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That same day, concealed soldiers of the BCS ambushed a column of armoured vehicles of the 6th Cavalry Regiment, taking the survivors prisoners. The advance of other units further to the south of the Wadi Derna eventually threatened the Sabratha and BCS with encirclement and General Cona orders the defenders to disingage on the night of 28 January. Derna, a town of 10,000 residents itself was captured on 26 January. Precise casualty figures for the fighting for Derna and Giovanni Berta have not been compiled but at least 15 Australians soldiers were killed.

That same day, concealed soldiers of the BCS ambushed a column of armoured vehicles of the 6th Cavalry Regiment, taking the survivors prisoners. The advance of other units further to the south of the Wadi Derna eventually threatened the Sabratha and BCS with encirclement and General Cona orders the defenders to disingage on the night of 28 January. Derna, a town of 10,000 residents itself was captured on 26 January. Precise casualty figures for the fighting for Derna and Giovanni Berta have not been compiled but at least 15 Australians soldiers were killed.

{{quote|"Jan. 30.—The third major Italian bastion to fall in Libya—Derna, 175 miles west of the Egyptian frontier—was occupied today by British imperial troops after four days of the bitterest resistance offered by the Fascists in the whole of the African campaign. The town had been defended by less than 10,000 Italians, British sources disclosed, but they fought with a violence encountered nowhere else in General Sir Archibald P. Wavell's long continued thrust to the west." <ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19410131&id=utZaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dmkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2787,6394016&hl=en British Take Derna After Fierce Fight, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 31 January 1941]</ref>}}

{{cquote|Jan. 30.—The third major Italian bastion to fall in Libya—Derna, 175 miles west of the Egyptian frontier—was occupied today by British imperial troops after four days of the bitterest resistance offered by the Fascists in the whole of the African campaign. The town had been defended by less than 10,000 Italians, British sources disclosed, but they fought with a violence encountered nowhere else in General Sir Archibald P. Wavell's long continued thrust to the west." <ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19410131&id=utZaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dmkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2787,6394016&hl=en British Take Derna After Fierce Fight, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 31 January 1941]</ref>}}

On 4 February, Regia Aeronautica squadrons covering the Italian retreat shoot down a British Bleinheim and an Australian Hurricane from 73 Squadron (Pilot Officer Ken M. Millist), but lose a Caproni Ca.133 from 366a Squadriglia and a CR.42 from ''368a Squadriglia'' in the process.<ref>[http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_camerini.htm <Sergente Maggiore Antonio Camerini]</ref>

On 4 February, Regia Aeronautica squadrons covering the Italian retreat shoot down a British Bleinheim and an Australian Hurricane from 73 Squadron (Pilot Officer Ken M. Millist), but lose a Caproni Ca.133 from 366a Squadriglia and a CR.42 from ''368a Squadriglia'' in the process.<ref>[http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/italy_camerini.htm <Sergente Maggiore Antonio Camerini]</ref>