 By the end of the second day , tens of thousands of defenders had been killed or captured . The remaining garrisons in the Gerfan and Ponticelli sectors were completely isolated . The logistical and administrative units were being overrun . Recognising that the situation was hopeless , General Bergonzoli and his staff had departed on foot for Tobruk during the afternoon , in a party of about 120 men . General Giuseppe <unk> , the commander of the Italian Tenth Army , considered the possibility of sending a force to relieve the Bardia fortress but in the end concluded that such an operation had no chance of success . 
