked Italian posts perched on the far bank of the steep wadi, and all succeeded in forcing an entry. B and C clung to their gains; D was heavily counter-attacked and forced to withdraw into the wadi, which was covered by well-sited machine guns and registered by artillery ... only four returned to the battalion that day. Godfrey was left with two companies marooned and vulnerable across the fire-swept wadi." Australian Battalion Commanders in the Second World War, Garth Pratten, Cambridge University Press, 2009</ref>from the 2nd/6th Battalion (under Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Godfrey), and nearly overrnunning another which waited until their attackers were at close range before opening fire.  

Later that morning, the fresh infantry reinforcements in the form of the 19th Brigade, and supporting tanks, closed in on the town of Bardia. At 13.00 on 5 January, Major-General Iven Giffard Mackay, who commanded the 6th Infantry Division, formally accepted the surrender of the survivors from the reported 25,000<ref>"The report filed by the British journalist Jan Yindrich for the Australian Associated Press on 5 January was headlined SMASH WAY THROUGH MODERN HINDENBURG LINE: FEW CASUALTIES IN CAPTURING 25,000 PRISONERS." The Longest Siege: Tobruk, The Battle That Saved North Africa, Robert Lyman, p. 59, Pan Australia, 2009</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19410106&id=Ju4nAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p2kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4473,5225826&hl=en Bardia Falls to British, 25,000 Fascists Captured, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6 January 1941]</ref>or 45,000<ref>"On 3 January, O'Connor's assault on Bardia was launched with 22 Matildas leading the way as "can-openers." The Italian defence quickly collapsed and by the third day, 45,000 surrendered."  An analytical history of World War II, Volume 1, Edward Norman Peterson, p.276, P. Lang, 1995</ref>(depending on the source) strong garrison that had garrisoned Bardia. The Australians also captured 127 tanks and 216 field guns. The Australians suffered 130 killed and 326 wounded.

Later that morning, the fresh infantry reinforcements in the form of the 19th Brigade, and supporting tanks, closed in on the town of Bardia. At 13.00 on 5 January, Major-General Iven Giffard Mackay, who commanded the 6th Infantry Division, formally accepted the surrender of the survivors from the reported 25,000<ref>"The report filed by the British journalist Jan Yindrich for the Australian Associated Press on 5 January was headlined SMASH WAY THROUGH MODERN HINDENBURG LINE: FEW CASUALTIES IN CAPTURING 25,000 PRISONERS." The Longest Siege: Tobruk, The Battle That Saved North Africa, Robert Lyman, p. 59, Pan Australia, 2009</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19410106&id=Ju4nAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p2kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4473,5225826&hl=en Bardia Falls to British, 25,000 Fascists Captured, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 6 January 1941]</ref>or 45,000<ref>"On 3 January, O'Connor's assault on Bardia was launched with 22 Matildas leading the way as "can-openers." The Italian defence quickly collapsed and by the third day, 45,000 surrendered."  An analytical history of World War II, Volume 1, Edward Norman Peterson, p.276, P. Lang, 1995</ref>(depending on the source) strong garrison that had garrisoned Bardia. The Australians also captured 127 tanks and 216 field guns. The Australians suffered 130 killed and 326 wounded.