Atlas of Battles

battle, interwar and Second World War

Battle of Nibeiwa

Battle of Nibeiwa was a battle fought on 9 December 1940 in what is now Egypt. It was part of Operation Compass, which ran from 1940 to 1941. The recorded result: British victory. Recorded strength: 5,000 soldiers; 47 tanks against 4,100 soldiers; 23 tanks.

See it on the globe Read the article

A Matilda II tank of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment in the Western Desert, 19 December 1940.
A Matilda II tank of the 7th Royal Tank Regiment in the Western Desert, 19 December 1940.. Keating G (Capt) No 1 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought9 December 1940
WhereEgypt31.383N, 25.883E
OutcomeBritish victory
BelligerentsUnited Kingdom; British IndiaagainstKingdom of Italy
Part ofOperation Compass1940 to 1941

Where it sits in Operation Compass

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

Record

Date9 December 1940
PlaceEgypt
31.383N, 25.883E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Strength5,000 soldiers; 47 tanks4,100 soldiers; 23 tanks
Casualties and losses56 killed; 27 tanks disabled/broken down819 killed; 1,338 wounded; 2,000 prisoners; 28 tanks
Commanders
  • Pietro Maletti
Battle of NibeiwaBattle of NibeiwaBattle of AgagiaBattle of Sidi BarraniSiege of SollumBattle of BardiaBattle of Mersa MatruhBattle of AgagiaBattle of Sidi BarraniSiege of SollumBattle of Bardia100 km31.383N, 25.883E
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 1940

Battle of Nibeiwa is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 110 in present-day Egypt.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q3636549, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Attack on Nibeiwa, revision 1370105403, 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.