After Derna fell

After Derna fell, the Libyans started looting the Italian settlement. The 2/11 battalion stopped that. Gavin Long writes that when new troops came forward, they carried on with the looting. This included both British and Australians. The Australian "deputy-assistant provost marshal" concluded that Derna had been looted four times:

1. by Italian troops, when the Italian civilians had been evacuated
2. when Italian police were withdrawn and Libyan police were left in charge
3. when Libyan police were withdrawn
4. "by the Arabs when the garrison left town"

The small amount of looting by Australians didn't amount to much, compared to what preceded it. This is based on the account in To Benghazi.