The report below was signed off on 2 December, and sent off at 09.55 hours of the same day.

Enemy Behaviour 1 December 1941

7 Armoured Division continued its attacks to relieve 2 New Zealand Division between B. el Chleta and S. Rezegh with 7 Rifle Division, 1 South African Brigade, and 4 Armoured Brigade.

Repulsing the attacks and the destruction of the mass of the New Zealand Division were successful. Only elements could escape southeast, where they were taken in by 1 South African Brigade. Both formations have disengaged and are probablying situated in the area B. Taieb el Esem.

7 Rifle Brigade which primarily attacked with its artillery into the rear of the 21 Panzer Division retreated into the area B. bu Meliha during the evening. Around 15.00 hours the Command of 8^th Army ordered the following line of resistance for 7 Armoured Division: Sherferzen – B. Taieb el Esem – 13km south B. el Gubi. 7 and 22 Armoured Brigades did not enter combat.

11 Hussars were ascertained during the afternoon, advancing west of B. el Hacheim on Ain el Gazala. The Luftwaffe attacked this battalion with good results. KDG and 4 South African Reconnaissance Battalion did not appear. The motorised elements of 7 Indian Brigade situated west of Bardia undertook harassment operations there.

According to reports gathered until now, from 18 November to 1 December 814 tanks and armoured cars were destroyed and 127 planes shot down. The large volume of booty cannot be assessed at this time. The number of POW has risen above 9,000.

Command 8 Army did not succeed in relieving 2 New Zealand Division. It has to be expected that on 2 December no sizeable attack will be carried out towards Tobruk, rather that the mass of the British formations will reorganise and reinforce in the area B. el Gubi, while at the same time attempting to undertake harassment operations around Ain el Gazala and Bardia.