Tenth Army ( Italy ) The Italian Tenth Army was one of two Italian armies in Italian North Africa during World War II . The Tenth Army in Cyrenaica ( eastern Libya ) faced the British in the British protectorate , Kingdom of Egypt . The other army , the Italian Fifth Army , was based in Tripolitania ( western Libya ) and faced French Tunisia . World War II . When Italy declared war on 10 June 1940 , the Tenth Army consisted of five divisions and the Fifth Army consisted of nine . At the end of June , after the Fall of France , several divisions were transferred from the Fifth Army to strengthen the Tenth Army . Soon the Tenth Army had a total of ten divisions . Italian invasion of Egypt . On 13 September 1940 , about four divisions were used when elements of the Tenth Army advanced into Egypt . Four infantry divisions and the " Maletti Group " marched one hundred kilometers in four days . The Italians stopped when they got to Sidi Barrani . The Maletti Group included most of the M11 / 39 medium tanks available in North Africa and numerous L3 tankettes . Defensive positions were prepared by the Italians in the form of several fortified camps . British counter - attack . In December 1940 during Operation Compass , the British counter - attacked in what initially was to be a five - day raid against the Italian camps in Egypt . Ultimately , the Italian camps were completely overrun and the rest of the Tenth Army was constantly pushed further and further back into Italian Libya . Many Italian soldiers were forced to surrender once the British troops encircled them in static fortified garrisons at places like Bardia and Tobruk . Destruction at Beda Fomm . At the battle of Beda Fomm ( 6 – 7 February 1941 ) , most of the remainder of the retreating Tenth Army was isolated by a small advance guard of Richard O ' Connor ' s 7th Armoured Division called Combe Force . O ' Connor had this " ad hoc " force under the command of John Combe leave the coastal roads at Gazala and take an unreconnoitred shortcut across the desert to block the Italian army ' s retreat , while the Australian 6th Division continued the coastal pursuit . The 7th Armoured force was delayed by the harsh terrain , so a lighter , faster element was detached to complete the interception , leaving the tracked vehicles to follow . The first elements arrived at Msus late on the afternoon of 4 February and cleared the local garrison . During the following night and day , the advance continued and the British artillery and infantry were in position across the coast road by 4 pm on 5 February . The head of the retreating Italian column arrived 30 minutes later . The Italians were stunned to find the British force blocking them at Beda Foum , whose strength they greatly overestimated . With the Australians in pursuit , a desperate battle ensued , in which newly arrived M13 / 40 medium tank battalions were thrown against the British positions , at great loss . In the afternoon of 6 February , the 7th Armoured Division ' s tanks had arrived and were now harassing the Italian eastern flank . On the morning of 7 February , the Italians attempted a final , desperate attempt to break through . By this stage , the British units were almost out of food , petrol and ammunition . The British blocking line was almost breached , but they held and , convinced of the overwhelming size and strength of the blocking force , the encircled Italian units surrendered . The Tenth Army was destroyed .