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→Battle of Bardia
On crossing the startline the Australian 2nd/1st Battalion soon suffered casualties, losing 4 killed and 10 wounded. Nevertheless, it continued to advance under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Eather while still under fire from mortar crews and artillery batteries. The lead platoons advanced accompanied by engineer parties carrying bangalore torpedoes-12 foot (4m) pipes packed with ammonal-as Italian artillery fire began to land in and around them. Immediately after the torpedoes are fired, the infantry scrambled to their feet and rushed forward while the engineers hurried to break down the anti-tank ditch. The Italian platoons defending Post 49,d 47 46 were rapidly overrun. Within half an hour Post 48 had also surrendered and another Australian company forced the surrender of the platoons tasked with the defence of Posts 45 and 44.
On crossing the startline the Australian 2nd/1st Battalion soon suffered casualties, losing 4 killed and 10 wounded. Nevertheless, it continued to advance under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Eather while still under fire from mortar crews and artillery batteries. The lead platoons advanced accompanied by engineer parties carrying bangalore torpedoes-12 foot (4m) pipes packed with ammonal-as Italian artillery fire began to land in and around them. Immediately after the torpedoes are fired, the infantry scrambled to their feet and rushed forward while the engineers hurried to break down the anti-tank ditch. The Italian platoons defending Post 49,d 47 46 were rapidly overrun. Within half an hour Post 48 had also surrendered and another Australian company forced the surrender of the platoons tasked with the defence of Posts 45 and 44.
The Australian 2nd/5th Battalion from the 17th Brigade, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, now took over the advance and covered 15 miles (24 km) in nine hours, was now moving forward to take the Italian perimeter. The battalion's task was to clear "The Triangle". The sun had now risen, so Captain Smith's company came under effective fire from machine-guns within 700 yards (640 m), and soon the lead company was pinned down suffering several casualties almost immediately. Captain Griffiths called for 3-inch (76 mm) mortars and Vickers machine-guns of the 1st Battalion, ''Northumberland Fusiliers'' ("The Fighting Fifth") to fire at the Italian positions. This proved effective, another company advanced along the Wadi Scemmas, eventually collecting 3,000 prisoners. After Post 24 had been taken, two Matilda tanks arrived and they helped to take Post 22. Here an unfortunate incident occurred. As the prisoners were being rounded up, one shot the company commander dead, then threw down his rifle and climbed out of the pit smiling broadly. He was immediately thrown back and a Bren gun emptied into him. The company second-in-command then had to prevent his soldiers from killing the other prisoners. The incident was witnessed by the Italians at Post 25 some 500 yards (455 m) away who quickly surrendered. Italian fire was still fairly heavy, mainly machine-guns and rifles, and Brigade Major Brock, upon hearing of the losses in the 2nd/5th Battalion (including two officers that had been wounded), sent Captain Savige's rifle Company of the 2nd/7th Battalion to capture "The Triangle". Savige gathered his men and with the help of machine-gun teams attacked the objective, 3,000 yards (2,700 m) away. The company captured several artillery guns, machine-guns and many prisoners on the way, but sustained 50 percent casualties in the process.
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.
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.
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.
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.