The Failed Defense of Bardia, January 3, 1941

[Wargames]

I'm interested in the fall of Bardia as both Bardia and Tobruk had nearly identical defenses yet Tobruk did as well with one division as Bardia did with four. I found a book critical of the Italian defense of Bardia claiming only 6,000 men were on the line but with no explanation.

I'm aware that Bardia's two best divisions were on the east side of the perimeter line and the British bypassed them by attacking further west but I expect the same thing happened at Tobruk so the reason for the greater defeat must run deeper.

 

[Andreas]

1941?

All the best

Andreas

 

[David Wormell]

Yes, he must mean 1941.

This book here is pretty good, but from the Australian rather than Italian perspective....

Battle of Bardia (Australian Army Campaign): Amazon.co.uk: Stockings, Craig: 9780987057457: Books

Buy Battle of Bardia (Australian Army Campaign) by Stockings, Craig (ISBN: 9780987057457) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[Wargames]

I found this by Craig Stockings on line:

The Anzac Legend and the Battle of Bardia on JSTOR

Craig Stockings, The Anzac Legend and the Battle of Bardia, War in History, Vol. 17, No. 1 (January 2010), pp. 86-112

www.jstor.org

 

[jwsleser]

I'm aware that Bardia's two best divisions were on the east side of the perimeter line and the British bypassed them by attacking further west

I am not sure what this means. Bardia's defense was basically oriented north to south. The main attack (16th Aust Bde) was north of the switch line at the junction of the «23 marzo» and the «Marmarica» divisions on the western face of the defense.

I would need to reread the accounts to see if I can offer any thoughts on your question.

 

[Wargames]

I am not sure what this means. Bardia's defense was basically oriented north to south. The main attack (16th Aust Bde) was north of the switch line at the junction of the «23 marzo» and the «Marmarica» divisions on the western face of the defense.

I would need to reread the accounts to see if I can offer any thoughts on your question.

I show two blackshirt divisions north to south with two metro to the east (I consider the switch line to be on the east side of Bardia.). The Australians 6th division main attack fell on the southwest side, their navy bombarded the north, while 17th brigade occupied the Italians on the east side. Could be I'm not lining up north and south correctly on the map.

 

[jwsleser]

I have attached two maps of the battle. The first is from the Australian Official. It shows the switch line and the Australian attack.

The second is from Montanari. It shows the Italian unit locations.

 

[Wargames]

Thank you. On the Montanari map, are the blue circles battalions?

 

[jwsleser]

Possibly. It has been quite a while since I have read about the fighting at Bardia.

 

[diciassette2000]

no.....look at map.....
all the best
maurizio

 

[diciassette2000]

The areas circled in blue are the strongholds that took on the names of places or localities according to the Italian nomenclature in use in the Royal Army in 1940 ....
all the best
Maurizio

 

[jwsleser]

Ahh, the map from La prima offensiva britannica in A.S.

 

[diciassette2000]

yes.....Jeff
Maurizio

 

[David Wormell]

Which unit was defending the sector around point 11?

 

[jwsleser]

Not an easy question to answer. It was held by the G.a.F. (see La prima offensiva britannica, p.151). Those posts were in the XXX/a sub-sector. La Guardia alla Frontiera doesn't provide any specifics on the Battle for Bardia.

Pista! Jeff

 

[diciassette2000]

First of all, it must be kept in mind that point 11 as written by David has no correspondent in the nomenclature of the time of the Royal Army therefore there is no precise description of the stronghold in question. However, if we keep in mind the position of the stronghold described in the British maps of the time, we will notice that it stood right at the junction of the Italian sectors of Sidi Hasan and Souta (see Italian map). Therefore, in general, the stronghold was certainly garnished not only by GAF elements but also by elements belonging to the 63rd machine gun battalion of the 63rd Cyrene division which were arranged both in the front line and in the "doubling" foreseen behind the front line.
all the best
Maurizio

 

[David Wormell]

Thanks Maurizio & Jeff.. I did wonder if it might have been held not by G.a.F but by R.E. Either garrison troops or those who fled the earlier debacle around Sidi Barrani

 

[jwsleser]

David

In looking at the Australian history, I realize that there are two Post 11s (using the UK numbering). I have assumed you meant Post 11 on the perimeter and not R11 on the Switch Line.

Maurizio

I am not sure that elements of the LXIII btg. mtr. were forward in the defensive belt. Most of the G.a.F. infantry were machine-gun units, so the addition of more machine-gun units doesn't make much sense. The defensive posts themselves weren't huge and likely couldn't hold more than the actual garrison. While I understand the map itself isn't 100% accurate, it does show the LXIII holding a separate battle position. Reading the previous cited p.151, it indicates that the LXIII was in a separate defense from the line of posts ( - dal LXIII btg. mitraglieri che, peraltro era molto provato). In fact, all the units listed in the top of that page are positioned behind the line of posts, with the posts themselves mentioned in a separate line ( - dalle opere dei superstiti capisaldi della g.a.f., contro i quali l'avversario aveva già sferrato attachi, penetrando in qualche opera e venendo respinto da altre).

Vol. I of Montanari (p.255) indicates the same deployment.

Il campo trincerato di Bardia aveva la forma di un fagiolo appoggiato al mare per circa 18 chilometri. Il fronte a terra – una trentina di chilometri – guardava il deserto con undici caposaldi ed il mare con altri tre (uno all'estremo nord e due all'estremo sud), tutti della guardia alla frontiera. In secondo ordine esisteva un solo caposaldo nel tratto meridionale del fronte. A tergo della guardia alla frontiera erano dislocati i battaglioni delle divisioni, naturalmente a piedi.

None of what I have stated is definitive, but I don't feel that elements of the LXIII btg. mtr. were forward.

Pista! Jeff

 

[David Wormell]

Hi Jeff.

I will have to check which post 11. I was reading Gavin Long's book To Benghazi, and it recounts the fantastic resistance that the Australians encountered from this strongpoint. So I was curious to see if anyone knew who was manning it. The book is good, but totally from the Australian perspective.

 

[jwsleser]

I pulled my copy of To Benghazi. I assume it is Post 11 (not R11) as narrated on pp.184–186.