On October 7, 1940, everything was in chaos in Egypt.

On the one hand, there was the fierce battle ahead, with tanks clashing back and forth, firing at each other with artillery, destroying tanks burning on the battlefield, and billowing smoke filling the desert.

The rear was disturbed by the news that the Axis ** team broke through the Mesha Matru line.

In the Egyptian Governor's Palace in Cairo, pale black smoke from the destruction of archival documents burst out of the chimney and soared into the sky. When the people of Cairo saw this, they all thought that it was a signal that the British army was fleeing Egypt. All of a sudden, the train station was crowded with people, all eager to escape from this place of right and wrong.

In Alexandria, the remnants of the Royal Navy's Mediterranean Fleet tried to go to sea to support during the Battle of Mesha Matru, but the submarines of the German and Italian navies cruising near the harbor were too bold, and the Mediterranean Fleet was torpedoed as soon as it went to sea.

El Alamein is located about one hundred and seventy kilometers east of Mesha Matrouh and nearly a hundred kilometers west of Alexandria, the former headquarters of the Mediterranean Fleet.

As the gateway from Libya to Egypt, El Alamein caught the attention of everyone on both sides of the war.

On the night of 5 October, after receiving the bad news that the Eighth Army was about to surrender, Wavell and Wilson searched all of Egypt and even east of the Suez Canal for two days in a row, and urgently cobbled together more than 8,000 troops to send them to El Alamein. In vain attempt to hold this last line of defense.

After receiving reinforcements of more than 8,000 people. Major General Allen, the commander of the defenders of the El Alamein Line, still did not furnish his brow.

The El Alamein Line runs north from the Mediterranean coast. It extends to the Katara Depression in the south to the south, with a total length of about 40 kilometers.

Even with the addition of more than 8,000 people who rushed to help, the total strength of the defenders barely reached 10,000.

On average, every British soldier had to defend a position four meters wide, and there was no depth at all.

Technical weapons such as tanks, anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns and heavy artillery are in great demand, and not only that, but there are also far from sufficient trenches and barbed wire, not to mention the laying of minefields.

Major General Allen's command in the defensive line struggled to figure out the battle plan. On the periphery of the defensive line, thousands of British soldiers braved the scorching sun and scorching heat, sweating profusely, to urgently repair the fortifications in preparation for the upcoming big battle.

Foxholes appeared in the sand, and then they were connected into trenches. Wooden stakes were driven into the sand and then hung with barbed wire.

Just as the British soldiers were in full swing, a frightened shout suddenly came from the section of the defensive line close to the coastal road.

"Alert, alert, there's an army coming."

With shouting, the British officers and soldiers who were under construction on both sides of the road dispersed in a hurry. They jumped into the bunkers that were still under construction, grabbed their weapons and looked at the road to the west.

What caught everyone's eye was a convoy. The convoy dragged a cloud of yellow smoke and dust along the road towards the defensive line.

"Don't fire, it's our people." Another voice shouted.

A captain with two soldiers boldly ran onto the road, waving the red flag in his hand at the speeding convoy in the distance.

Behind them, the British officers and soldiers in the fortifications were still aiming their guns at the uninvited guests.

"I'm Colonel Abbott of the 4th Panzer Brigade, let me go quickly, the Germans are behind us." Colonel Abbott jumped out of the car and shouted to the captain who was in the way.

The captain's quizzing gaze swept over the convoy behind Colonel Abbott.

So little, so miserable! Three or four days ago, the convoy of the Fourth Armored Brigade passed by here and marched mightily towards Mesha Matlu to the west.

There were at least two-thirds of the trucks missing, and there were not a single tank left, which was really tragic enough, and they must have had a big battle with the German tanks to end up like this.

In wartime, there is nothing wrong with being careful, who knows if they are real or fake, I am not familiar with the 4th Armored Brigade again.

The cautious captain, ignoring Colonel Abbott's urging, routinely made a telephone call from his superiors and explained the situation.

Five or six minutes later, Colonel Abbott was taken alone to the post box on duty, and after a few words of confirmation on the phone with his old friend, Major General Allen, the 4th Armored Brigade was finally granted the right of way.

Colonel Albert and Major General Allen breathed a sigh of relief when they met.

Colonel Albert relaxed because he was finally free from the German pursuit; Major General Allen relaxed because the defense against El Alamein had increased by another point, and after a few words of greeting, the two chatted with sorrowful faces about the upcoming big battle.

The false alarm brought by the 4th Armoured Brigade did not last long, and the sea north of El Alamein appeared abnormally again.

Looking at the two fishing boats that were rapidly approaching on the sea, Second Lieutenant Wells, the platoon leader of the 11th British Garrison Company patrolling the shore, hurriedly gave a warning order and sent a signal to the two trawlers to ask about their identities.

The answer from the other side was simple and straightforward, and a British officer wearing a steel helmet with a pot lid and an earthy yellow military uniform stood at the bow of the ship and waved the rice flag in his hand back and forth to Wells on the shore.

As Ensign Wells hesitated, the two trawlers had rushed straight to shore, and the passengers on board jumped off the boat, waving their flags at Ensign Wells and walking towards Ensign Wells' position.

"Don't move, lay down your arms." Second Lieutenant Wells shouted as he picked up a megaphone rolled up in tin sheets.

The captain officer at the head shouted: "We are escaping from the city of Mesha Matru, do not shoot." ”

Under his orders, more than forty British soldiers obediently laid down their weapons and were subsequently surrounded by Wells's men.

After collecting the opponent's weapons, Second Lieutenant Wells walked up to the British captain led by him and asked, "You escaped from the city of Mesha Matru?" ”

"Yes."

Twenty minutes later, in the square outside the headquarters of the El Alamein Line.

"I'm Brian. Captain Mills, Captain of the Guards Company at the port of Mesha Matru. On the night of October 5, when I heard the news of the surrender to the Germans and Italians, I and my men stole two trawlers and escaped, intending to flee to Alexandria. General, can you give me some gas, or lend us a couple of cars, and let us go to Alexandria. "Captain Mills honestly explained who he and his men were and where they came from.

Hearing Captain Mills' Scottish English, Major General Allen was half convinced by Captain Mills' words.

After asking Captain Mills a few more questions, Captain Mills replied completely dispelling Major General Allen's suspicions.

"You're here just in time, I'm in need of manpower here, so don't go." Ignoring Captain Mills' constipated expression, Major General Allen said categorically.

A little more than 30 minutes later, three trucks carrying Captain Mills and his men appeared at Mai Celya Ridge in the middle of the El Alamein Line, and were subsequently assigned to Major Glenn, a flintlock infantry battalion in Manchester City.

After reporting to Major Glenn, Captain Mills and his men joined the roaring construction army. (To be continued......)