Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 99/397

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ARMY HISTORICAL RESEARCH

2,260 missing in action, a total of 13,560. Interestingly Montgomery had suggested that the butcher’s bill for the breakout would be in the order of 13,000. Conclusion The part played by the Engineers of the British, Allied and Commonwealth formations may not have been spectacular but it was an essential element in the victory at El Alamein. The Engineers had broken the stalemate of the minefields by perfecting gapping techniques, and whilst the clearing of mines had remained hazardous there were superlative examples of planning, technique, courage and resourcefulness in action. 38 The main task of the Engineers of the 8th Army was to make the necessary gaps to enable the armour to get to its dominant positions, and this was achieved despite all the delays and hiccups that occurred during the course of the ‘Lightfoot’ breakout. The fact that Kisch and his Sappers overcame the problem at all, was in itself a major success. The thorough preparation of both the defences, then of the lane-gapping through a complex of differing minefields was an essential element of work for all Sappers. However, the work had been a great strain on the personnel employed. At a conference held on 5th November, the 8th Army Commander spoke of the ‘magnificent work’ of the Engineers in clearing gaps through the minefields, permitting the advance of the armour. Mine clearance was absolutely fundamental to the success of the battle. Considering the extent and nature of the operation in which some 6,600 Sappers were singularly employed on that one task, the casualties in the minefield gapping units were considered not to be excessive. 39 Without doubt, the fighting at El Alamein provided some extremely useful lessons: The mine clearance / gapping evolved by the Sappers before and after the breakout from the Alamein Line, became the bases of the methodology of Mine Warfare. It demonstrated definitively the benefits of the skilled use of the Polish Mine Detector. It showed, despite some problems, the usefulness of Matilda tanks as ‘Scorpions’ with a flail attachment, which was the commencement of future armoured Engineer vehicles.. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to acknowledge the very sterling assistance by the Editor, Andrew Cormack in the preparation of this article. 38 J. Sadler, El Alamein: the story of the battle in the words of the soldiers (Stroud: Amberley, 2012), p. 194. 39 No specific figures appear to have been compiled for those casualties suffered by the mine- clearing units operating during the battle, though it is likely that the estimate of 20 loses per unit was correct.