The ensuing battle will rank as one of the great achieve ments in the history of our Regiment.

The Battalion was less one of its four motor companies and had two batteries of 25-pounders under command. A greatly superior force of Germans was dug in on the far side of the landing ground, supported by numerous batteries. There was no alternative to a frontal assault over 2,000 yards of flat, open ground.

The attack, which started at 0830 hrs., was carefully planned by Lieutenant-Colonel De Salis. It was carried out with amazing success against determined opposition and the whole objective was gained after hand-to-hand fighting by 12 noon. This result was achieved by the leadership and initiative displayed by company and platoon commanders and by the high training, discipline and spirit of the men. The enemy, German troops, suffered heavily in killed and wounded. Seven hundred unwounded prisoners with a large amount of weapons and equipment were taken by the Battalion.

So complete a victory deserved a better sequel. The Battalion held its position as ordered until the next day under increasing shelling. They waited in vain for armoured support, which arrived too late. At 1.30 p.m. on the 22nd, covered by a heavy barrage, an enemy force of eighty tanks and lorried infantry swept round the flank and attacked from the rear. The anti-tank rifles were useless against the tanks and the few 2-pounders they had were insufficient. The Bat­talion was overrun and a second wave of armoured carriers and motor-cyclists completed the job, although one or two small isolated parties continued to fight on until dusk. Then, too late, some of our tanks appeared and from the melee which ensued 5 officers and 50 other ranks with 17 vehicles managed to escape; a few more got away later. The Commanding Officer was among the prisoners.

Thus, the bulk of this fine Battalion was lost. Luckily "B" Company were on detachment at this time and were available, together with the remnants from Sidi Rezegh, to start re-forming the Battalion at once.

Rifleman Beeley was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for gallantry in this action.

This battle was the crisis of the offensive which then went ahead as planned, resulting in the relief of Tobruk and the continuation of the advance to El Agheila — a little farther than our forces had reached at the beginning of the year.