Sunday, January 5, 1941 - Bardia Captured

[Louis]

The first major engagement of Australian forces in the war had been an unqualified success. The lessons of the First World War had not been forgotten, the close integration of artillery with the infantry assault and then the rapid exploitation of the breaches in defence line. Some 16,000 troops had overcome a defending force nearly three times their size. The Australians lost 130 men killed against over 1000 Italians. Huge numbers of prisoners once again had to be dealt with but the enormous amount of material captured, including over 700 lorries, proved especially valuable.