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==Battle of Bardia==

==Battle of Bardia==

On 3 January 1941, following the reorganisation of his forces (now re-named XIII Corps), O'Connor resumed his offensive. As the British Commonwealth forces advanced, several Italian battalions and brigades were surrounded, cut off and forced to surrender. During the previous days, Royal Air Force Wellington, Bombay and Blenheim bombers dropped over 20,000 pounds of bombs on Tobruk. The Australians captured Bardia on 5 January, capturing 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><ref>"By 1745 hours on 4 January, Italian forces in Bardia had surrendered. The British netted 45,000 prisoners, 462 guns, 117 light, and 13 medium tanks."  Intelligence and Anglo-American Air Support in World War Two: The Western Desert and Tunisia, 1940-43, B. Gladman, p.50, Springer, 2016</ref>(depending on the source) Italians and Libyans, suffering 130 killed and 326 wounded in the process. The Italian armament captured included 400 guns of various kind, 12 serviceable medium tanks, 115 L3/35 tankettes and 708 motor vehicles.

On 3 January 1941, following the reorganisation of his forces (now re-named XIII Corps), O'Connor resumed his offensive. As the British Commonwealth forces advanced, several Italian battalions and brigades were surrounded, cut off and forced to surrender. During the previous days, Royal Air Force Wellington, Bombay and Blenheim bombers dropped over 20,000 pounds of bombs on Tobruk. The Australians captured Bardia on 5 January, capturing 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><ref>"By 1745 hours on 4 January, Italian forces in Bardia had surrendered. The British netted 45,000 prisoners, 462 guns, 117 light, and 13 medium tanks."  Intelligence and Anglo-American Air Support in World War Two: The Western Desert and Tunisia, 1940-43, B. Gladman, p.50, Springer, 2016</ref>(depending on the source) Italians and Libyans, suffering 130 killed and 326 wounded in the process. The Italian armament captured included 126 field guns and 127 tanks.<ref>"The Australians also captured much equipment (including 127 tanks and 216 field guns), but at the cost of 130 Australians killed." Paul Cullen, Citizen and Soldier: The Life and Times of Major-General Paul Cullen AC, CBE, DSO and Bar, ED, FCA, Kevin Baker, p. 56, Rosenberg, 2005</ref>

The assault on Bardia was launched at dawn from the south-western perimeter of the defences by the Australian 6th Infantry Division, supported by the British ''Northumberland Fusiliers'' and the remaining 25 tanks of 7th RTR. The British 7th Armoured Division and supporting Free French Forces were tasked with ensuring that the Bardia garrrison could not escape or receive reinforcements. By nightfall, the Australians had penetrated two miles (3 km) on a nine-mile (14 km) frontage, capturing 8,000 Italians.

The assault on Bardia was launched at dawn from the south-western perimeter of the defences by the Australian 6th Infantry Division, supported by the British ''Northumberland Fusiliers'' and the remaining 25 tanks of 7th RTR. The British 7th Armoured Division and supporting Free French Forces were tasked with ensuring that the Bardia garrrison could not escape or receive reinforcements. By nightfall, the Australians had penetrated two miles (3 km) on a nine-mile (14 km) frontage, capturing 8,000 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. 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.  

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.<ref>"The Australians also captured much equipment (including 127 tanks and 216 field guns), but at the cost of 130 Australians killed." Paul Cullen, Citizen and Soldier: The Life and Times of Major-General Paul Cullen AC, CBE, DSO and Bar, ED, FCA, Kevin Baker, p. 56, Rosenberg, 2005</ref>The Australians suffered 130 killed and 326 wounded.

Among the captured of the Bardia garrison, was Captain Tua Felice, commander of a rifle company from the Cirene Division, who won the Medaglia D'Oro, Italy's highest award for bravery. He had been badly wounded in the fighting and in an effort to save his life, the British transferred him to a Cairo military hospital. (He recovered and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner in British India. Upon his return to Italy in May 1946, he resumed his military career, rretiring with the rank of full colonel.)

Among the captured of the Bardia garrison, was Captain Tua Felice, commander of a rifle company from the Cirene Division, who won the Medaglia D'Oro, Italy's highest award for bravery. He had been badly wounded in the fighting and in an effort to save his life, the British transferred him to a Cairo military hospital. (He recovered and spent the remainder of the war as a prisoner in British India. Upon his return to Italy in May 1946, he resumed his military career, rretiring with the rank of full colonel.)