Counterattacks against the Australians on 29 October 1942

During the late morning on 29 October 1942 in the Second El Alamein battle, two enemy counterattacks were sent at the Australians defending Trig 29. The attacks both had a mix of tanks and infantry. The afternoon attack was more serious. The attack lasted for some 45 minutes. The Australians managed to beat off both attacks, but lost six anti-tank guns in the process. Another attack was launched at about 5pm against the "juncture of 2/15th and 2/17th Battalions. The attack continued until it became dark. The attacks were countered by artillery fire, which was helped by Captain Dinning having positioned himself in an observation post on Trig 29 without much cover. The Australians could observe the heavy casualties suffered by the enemy attackers. "As the light faded", the Australians could see the enemy digging in up to a mile from the Australian front lines. Right after midnight, the enemy tried another attack against the two Australian battalions. The 2/17th aid staion was later visited by a truck with Italian wounded driven by an Italian officer. They had a full set of wounded, already, from the 2/15th Battalion.

The enemy made some more attacks before they eventually ceased attacking the 2/15th and 2/17th Battalions. Australian training in "quick and thorough consolidation" along with excellent artillery support had countered the Germans. The Germans tended to counterattack "quickly rather than deliberately". The Australian historian ventured the opinion that the German "quick attacks" would never succeed, while a "deliberate set-piece operation" would have been successful. This is based on the account in Vol.III of the Australian Official History.