I WAS interested in the two articles on the Battle of Alamein, and have a slightly different view of the time of the barrage and the "stalling" of the Miteiriya Ridge.

I was an infantry man supporting the 3rd Hussars making up the 9th Armoured Brigade, and, on October 23, 60 years ago, I was in a line of tanks waiting for a gap in the minefield being made by the "secret weapon" -- Sherman tanks fitted with a revolving drum, which had chains attached to beat the ground. Our battle orders were to take the Miteiriya Ridge and hold it.

While waiting orders to move through the gap in the minefield, I was near a command vehicle and heard the 10pm time signal on the radio, when hundreds of guns opened up simultaneously firing overhead. We moved forward overnight and the object of taking the Miteiriya Ridge was successful, and, at dawn on October 24, I was digging in on the top of the ridge.

For 10 days we had skirmishes over the ridge, and, on November 1, the Army commander had a special task for the 9th Armoured Brigade -- it was to be the final breakthrough and must be successful. We were warned to expect 50 per cent casualties, but he was prepared to accept 100 per cent.

In the early hours of November 2, a terrific barrage was let loose and the tanks moved ahead of me through a narrow gap in the minefield and spread out in a huge arc ahead of my position. The enemy turned guns from both flanks, attacking our tanks from three sides. There was a hint of withdrawal, but then, what I considered the turning point of the battle, was when a squadron of RAF bombers rained bombs on the positions in front of us. They came in waves every 15 minutes, and this enabled our tanks to get behind the enemy lines and a ding-dong battle continued for several hours, with tanks going up in flames and crews scrambling out. At last a complete breakthrough was accomplished and the enemy was on the run.

The 9th Armoured Brigade was withdrawn from the chase, and it was said that about 180 tanks led the attack and about 20 survived, with many disabled. So many lives were lost that a memorial service was held in Cairo. My infantry unit subsequently moved to Baghdad, where I learned to drive.

G Langdon

Winsford Grove

Bolton