[1] When the British Western Desert Force started to crush the Italian 10th Army during Operation Compass in late 1940 the Sabratha deployed to defensive positions south of Derna.

In late January 1941 the division fought a series of delaying battles against superior British forces, which were advancing through the Derna-Al Qubbah region.

On 30 January 1941, as the danger of encirclement became apparent, the Sabratha division retreated through Sulunţah, Marj and Benghazi, and arrived in Qaminis on 5 February 1941.

[2] Afterwards the remnants of the Sabratha retreated on the Ajdabiya-Sirte route, and were then assigned for coastal defense in the Al Khums region in Western Libya.

After the Fall of Tobruk on 21 June 1942, the Sabratha accelerated its movement, passing in quick succession through Bardia, Sollum and Sidi Barrani, reaching the vicinity of El Alamein on 1 July 1942.

[7] While the Italian counterattack failed to achieve its objective, it bought time to allow the Italian XXI Army Corps to rush in a battalion of the 101st Motorized Division "Trieste", the III Tank Squadrons Group of the "Regiment "Lancieri di Novara" and Major Gabriele Verri's XI Tank Battalion to stabilize the sector and stop the Australian advance.

Under fierce pressure the Australian troops were forced to withdraw from their forward positions, but their main defenses remained largely intact.