ensive ▁systems ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁desert ▁war fare . ▁Ind ividual ▁training ▁undert aken ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁was ▁aim ed ▁at ▁ident ifying ▁those ▁who ▁would ▁be ▁un fit ▁for ▁the ▁coming ▁battle , ▁and ▁many ▁were ▁subsequently ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁divis ional ▁guard ▁batt alion . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁ 2 / 1 5 th ▁entra ined ▁at ▁Gaz a ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁M ers a ▁Mat ru h , ▁as ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Division ▁began ▁to ▁rel ieve ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Division ▁along ▁the ▁front ▁line ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁Des ert ▁so ▁that ▁the ▁latter ▁could ▁be ▁transferred ▁to ▁Greece , ▁where ▁a ▁German ▁invasion ▁was ▁expected . ▁A ▁few ▁days ▁later ▁the ▁batt alion ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁Tob ru k . ▁From ▁there ▁it ▁moved ▁by ▁road ▁in ▁captured ▁Italian ▁vehicles ▁to ▁D erna ▁and ▁on ▁to ▁To ch ra , ▁then ▁Beng h azi , ▁and ▁eventually ▁Bar ce . ▁Through out ▁early ▁April , ▁the ▁ 2 / 1 5 th ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁large - scale ▁withdraw al ▁that ▁followed ▁the ▁landing ▁of ▁German ▁forces ▁around ▁Tri pol i ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁A xis ▁efforts ▁to ▁rein force ▁the ▁It ali ans ▁in ▁North ▁Africa ▁following ▁British ▁g ains ▁in ▁ ▁western ▁Egypt ▁and ▁Cy ren a ica ▁during ▁Operation ▁Com pass ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 – 4 1 . ▁The ▁batt alion ▁subsequently ▁fell ▁back ▁east ▁along ▁the ▁coast ▁towards ▁Tob ru