Cyrenaica Campaign.Gebel Sherif Battle

DATE: 31/08/2025

TIME (GMT): 18:00

ERA: WW2

MAP(S): Tobruk

TYPE: PvP

TEAMSPEAK: ts1.biaarma.com

GAME: Arma 3

EVENT: Official

AUTHOR(S): Aris for Brothers In Arms

SLOTS: 62 / 80

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RATING: (6)

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Cyrenaica Campaign also known as Operation Compass was the first large British military operation of the Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943) during the Second World War. British metropolitan, Imperial and Commonwealth forces attacked the Italian and Libyan forces of the 10th Army (Marshal Rodolfo Graziani) in western Egypt and Cyrenaica, the eastern province of Libya, from December 1940 to February 1941.

The Western Desert Force (WDF) (Lieutenant-GeneralRichard O'Connor) with about 36,000 men, advanced from Mersa Matruh in Egypt on a five day raid against the Italian positions of the 10th Army, which had about 150,000 troops in fortified posts around Sidi Barrani in Egypt and in Cyrenaica to the west. The WDF swiftly defeated the Italians in their fortified posts and at Sidi Barrani, forced the rest of the 10th Army out of Egypt and captured the ports along the Cyrenaican coast in Libya. The 10th Army was cut off as it retreated towards Tripolitania at the Battle of Beda Fomm, the remnants being pursued to El Agheila on the Gulf of Sirte.

The British took over 138,000 Italian and Libyan prisoners, hundreds of tanks, more than a thousand guns and many aircraft. The WDF suffered casualties of 1,900 men killed and wounded, about 10 per cent of the infantry. The WDF was unable to continue beyond El Agheila, due to worn out vehicles and the diversion in March 1941 of the best equipped units to conduct Operation Lustre for the Battle of Greece. The Italians rushed reinforcements to Libya to defend Tripoli, assisted by the Deutsches Afrikakorps and the Luftwaffe

Italian 10th ArmyWhen war was declared, the 5th Army (General Italo Gariboldi) was in Tripolitania the western Libyan province and the 10th Army (General Mario Berti) was in Cyrenaica to the east. Once the French in Tunisia no longer posed a threat to Tripolitania, units of the 5th Army were used to reinforce the 10th Army. When the Governor-General of Libya, Italo Balbo, was killed by friendly fire, Marshal Rodolfo Graziani took his place. Graziani expressed doubts about the ability of the large non mechanised Italian force to defeat the British, who, though fewer in numbers, were motorised. After being reinforced from the 5th Army, the 10th Army controlled the equivalent of four corps with 150,000 infantry, 1,600 guns, 600 tankettes and tanks and 331 aircraft.The XX Corps comprised the 60th Infantry Division "Sabratha" and the XXI Corps was composed of the 1st CC.NN. Division 23 Marzo the 2nd CC.NN. Division 28 Ottobreand the 63rd Infantry Division Cirene. XXII Corps had the 61st Infantry Division Sirte and XXIII Corps had the 4th CC.NN. Division 3 Gennaio and the 64th Infantry Division Catanzaro.

Commonwealth Western Desert ForceMiddle East Command (General Archibald Wavell) had about 36,000 soldiers, some outside Egypt, 120 guns and 275 tanks. The RAF had 162 aircraft composed of two squadrons of Hurricanes, one of Gloster Gladiators, three of Bristol Blenheims, three of Vickers Wellingtons and one of Bristol Bombays, about 46 fighters and 116 bombers.The Western Desert Force (WDF) was commanded by Lieutenant-GeneralRichard O'Connor with the 4th Indian Infantry Division (Major-General Noel Beresford-Peirse) and the 7th Armoured Division (Major-General Sir Michael O'Moore Creagh). From 14 December, troops of the 6th Australian Infantry Division (Major-General Iven Giffard Mackay), replaced the 4th Indian Division, which was sent to East Africa, less one brigade. The British had some fast Cruiser Mk I, Cruiser Mk II and Cruiser Mk III tanks with Ordnance QF 2-pounder guns, which were superior to Fiat M11/39 tanks. The British also had a battalion of Matilda IIinfantry tanks that while slow, were also equipped with the 2-pounder; the armour of the Matildas could not be penetrated by Italian anti-tank guns or field guns.

Italian invasion of Egypt

On 13 September 1940, the Italian 10th Army advanced into Egypt in Operazione E. As the Italians advanced, the small British force at Sollum withdrew to the main defensive position east of Mersa Matruh.The Italian advance was harassed by the 3rd Coldstream Guards, attached artillery and other units.After recapturing Fort Capuzzo, the Italians advanced approximately 59 mi (95 km) in three days and on 16 September, the advance stopped at Maktila, 16 km beyond Sidi Barrani. The Italians dug in and awaited reinforcements and supplies along the Via della Vittoria, an extension of the Litoranea Balbo (Via Balbia) being built from the frontier. Five fortified camps were built around Sidi Barrani from Maktila,24 km east along the coast, south to Tummar East, Tummar West and Nibeiwa; another camp was built at Sofafi on the escarpment to the south west.

British plan

Following the Italian advance, Wavell ordered the commander of British Troops Egypt, Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson, to plan a limited operation to push the Italians back. Operation Compass, for administrative reasons, was originally

planned as a five-day raid but consideration was given to continuing the operation to exploit success.On 28 November, Wavell wrote to Wilson that,I do not entertain extravagant hopes of this operation but I do wish to make certain that if a big opportunity occurs we are prepared morally, mentally and administratively to use it to the fullest.

The 7th Support Group was to observe the Italian camps on the escarpment around Sofafi, to prevent the garrisons from interfering, while the rest of the division and 4th Indian Division passed through the Sofafi–Nibeiwa gap. An Indian brigade and Infantry tanks of 7th Royal Tank Regiment (7th RTR) would attack Nibeiwa from the west, as the 7th Armoured Division protected their northern flank. Once Nibeiwa was captured, a second Indian brigade and the 7th RTR would attack the Tummars. Selby Force (3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards plus some artillery) from the Matruh garrison was to contain the enemy camp at Maktila on the coast and the Royal Navy would bombard Maktila and Sidi Barrani.Preparations were kept secret and only a few officers knew during the training exercise held from 25 to 26 November, that the objectives marked out near Matruh were replicas of Nibeiwa and Tummar; the troops were also told that a second exercise was to follow and did not know that the operation was real until 7 December, as they arrived at their jumping-off points.

Late on 8 December, an Italian reconnaissance aircrew reported that attack on Maktila and Nibeiwa was imminent but Maletti was not informed. On 9 December, the 1st Libyan Division was at Maktila and the 2nd Libyan Division was at Tummar. The Maletti Group was at Nibiewa and the 4th CC.NN. Division 3 Gennaio and the headquarters of the Libyan Corps were at Sidi Barrani. The 63rd Infantry Division Cirene and the headquarters of XXI Corps were at Sofafi and the 64th Infantry Division Catanzaro was at Buq Buq. The HQ of XXIII Corps and the 2nd CC.NN. Division 28 Ottobre, were in Sollum and Halfaya Pass respectively and the 62nd Infantry Division Marmarica was at Sidi Omar, south of Sollum.Berti was on sick leave and Gariboldi, the 1st CC.NN. Division 23 Marzo and the 10th Army H eadquarters were far back at Bardia. (By the time Berti arrived in Libya, so had the British.) Operation Compass (la battaglia della Marmarica / Battle of the Marmarica) began on the night of 7/8 December. The WDF, with the 7th Armoured Division, 4th Indian Division and the 16th Infantry Brigade advanced 70 mi (113 km) to their start line. The RAF made attacks on Italian airfields and destroyed or damaged 29 aircraft on the ground. Selby Force (Brigadier A. R. Selby) with 1,800 men (the maximum for whom transport could be found), moved up from Matruh, set up a brigade of dummy tanks in the desert and reached a position south-east of Maktila by dawn on 9 December. Maktila had been bombarded by the monitorHMS Terror and the gunboatHMS Aphis; Sidi Barrani had been bombarded by the gunboat HMS Ladybird

The Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War.

On the Night of 31 January they were intercepted by the Compagnia Autosahariana di Cufra, an Italian unit similar to the LRDG, in the Gebel Sherif valley.A great battle began, unique in its kind, as both sides fought with fast vehicles equipped with machine guns. Each side also had the support of its Air Force.

We play as British LRDG and Italian CAC.