Operation Compass

Operation Compass (December 8, 1940 - January ?, 1941), during World War II, was a British military operation, under the command of Major-General O'Connor, which consisted of an attack against the Italian rear, via a gap in the defenses south of Sidi Barrani. Planning of the operation (and discovery of the gap) is credited to Brigadier-General Eric Dorman-Smith, who served as an adviser to O'Connor.

As a counter-espionage measure, many of the troops involved were not informed that the operation wasn't an exercise, until they were very nearly engaged in combat. The attack was supported by 25-pounder[?] artillery and Blenheim bombers[?] and was centered around the advance of Mk.II Matilda tanks. Within an hour of the onset of combat, Italian General Maletti[?] would be dead and 4,000 Italian soldiers would surrender. Within three days, 237 artillery, 73 tanks, and 38,300 soldiers would be captured. The attacking forces would move west along the Via della Vittoria, through Halfaya Pass, and capture Fort Capuzzo, Libya.

O'Connor wanted to continuing attacking, at least as far as Benghazi; however, General Wavell had ordered the 4th Indian Division to partake in an offensive against Italian forces in Abyssinia. O'Connor would state, "[This] came as a complete and very unpleasant surprise...It put paid to the question of immediate exploitation...". The attack would eventually continue, ending with the 7th Armoured Division cutting off the Italian retreat. After 10 weeks the British would advance ~800km, destroying 400 tanks and 1,292 artillery pieces and capturing 130,000 POWs. The British would suffer 494 fatalities and 1,225 wounded (1 - p.50[?])

Quotes

• Bonner Fellers
  • "General Wavell told me they were going to do manoeuvres, so I went up as an observer, and God dammit - it was the works."
• Anonymous Coldstream Guards officer
  • "We have about 5 acres of officers and 200 acres of other ranks." (1 - p.46[?])

References

• 1 -- The Battle of Alamein: Turning Point, World War II[?] by Bierman[?] and Smith[?] (2002)