▁supported ▁by ▁motor ised ▁inf antry ▁and ▁art illery , ▁tried ▁to ▁out fl ank ▁and ▁trap ▁the ▁British ▁rear ▁guard , ▁which ▁forced ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Cold stream ▁Gu ards ▁batt alion ▁to ▁retre at . ▁By ▁late ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁September , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁ ▁had ▁reached ▁an ▁area ▁south - east ▁of ▁S idi ▁Bar ran i , ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Black sh irt ▁Division ▁( 2 3 rd ▁Mar zo ) ▁and ▁the ▁XX III ▁Corps ▁art illery , ▁having ▁been ▁used ▁c aut iously ▁for ▁inf antry ▁support . ▁The ▁R ag gru pp amento ▁Male tt i ▁was ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁objective , ▁having ▁been ▁ham per ed ▁by ▁lack ▁of ▁supplies ▁and ▁dis organisation . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Black sh irt ▁Division ▁( 2 3 rd ▁Mar zo ) ▁took ▁S idi ▁Bar ran i ▁and ▁the ▁advance ▁stopped ▁at ▁Mak til a , ▁ ▁beyond . ▁ ▁Operation ▁Com pass ▁ ▁N ib ei wa ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 0 th ▁Army ▁planned ▁to ▁advance ▁on ▁M ers a ▁Mat ru h ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁but ▁the ▁attack ▁was ▁forest alled ▁by ▁Operation ▁Com pass . ▁Only ▁the ▁IX ▁Light ▁T ank ▁Battalion ▁with ▁L 3 / 3 3 ▁tank ettes ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Lib yan ▁Division ▁P esc atori , ▁the ▁II ▁Med ium ▁T ank ▁Battalion ▁with ▁M 1 1 / 3 9 s , ▁with ▁the ▁R ag gru pp