Changes

==Miteiriya==

==Miteiriya==

General Auchinleck is determined to retain the initiative and orders another two brigade-sized attacks on the night of 26/27 July, planning to push through the supposedly weak Italian defences. However, the Australian attack against Miteiriya Ridge meets unexpected tough resistance from machinegunners and antitank gunners from the ''Trento'' and the attack is halted, with an infantry battalion surrounded by armoured cars from the ''Trieste'' with the coming of daylight. Supporting British armour runs into a minefield, and the Australians are forced to surrender. The Australian 2/28th Battalion loses 65 men killed and 490 captured in the attack against the ''Trento'' and ''Trieste'' Divisions.

General Auchinleck is determined to retain the initiative and orders another two brigade-sized attacks on the night of 26/27 July, planning to push through the supposedly demoralized Italian defeders. However, the Australian attack against Miteiriya Ridge meets unexpected tough resistance from machinegunners and antitank gunners from the ''Trento'' and the attack is halted, with an infantry battalion surrounded by armoured cars from the ''Trieste'' with the coming of daylight. Supporting British armour runs into a minefield, and the Australians are forced to surrender to the Italians.<ref>"Assuming that the Italians were demoralized and easy pickings was a mistake, which the 9th Australian Division, the heroes of the defense of Tobruk in 1941, learned to its regret. A night attack against the Trento and Trieste Divisions, after some initial success, was bloodily repulsed, one entire battalion of Australian infantry being overrun." Field Marshal: The Life and Death of Erwin Rommel, Daniel Allen Butler, p. 352, Casemate, 2015</ref>The Australian 2/28th Battalion loses 65 men killed and 490 captured in the attack against the ''Trento'' and ''Trieste'' Divisions.

The 8th Army is now completely exhausted, and by 31 July General Auchinleck orders an end to offensive operations in favour of strengthening the defence lines to be able to meet any future counter-offensive.

The 8th Army is now completely exhausted, and by 31 July General Auchinleck orders an end to offensive operations in favour of strengthening the defence lines to be able to meet any future counter-offensive.

== Notes ==

== Notes ==

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[[Category:World War II Battles]]

[[Category:World War II Battles]]