November 1941

North Africa

After returning to Cairo Auchinleck consults further with Tedder, Coningham, his Chief of Staff, Maj-Gen Arthur Smith and Minister of State, Middle East, Oliver Lyttleton. He decides to relieve Cunningham of his command. To replace Cunningham, he picks his own Deputy Chief of the General staff, Maj-Gen Neil Ritchie. It is a strange choice since Ritchie has no experience of a high command or desert operations in general and he is junior to both corps commanders.

The Axis casualties increase. Coningham's Blenheims and Marylands now join the fighters in their assaults, and the 'Hurribombers' of 80 Squadron prove particularly deadly against Rommel's supporting motorized infantry and supply trucks, as well as causing gruesome casualties among the tank crews.

The German armor inflicts little damage. The 15th Panzer Div does not reach the frontier area until the morning of the 25th. The only achievement in this advance is the destruction of a British field workshop after a gallant defense by 16 disabled Matildas of the 42nd Royal Tanks. The 21st Panzer is even less successful. The 5th Panzer Regt Commanding Officer, Lt-Col Stephen, is killed by the strafing fighters after which his unit loses 8 tanks in an attack on the 1st Field Regiment. The British lose 5 guns temporarily but are back in action the next day. Later the 5th Panzer Regt loses 7 more tanks making an attack across a minefield against the dug-in artillery of the 25th Field Regt.

The 6th New Zealand Bde captures the Sidi Rezegh airfield.

During the night the 8th Army mounts 3 attacks. Maj-Gen Ronald Scobie's Tobruk garrison pushes forward to within 3 miles of Belhamed. The 4th New Zealand Bde fights its way westward and captures Belhamed in the early hours of the 26th. The 6th New Zealand Bde moves northwest toward the Prophet's Tomb, but is thrown back by the 9th Barsaglieri Regt.