<P> An Italian division was to attack the Alamein box from the west and another was to follow the 90th Light Division . The Italian XX Corps was to follow the Afrika Korps and deal with the Qattara box while the 133rd Armoured Division Littorio and German reconnaissance units would protect the right flank . Rommel had planned to attack on 30 June but supply and transport difficulties had resulted in a day's delay, vital to the defending forces reorganising on the Alamein line . On 30 June, the 90th Light Division was still 15 miles (24 km) short of its start line, 21st Panzer Division was immobilised through lack of fuel and the promised air support had yet to move into its advanced airfields . </P> <P> 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 . 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 . </P> <P> At about 10: 00 on 1 July, 21st Panzer Division attacked Deir el Shein . 18th Indian Infantry Brigade--supported by 23 25 - pounder gun - howitzers, 16 of the new 6 - pounder anti-tank guns and nine Matilda tanks--held out the whole day in desperate fighting but by evening the Germans succeeded in over-running them . The time they bought allowed Auchinleck to organise the defence of the western end of Ruweisat Ridge . 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 . </P> <P> 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 . </P>

Battle of el alamein where did it take place