Editing First Battle of El Alamein (section)

===Panzer Army Africa attacks===

[[Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-783-0110-12, Nordafrika, Panzer II, Kraftfahrzeuge.jpg|thumb|A [[Panzer II]] of the ''Afrika Korps''.]]
At 03:00 on 1 July, 90th Light Infantry Division advanced east but strayed too far north and ran into the 1st South African Division's defences and became pinned down.<ref name="Playfair3498"/><ref>{{harvnb|Barr|2005|p=81}}.</ref> The 15th and 21st Panzer Divisions of the ''Afrika Korps'' were delayed by a sandstorm and then a heavy air attack. It was broad daylight by the time they circled round the back of Deir el Abyad where they found the feature to the east of it occupied by [[18th Indian Infantry Brigade]] which, after a hasty journey from Iraq, had occupied the exposed position just west of Ruweisat Ridge and east of Deir el Abyad at Deir el Shein late on 28 June to create one of Norrie's additional defensive boxes.<ref>{{harvnb|Mackenzie|1951|p=580}}.</ref>

At about 10:00 on 1 July, 21st Panzer Division attacked Deir el Shein. 18th Indian Infantry Brigade—supported by 23 [[Ordnance QF 25 pounder|25-pounder]] gun-howitzers, 16 of the new [[Ordnance QF 6 pounder gun|6-pounder]] anti-tank guns and nine [[Matilda II|Matilda tanks]]—held out the whole day in desperate fighting but by evening the Germans succeeded in over-running them.<ref>{{harvnb|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Gleave|2004|pp=340–341}}.</ref> The time they bought allowed Auchinleck to organise the defence of the western end of Ruweisat Ridge.<ref name= "Mac581-2">{{harvnb|Mackenzie|1951|pp=581–582}}.</ref> The 1st Armoured Division had been sent to intervene at Deir el Shein. They ran into 15th Panzer Division just south of Deir el Shein and drove it west. By the end of the day's fighting, the ''Afrika Korps'' had 37 tanks left out of its initial complement of 55.<ref name="Playfair341">{{harvnb|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Gleave|2004|p=341}}.</ref>

During the early afternoon, 90th Light had extricated itself from the El Alamein box defences and resumed its move eastward. It came under artillery fire from the three South African brigade groups and was forced to dig in.<ref name="Playfair341"/>

On 2 July, Rommel ordered the resumption of the offensive. Once again, 90th Light failed to make progress so Rommel called the ''Afrika Korps'' to abandon its planned sweep southward and instead join the effort to break through to the coast road by attacking east toward Ruweisat Ridge. The British defence of Ruweisat Ridge relied on an improvised formation called "Robcol", comprising a regiment each of field artillery and light anti-aircraft artillery and a company of infantry. Robcol—in line with normal British Army practice for ''ad hoc'' formations—was named after its commander, Brigadier Robert Waller, the Commander Royal Artillery of the 10th Indian Infantry Division.<ref name="Mac582">{{harvnb|Mackenzie|1951|p=582}}.</ref> Robcol was able to buy time, and by late afternoon the two British armoured brigades joined the battle with 4th Armoured Brigade engaging the 15th Panzer Division and 22nd Armoured Brigade and the 21st Panzer Division respectively.<ref>{{harvnb|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Gleave|2004|pp=342–343}}.</ref> They drove back repeated attacks by the Axis armour, who then withdrew before dusk. The British reinforced Ruweisat on the night of 2 July. The now enlarged Robcol became "Walgroup".<ref name="Mac582"/> Meanwhile, the Royal Air Force (RAF) made heavy air attacks on the Axis units.<ref>{{harvnb|Barr|2005|p=88}}.</ref>

The next day, 3 July, Rommel ordered the ''Afrika Korps'' to resume its attack on the Ruweisat ridge with the [[Italian XX Motorised Corps]] on its southern flank. [[Italian X Corps]], meanwhile were to hold El Mreir. By this stage the ''Afrika Korps'' had only 26 operational tanks.<ref name="Playfair343">{{harvnb|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Gleave|2004|p=343}}.</ref> There was a sharp armoured exchange south of Ruweisat ridge during the morning and the main Axis advance was held.<ref name="Playfair343"/> On 3 July, the RAF flew 780 sorties.{{efn|During the period 1 to 27 June the Desert Air Force flew nearly 15,400 sorties.<ref>{{harvnb|Playfair|Flynn|Molony|Gleave|2004|p=335}}.</ref> Auchinleck later wrote in his official despatches "...Our air forces could not have done more than they did to help and sustain the Eighth Army in its struggle. Their effort was continuous by day and night, and the effect on the enemy was tremendous. I am certain that, had it not been for their devoted and exceptional efforts, we should not have been able to stop the enemy on the El Alamein position."<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=38177 |date=13 January 1948 |page=367|supp=y}}</ref>}}

To relieve the pressure on the right and centre of the Eighth Army line, XIII Corps on the left advanced from the Qattara box (known to the New Zealanders as the Kaponga box). The plan was that the New Zealand 2nd Division—with the remains of Indian 5th Division and 7th Motor Brigade under its command—would swing north to threaten the Axis flank and rear.<ref name="Mac582"/> This force encountered the [[132nd Armored Division "Ariete"|132nd Armoured Division "Ariete"]]'s artillery, which was driving on the southern flank of the division as it attacked Ruweisat. The Italian commander ordered his battalions to fight their way out independently but the ''Ariete'' lost 531 men (about 350 were prisoners), 36 pieces of artillery, six (or eight?) tanks, and 55 trucks.<ref name="Mitcham113">{{harvnb|Mitcham|2007|p=113}}</ref> By the end of the day, the ''Ariete'' Division had only five tanks.<ref>Walker.I, (2003), p.141</ref> The day ended once again with the ''Afrika Korps'' and ''Ariete'' coming off second best to the superior numbers of the British 22nd Armoured and 4th Armoured Brigades,{{efn|The two British armoured brigades started on 3 July with a total strength of 119 tanks<ref name= "Playfair343"/>}} frustrating Rommel's attempts to resume his advance.<ref>{{harvnb|Barr|2005|p=92}}.</ref> The RAF once again played its part, flying 900 sorties during the day.<ref name= "Playfair343"/>

To the south, on 5 July the New Zealand group resumed its advance northwards towards El Mreir intending to cut the rear of the ''Ariete'' Division. Heavy fire from the Italian [[27th Infantry Division "Brescia"]] at El Mreir, however, {{cvt|5|mi|km}} north of the Qattara box, checked their progress and led XIII Corps to call off its attack.<ref name="Mitcham113"/>