▁Division ▁P esc atori ▁that ▁unusual ▁low - level ▁flying ▁by ▁the ▁R AF ▁was ▁probably ▁intended ▁to ▁dis gu ise ▁the ▁movement ▁of ▁arm oured ▁units . ▁At ▁ ▁on ▁ 9 ▁January , ▁well ▁before ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁British ▁attack , ▁Male tt i ▁had ▁contact ed ▁the ▁command ers ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Lib yan ▁Division ▁Sib elle ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Lib yan ▁Division ▁P esc atori , ▁reporting ▁the ▁British ▁prepar atory ▁movements . ▁ ▁At ▁ ▁on ▁ 9 ▁December , ▁British ▁art illery ▁comm enced ▁a ▁one - hour ▁di version ary ▁bomb ard ment ▁from ▁the ▁east ▁and ▁at ▁ ▁the ▁main ▁ 4 th ▁Indian ▁divis ional ▁art illery ▁opened ▁fire . ▁The ▁ 1 1 th ▁Indian ▁Infantry ▁Brigade ▁Group ▁and ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁R TR ▁attacked ▁from ▁the ▁north - west , ▁with ▁B ren ▁carri ers ▁on ▁the ▁fl anks , ▁all ▁firing ▁on ▁the ▁move . ▁About ▁twenty ▁Italian ▁medium ▁t anks ▁outside ▁the ▁camp ▁were ▁destroyed ▁in ▁the ▁initial ▁British ▁attack , ▁while ▁war ming ▁their ▁engines ▁before ▁breakfast . ▁Italian ▁art illery ▁and ▁machine - gun ▁fire ▁began ▁as ▁isolated ▁parties ▁of ▁It ali ans ▁tried ▁to ▁h unt ▁the ▁British ▁Infantry ▁t anks ▁with ▁hand ▁gr en ades . ▁At ▁ ▁Scottish ▁and ▁Indian ▁inf antry ▁began ▁method ically ▁to ▁swe ep ▁through ▁the ▁camp , ▁back ed ▁by ▁art illery ▁and ▁the ▁t anks . ▁By ▁ ▁the ▁camp ▁had ▁been