Action at Mechili

Action at Mechili
Part of Operation Compass, during the Second World War
Italian tanks with Fort Mechili in the background.
Date 24 January 1941 Location Mechili, Libya 32°11′00″N 22°16′00″E / 32.18333°N 22.26667°E / 32.18333; 22.26667 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Italy
Commanders and leaders
Richard O'Connor Michael O'Moore Creagh	Rodolfo Graziani Giuseppe Tellera † Valentino Babini
Strength
145 tanks	5,000 men 129 tanks 25 tankettes 6 armoured cars 84 guns
Casualties and losses
7 tanks destroyed	9 tanks destroyed
Ras el-Mechili class=notpageimage| Ras el-Mechili, Libya

The action at Mechili was an engagement between units of the British 7th Armoured Division of the Western Desert Force and Italian forces of the 10th Army during Operation Compass.

The Italian Army redeemed itself from the campaign's previous disastrous fiascoes. The previous British advantages in reconnaissance, maneuver, and artillery support were greatly reduced due to the British supply shortages in fuel and artillery ammunition, the battle field was now hilly and broken terrain, and they had not yet set up forward air fields. The Italian army positioned well, set up effective fields of fire, maneuvered well, had successful local counter-attacks, and inflicted casualties commensurate with what they received. They delayed the British for days, and retreated in good order with lively and effective rearguard actions.

At the coast the British pursued West along the Via Balbia and inland pursued WSW to cut the Italian retreat at the Battle of Beda Fomm.