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==Battle of Bardia==

==Battle of Bardia==

The Italians put in several platoon and company-sized counterattacks in the southern sector. These are repulsed by the 2nd/6th Battalion, which waited until their attackers were at close range before opening fire. Supported by tanks, the Australians closed in on the town of Bardia. At 1130 hours on 4 January, Major-General Iven Giffard Mackay, who commanded the 6th Infantry Division, accepted the surrender of the 25,000 Italian troops that had defended Bardia. <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>

The Australian 2nd/7th Battalion's D Company under Captain Halliday attacked under the cover of darkness 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.

 

Before nightfall on 4 January, the Italian units occupying the whole of the northern sector of the defences had been forced to surrender, and the only remaining enemy resistance was confined to a restricted area in the southern zone of the perimeter defences.

During the night, the two attacking brigades consolidated their positions and O'Connor brought forward the 19th Brigade to resume the advance in the morning. In the meantime, the Bardia commanders prepared their final effort and at first light several hundred Italians counterattacked, nearly overrunning a rifle company from the 2nd/6th Battalion, which waited until their attackers were at close range before opening fire.  

During the night, the two attacking brigades consolidated their positions and O'Connor brought forward the 19th Brigade to resume the advance in the morning. In the meantime, the Bardia commanders prepared their final effort and at first light several hundred Italians counterattacked, nearly overrunning a rifle company from the 2nd/6th Battalion, which waited until their attackers were at close range before opening fire.  

Later that morning, the fresh infantry reinforcements 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 or 40,000 (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 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 40,000 (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.

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.)