British and Australian forces entered the port at Tobruk, Libya, on this day, capturing tens of thousands of Italian occupiers.
In June 1940, Italy declared war on Great Britain. At that moment, Gen. Rodolfo Graziani commanded nearly ten times as many troops in Libya compared to the forces under Gen. Archibald Wavell, tasked with safeguarding the North African routes to the Suez Canal.
For months, the opposing armies sat without confrontation, separated by a vast western desert. During this period, Italian troops advanced into Egypt, but by then, Britain had bolstered its forces and chose to initiate the first offensive.
On December 9, Maj. Gen. Richard Nugent O’Connor commenced a westward push from Mersa Matruh, Egypt. Engaging in battle were thirty thousand British soldiers against eighty thousand Italians; however, the British held the upper hand with 275 tanks compared to the 120 of the Italians. Within just three days, 40,000 Italian soldiers were captured. This battle signified the beginning of the decline of Italian rule in North Africa.
Following this, General O’Connor initiated a campaign against Italian forces situated in Libya. In early January 1941, he directed the British 7th Royal Tank Regiment to advance westward from Bardia, which had recently been secured from the Italians, aiming to encircle Tobruk until the 6th Australian Division could support the assault.
The attack on the coastal fortress of Tobruk commenced on the 21st and, by the following day, resulted in the surrender of 30,000 Italian troops, along with 236 artillery pieces and 87 tanks. The 7th Royal Tank Regiment proved to be an exceptional unit, achieving a rapid succession of victories in Libya despite limited resources.
