The situation of the 2/24th and 2/48th Battalions on 31 October 1941

As we saw, the 2/24th Battalion was withdrawn. The same was true of the 2/48th Battalion. Lt-Col. Hammer had withdrawn his survivors to the base at the Saucer. Once there, they dug in "just to the east of the 2/32nd Battalion. In their battle, they had taken some 200 prisoners, all of them German. As far back as 23 October, the battalion had 30 officers and "656 other ranks".
During this operation, the 9th Australian Division had taken 544 prisoners, mostly German but also some Italian. While the infantry had fought hard, the medical staff had been overworked. The wounded were brought to the Blockhouse in the Saucer.  The German medical staff worked alongside the Australians.
Welcome reinforcements in the form of a Rhodesian anti-tank unit had arrived and were assigned to support the 2/32nd Battalion. In the next morning, more anti-tank guns and gunners arrived. They were Australian anti-tank gunners and guns.
The Pioneers had been waiting for orders. The commander then asked for orders, and received orders to attack after the scheduled time to attack. One company that was to move the farthest was sent off shortly before dawn, with little time remaining. The Pioneers were to advance and then dig-in. The Pioneers were stuck without any communication equipment. They were in need of artillery support, but had no way to call it in. The Pioneers were sitting in a saucer with no supporting weapons, being fired on from three sides, perhaps.
After the 26th Brigade attack, Rommel had realized that they would not be able to hold the El Alamein position and that they would need to withdraw to Fuka. Late pm 30 October, Rommel expected a British "breakthrough" and would try to meet it to give his infantry time to withdraw. The Axis forces had received more fuel, so Rommel told the 21st Armored Division that they would need to be "mobile" by the next morning and should "hand-over" to the Italian Trieste Division.
The 90th Light Division had formed a defensive line. The attack by the 2/24th and 2/48th Battalions had also hit the 90th Light Division forces. An Italian light artillery unit was also hit and "overrun". Rommel got a message saying that 30 British tanks had moved forward to the main road. Rommel set up a command post near the Sidi Abd el Rahman mosque. This is based on the account in Vol.III of the Australian Official History.