http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/nov42/f04nov42.htm
Axis defeated at El Alamein
Wednesday, November 4, 1942 www.onwar.com
Axis retreat from El Alamein [photo at link]
In North Africa... Battle of El Alamein. The British 10th Corps (Armored) reaches open ground. Heavy fighting with the Italian Ariete, German 90th Light and even German headquarters units leads to great losses on the Axis side. They break off to retreat. German General Von Thoma is captured while leading an advance. During the night, while Rommel’s forces are retreating to Fuka, the British 8th Army does not follow despite orders from General Montgomery to do so. The battle as been a great success for the British as they have taken 30,000 Axis prisoners, over 1000 guns and the remain of 450 tanks. The once proud German divisions are to regimental level strength and the Italian formations are destroyed. The victory has a cost however, 13,500 British and Commonwealth casualties, 150 tanks destroyed and 300 damaged.
In the Solomon Islands... On Guadalcanal, American forces land in regimental strength at Aola, 25 miles east of the main American position. They bring engineers to attempt to build a second airstrip on the island. This idea has been dismissed as futile by local commanders because of the difficult terrain. They are correct. Raiders from this landing move out in an attempt to connect with the main position.
From London... The first meeting of the Cabinet Anti-U-boat Warfare Committee. Prime Minister Churchill is the Chairman. Other members include the service chiefs, government ministers and scientists from the fields of radar and operational research. This single decision making body gives the Allies a great advantage for the sharing of information and operational planning and is representative of the type of working relationship which the two nations have built for the war effort.
In the Mediterranean... 19 German and 21 Italian submarines begin to patrol around Gibraltar due to the increase of Allied shipping traffic in preparation for Operation Torch. They will achieve some success, but 6 submarines will be sunk and the destination of the transports will not be discovered.