Atlas of Battles

battle, interwar and Second World War

Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941

Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941 was a battle fought on 24 January 1941 at Mechili, in what is now Libya. It was part of Operation Compass, which ran from 1940 to 1941. The recorded result: British victory. Recorded strength: 145 tanks against 5,000 men; 129 tanks; 25 tankettes; 6 armoured cars; 84 guns.

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Italian tanks near the Mechili fort, 1941-1942 circa.
Italian tanks near the Mechili fort, 1941-1942 circa.. Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought24 January 1941
WhereMechili, Libya32.183N, 22.267E
OutcomeBritish victory
BelligerentsUnited KingdomagainstKingdom of Italy
Casualties and losses7 tanks destroyedand9 tanks destroyed
Part ofOperation Compass1940 to 1941

Where it sits in Operation Compass

Battle of Nibeiwa, 1940Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941, 1941Battle of Beda Fomm, 194119401941Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941, 1941
3 placed engagements of Operation Compass in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date24 January 1941
PlaceMechili, Libya
32.183N, 22.267E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Strength145 tanks5,000 men; 129 tanks; 25 tankettes; 6 armoured cars; 84 guns
Casualties and losses7 tanks destroyed9 tanks destroyed
Commanders
  • Rodolfo Graziani
  • Giuseppe Tellera
  • Valentino Babini
Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941Battle of DernaBattle of DernaBattle of GazalaBattle at Bir el HarmatBattle of Bir HakeimBattle of DernaBattle of DernaBattle of GazalaBattle at Bir el HarmatBattle of Bir HakeimTubruqAl Marj100 km32.183N, 22.267E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1941

Action at Mechili, 24 January 1941 is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 57 in present-day Libya.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q15918532, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Action at Mechili, revision 1383239617, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.