Beda Fomm

After the massive defeats at Sidi Barrani, Bardia, Tobruk, and Derna, the Italian Army could think of nothing but flight. However, as they raced along the Coastal Road back to Trípoli, they found the road blocked at Beda Fomm. The …

1941-02-06

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After the massive defeats at Sidi Barrani, Bardia, Tobruk, and Derna, the Italian Army could think of nothing but flight. However, as they raced along the Coastal Road back to Trípoli, they found the road blocked at Beda Fomm. The British 7th Armoured Division (reduced by battle and mechanical breakdown to little over 50 cruisers) had skirted south of the highlands of Cyrenaica and outflanked the fleeing Italians. The Italian armored units sought valiantly to break through the thin British line, but reinforcing regiments continued to bolster the front. The battle was closely fought, but in the end the British resolve under the heat of battle turned back the tide of Italian tanks. The next day, the Italian pocket surrendered.

Beda Fomm, Libya

The rapid British advance during Operation Compass forced the Italian 10th Army to evacuate Cyrenaica, the eastern province of Libya. In late January, the British learned that the Italians were retreating along the Litoranea Balbo from Benghazi. The 7th Armoured Division was dispatched to intercept the remnants of the 10th Army by moving through the desert, south of the Jebel Akhdar via Msus and Antelat as the 6th Australian Division pursued the Italians along the coast road, north of the jebel. The terrain was hard going for the British tanks and Combeforce, a flying column of wheeled vehicles, was sent ahead across the chord of the jebel.

Wikipedia: Battle of Beda Fomm

Italian

British Commonwealth