Bardia raid
| Bardia raid | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Siege of Tobruk, during the Second World War | |||||||
 British commandos in landing craft |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom Australia
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 Germany Italy
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Lieutenant Colonel Colvin |
Erwin Rommel Rodolfo Graziani
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| Strength | |||||||
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A Battalion Layforce RTR Troop HMS Glengyle HMS Coventry HMAS Stuart HMAS Voyager HMAS Waterhen HMS Triumph |
Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 killed 70 captured |
1 artillery battery destroyed 1 supply dump destroyed |
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The Bardia raid was an amphibious landing at the coastal town of Bardia in North Africa by British Commandos over the night of 19/20 April 1941 during the Second World War. The raid was carried out by No. 7 Commando also known as A Battalion Layforce together with a small detachment from the Royal Tank Regiment supported by five navy ships and a submarine. The raid—which destroyed an Italian artillery battery and a supply dump—was deemed a success despite the loss of 71 men. The more lasting strategic effect of the raid was the diversion of a German armoured brigade from the front line to provide rear area security.
In January 1941, an ad hoc force of 2,000 commandos known as Layforce was sent from Great Britain to take part in raiding operations in the Mediterranean. Under the command of Colonel Robert Laycock, the force comprised No. 7 Commando, No. 8 (Guards) Commando, No. 11 (Scottish) Commando, a troop from No. 3 Commando and the Folbot section. On their arrival in Egypt in March 1941, the force was strengthened by the amalgamated No. 50 Commando and No. 52 Commando. To avoid the Axis powers becoming aware that a large force of commandos had arrived in theatre, 7, 8, 11 and 50/52 Commandos were camouflaged as A, B, C and D Battalions Layforce.
In early 1941, after the big British and Commonwealth victory in Cyrenaica, the military position was soon reversed. Wavell ordered a significant portion of O'Connor's XIII Corps to Greece as part of Operation Lustre in the Battle of Greece. Adolf Hitler responded to the Italian disaster by ordering Unternehmen Sonnenblume (Operation Sunflower), the deployment of the newly formed Afrika Korps as reinforcements to the Italians, to prevent total collapse. The DAK had fresh troops with better equipment and tanks and a charismatic commander. When Rommel arrived in North Africa, along with six Italian divisions which included the Trento and Ariete, his orders were to remain on the defensive.
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