November 1941

North Africa

New Zealand's first major success comes at dawn when the 6th Bde overruns the Afrika Korps Heanquarter. Lt-Gen Ludwig Crüwell is away, but 200 personnel are captured as well as numerous vehicles along with the Deutsch Afrika Korps' wireless trucks. During the day Brig Harold E. Barrowclough's men continue their westward drive, as do the 4th New Zealand Bde under Brig Lindsay M. Inglis and the Matildas and Valentines of the supporting 1st Army Tank Bde under Brig H. Watkins.

About 1130 the 6th New Zealand Bde's leading battalion, the 25th, assaults the 2nd Escarpment. The German anti-tank guns destroy 12 of the 16 Valentines, but the infantry capture Point 175 only to be drivien off later in the afternoon. The New Zealand Bde suffers 450 casualties, mostly in the 25th Battalion.

The 4th New Zealand Bde captures Gambut on the Via Balbia in the afternoon. Had they moved north of the road, they would have come upon the main enemy's supply dumps. It advances to Zaafran on the 1st Escarpment east of Belhamed and north of Point 175.

The Afrika Korps Lt-Gen Ludwig Crüwell believes he can break British resistance with one last great effort. His plan is simple. Maj-Gen Johann von Ravenstein is ordered to send his 21st Panzer's 104th Infantry Regt to reinforce units of the 90th Light Div on the 3rd Escarpment, while his 5th Panzer Regt joins Maj-Gen Walther Neumann-Silkow's 15th Panzer Div which already has the 8th Panzer Regt and the 115th Infantry Regt already under command. Crüwell wants all units to turn south toward Bir el Gubi, link up with the Ariete Div and then swing northward to crush the remains of the British XXX Corps against the escarpment.

As the Germans begin their move Crüwell's units run into the supply vehicles of the 7th Support Group and the 5th South African Bde. All Allied tanks and guns within range offer desperate resistance.

Crüwell's drive southward next encounters Pienaar's 1st South African Bde which is moving north to join forces at Sidi Rezegh, having left the 22nd Guards Bde to hold their former position at Bir el Gubi. The South Africans fire artillery at the enemy, but having no tanks are forced to halt and do not resume their advance this day. These encounters cost Crüwell 11 more tanks. When he joins the Ariete Div at 1235 he has 162 tanks.

At 1500 Crüwell's 2 panzer regiments accompanied by artillery and the 115th Infantry Regt in trucks line up for a charge against the 5th South African Bde. The Ariete Div makes little impact on the left of the line allowing remnants of the 22nd Armored Bde to deliver attacks on the German's left flank, but it does not stop Crüwell's onslought. By nightfall the South African defense has finally disintegrated. About 2,000 men are captured along with Brig Bertram Armstrong. Some of them do escape to join Pienaar.

Exaggerated reports of British tank losses and accounts of the destruction of the 5th South African Bde increase Cunningham's anxieties. He begins to give serious consideration to abandoning the struggle and fall back to the frontier.

Brig Alexander Galloway, Cunnigham's Brig Gen Staff, strongly disagrees and is supported by both corps commanders, Godwin-Austen and Norrie. Cunningham asks Auchinleck to join him at his Headquarters at Maddalena to discuss the issue.

Auchinleck reaches 8th Army's Headquarters that evening and is urged to continue the battle by the resolute Galloway. The two British Corps Commanders are consulted and are equally adamant that the offensive should go on. Auchinleck has learned through 'Ultra' interceptions that the enemy is 'fully stretched and desperate', short of supplies, especially fuel and will not be receiving any reinforcements in the immediate future.

Auchinleck forbids any withdrawal and by his decision ensures that the battle would not be lost by default. A single command is issued: re-capture the Sidi Rezegh-Duda ridge at the earliest possible moment and join hands with the Tobruk garrison.

The only tactical change initiated at this time is the use of more 'Jock Columns', small, highly mobile groups of motorized infantry and field guns. They can raid, harass and confuse, but they can not capture strong enemy positions or repel strong enemy attacks. Their use begins a tendency to split up the British units, which would long continue with increasingly, harmful effects. This in effect will result in a dispersal of the British artillery which is probably the most efficient element of the 8th Army.