The Battle of Bardia by Craig Stockings

Author:Craig Stockings
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Big Sky Publishing

An Australian Vickers medium machine gun supports the assault on Bardia. A number of Australian soldiers recalled medium machine gun support, especially from 1 RNF, being critical to the success of actions in the attack on Bardia. (Jeff Isaacs)

Before H-hour Little’s men crept north along Little Wadi, keeping pace with Rowan’s C Company on their right. After a pausing 350 metres short of Muatered, at 0545 the company began its attack. In fading darkness the two flanking platoons moved to their right across the open ground. The air was soon filled with shells, and tracer bullets fizzed over the heads of the attackers. Nonetheless, Bowen and Gullett advanced side by side, and although sure that the Italians could see them as they climbed into Muatered and cut their way through the wire apron at its base, had not yet taken casualties.

As the northern bank was being scaled an Italian heavy machine gun, sited 30 metres back from the lip, opened fire. This gun was silenced by a few well-aimed grenades and the advance continued. Once across the wadi the two platoons swung left and approached to within 90 metres of Post 11. The Australian artillery barrage stopped and was replaced by an eerie and frightening silence. The defenders in Post 11 still did not engage.

The Australians inched forward and began cutting gaps in the wire surrounding the post. The two platoons crept through a gap cut in the wire, one after the other. The platoon commanders agreed that Bowen would go first. When Gullett was safely through the wire he would shout: ‘I am ready’. Bowen would then give the order to charge. As the Australians breached the wire they formed an assault line and paused on one knee, awaiting the signal.

When all were in position, only 35 metres from the post, Bowen bellowed ‘Up! D Company! Up! Up!’ Men sprang to their feet and raced forward. The Australian charge was short-lived. After covering half the distance to their objective the attackers were met by a wall of Italian small arms fire and a volley of grenades thrown from a trench/sangar complex surrounding the post.

Unknown to D Company, the Italians had improved, fortified and decided to fight from the concrete communications trenches running between the post’s main firing points. This gave the position a measure of all-round defence, which foiled Little’s plan to flank it. It was also apparent that the success of the attacking platoons thus far had been no more than a consequence of strict Italian fire discipline. The defenders released a hail of bullets from point-blank range. In a few moments the Australians were on their stomachs, caught in open ground. With few places to go, NCOs called their men forward and the crawling advance to the Italian position continued, with casualties mounting.

Unlike some of their counterparts on the western face of the perimeter, the defenders in Post 11 had no intention of surrendering. The now disjointed, uncoordinated and desperate Australian assault had two basic axes. Gullett’s platoon pressed in from the right and rear, while Bowen’s men inched forward further left.

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