Ian Paterson also tells the story of events, starting on 2 December 1941

One Ian Paterson's "Battles 1941" page, he also tells the story about events that comments on 2 December 1941. He says that the Germans had decided by then to withdraw from the Tobruk seige and to abandon their garrisons on the frontier. From Brazen Chariots, it seems that the Germans may have made one last attempt to rescue their troops on the frontier, given that Robert Crisp saw the force heading east. Ian says that the German withdrawal only started on 5 December, and was a well-conducted operation, not a rout. I estimate the 2 December 1941 was the 16th day of Operation Crusader, which is the way that Robert Crisp generally speaks of the date in Brazen Chariots.