4 Jan 1941
  • After an entire day of fighting, Allied troops reached Bardia, Libya at about 1600 hours, splitting the Italian defenders into two groups, shaking Italian morale, causing large numbers of Italian troops to surrender. Jokingly emulating Winston Churchill, British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden said "[n]ever has so much been surrendered by so many, to so few." On the same day, Italian General Bergonzoli and his staff withdrew from Bardia toward Tobruk. ww2dbase [Operation Compass | CPC]
  • British torpedo bombers attacked an Italian supply convoy off Cape Bon, Tunisia in failure. ww2dbase [CPC]
China France
  • Alessandro Malaspina departed Bordeaux, France at 1140 hours, arriving at Le Verdon-sur-Mer, France at 1515 hours. ww2dbase [Alessandro Malaspina | Bordeaux, Aquitaine | CPC]
  • German minesweepers M-2 and M-10 departed Royan, Aquitaine, France at 1830 hours to make rendezvous with Italian submarine Alpino Bagnolini, but their journey was delayed and contact was not made on this date. ww2dbase [M2 | M10 | Alpino Bagnolini | Royan, Aquitaine | CPC]
  • Morosini departed Bordeaux, France at 1140 hours, arriving at Le Verdon-sur-Mer, France at 1210 hours. ww2dbase [Morosini | Bordeaux, Aquitaine | CPC]
United Kingdom
  • Amy Johnson was ordered to fly an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford aircraft from Prestwick, Scotland, United Kingdom to RAF Kidlington, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Amy Johnson | Prestwick, Scotland | CPC]
Photo(s) dated 4 Jan 1941
Fort Capuzzo, Libya just after British capture, 4 Jan 1941; note shrapnel damage to the Roman eagle column on the rightTroops of Australian 2/2nd Infantry Battalion rushing through the streets of Bardia, Libya, 4 Jan 1941



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