According to a report published in The Evening News (a military newspaper), the last news of the action when a column of 25 Afrika Corps tanks and troops attacked the position came from a wounded colonel who said, "I'm afraid this is the last time I shall speak to you. They are right on top of my headquarters now." Then came the voice of a Sikh signaller, who said, "This is the last message, sahib. I am breaking the instrument."

Those listening at Brigade headquarters could do nothing to help. They heard only the distant rat-a-tat-tat of machineguns gradually dying away. The stand of the Buffs, however, paved the way for the advance of the division. The battalion was in advance of two other battalions, in an exposed position. The first warning of a major attack came from a captured German of the panzer division. "You are going to be attacked this afternoon by 150 tanks."

It seemed impossible that the Germans still had such a number of tanks available. The unit took all possible precautions by bring forward twenty-five pounders and all available anti-tank guns with some tank supports and four point fives to lay down covering fire. The German was not lying. The enemy had prepared an attack intended to crush not only the battalion but the whole brigade preparatory to a major break-through of the line. They opened with a barrage of heavy artillery, more intense than anything they had previously experienced. Then they came, 25 of them, not the 100 reported, but they were of the heaviest type with infantry on their backs armed with Tommy guns and supported by a German regiment brought forward in lorries. Making a two-pronged attack, the tanks were followed by heavy mobile guns. The Buffs and their supporting artillery knocked out eleven tanks beyond hope of recovery; some estimates put the number at fourteen. The defenders stopped the attack from the west cold, but four tanks from the northern prong penetrated the position and desperate fighting followed before the position was overrun. Not one of those who escaped left until the position was in enemy hands.

The action was hard fought and, contrary to all expectations, won by the Buffs because the attack failed. The German losses were heavy. The German commander ordered his units to retire. His infantry regiment had practically ceased to exist; the supporting artillery also suffered heavily. The stand gave the division time to mount counter attack and advance well beyond the position formerly held by the Buffs.

After sailing the long way round, via Cape Horn, Harry Bloomer landed in Suez in 1942 and, following a posting to Cairo, was sent to an officer cadet training unit (OCTU) in Palestine. He returned to duty in Egypt a full lieutenant. He has written his own full account of his service. It would be merely repetitious to recount in detail here. In June 1953, he was awarded the M.B.E. and travelled to London with his wife and infant daughter to receive it from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He resigned his commission in October 1953 and retired to Dublin to live with his family. Harry was an active member of the Hibernian old boys and attended all its reunions, including the bicentenary event held in Dublin in 1969 (see the posting The bicentenary Reunion).