Enemy Behaviour on 17 December 1941

Polish and 5^th New Zealand Brigades only reluctantly followed the Italian divisions which had been beaten back to Tmimi.

4^th Indian Division did not appear today, the same for the apparently heavily hit 22 Guards Brigade.

70^th (Tobruk) Division can be assumed to be in the area Acroma and west of it.

7^th Armoured Division with 4^th Armoured Brigade and 7^th Rifle Brigade is on the march to Mechili.

A tank column reported at B. Tengeder (probably 7^th Armoured Brigade) made a course west and southwest. Radio intercepts showed that the enemy expected a great success from this undertaking.

Concentration of significant enemy columns in the area of Maddalena.

Air reconnaissance noted 1,300 waggons at the railhead south of Sidi Barrani.