4 November 1942 fighting at El Alamein

An attack started at 1:30am when the 5th Indian Brigade broke the enemy screen in the south, missing the enemy strength in the north. The 5th Indian Brigade was able to reach the Rahman track "on a four mile front". At dawn, the attack by a battalion, the7/Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was successful. They captured an enemy headquarters. As a result, the enemy defenses were described as "collapsing".
The 1st Armoured Division moved to the northwest to fight "the last engagement with German armor at El Alamein." The 8th Armoured Brigade pushed west, but was stopped at Tel el Aqqaqir. The 7th Armoured Division  crossed the Rahman track, hit the Italian XX Corps and defeated them. The Ariete Division was part of XX Corps.
The 4th Light Armoured Brigade pushed through at Tel el Aqqaqir. The units designated to participate in chasing the enemy traveled through minefield tracks "into the open". They included the New Zealand Division and the Highland Division and other smaller units. It was about midday that General von Thoma walked into the British lines and surrendered. He was the German Africa Corps commander. He had essentially given up, which was why he had surrendered. We know that from other sources.
The 8th Armoured Brigade had been ordered to move forward to Daba during the night. They wanted them to be there by dawn. During the night, the Royal Dragoons and 4th/6th South Africans (armored cars) had reached Fuka and were causing the enemy a lot of trouble by taking prisoners and doing damage.
By 5:30pm, Rommel had ordered a "general" retreat. That ended the battle at El Alamein. The 90th Light Division and 164th Division survivors, along with what was left of the German armored divisions, had escaped in the north. Because of Hitler's order, Rommel's plan to pull out the Italians, was circumvented and they were left behind to surrender. The Australians in the north found that enemy forces were holding a position about a mile to the west. This is based on the account in Vol.III of the Australian Official History.