July 1942

North Africa

As a result of all these misfortunes, the are no gaps in the minefields for the Valentines of the 40th and 46th Royal Tanks. The tanks start out at 0800. They suffer heavily from the mines and then from the German anti-tank guns which they charge in vain. The surviving Valentines are then counterattacked by the 21st Panzer Div.

By midday it is over. 40 Valentines have been lost and 47 more crippled. 30 officers and 173 men have been killed or wounded. Only 11 tanks return to the start, what is left of the 23 Armored Brigade.

At 1700 the 2nd Armored Brigade, also with problems in minefields, approach El Mreir from the south. They meet heavy fire and are forced to retire losing 21 tanks.

The main diversionary attack in the north begins at 0600. It also goes badly for the Aussies. Again there is lack of coordination between the infantry and armor. In the evening the 50th Royal Tanks break through the Miteirya Ridge, but there is no infantry with them to hold the ground gained. They have to fall back after about an hour leaving 23 Valentines behind.

The 8th Army loses 118 tanks to the Germans in this offensive. The '2nd Ruweisat Ridge' Battle ends which Auchinleck had called Operation SPLENDOR. Since Lt-Gen William Gott's XIII Corps had endured the heaviest losses in the two Ruweisat actions, the next offensive is to be made by Lt-Gen William H. Ramsden's XXX Corps, reinforce by the bulk of the armor.