 On 23 December the water carrier Myriel arrived at Sallum with 3 @,@ 000 tons of water , while the monitor HMS Terror brought another 200 tons . The water was taken to storage tanks at Fort Capuzzo . Efforts were made to stock 8 Field Supply Depot with seven days ' supply of fuel and stores , and 500 rounds per gun of ammunition . The effort to do so proceeded satisfactorily despite Italian air raids and blinding sand storms . Last @-@ minute efforts were made to rectify the 6th Division 's remaining equipment shortages . Over the last few days before the battle , some 95 additional vehicles were obtained , of which 80 were assigned to hauling ammunition . A consignment of 11 @,@ 500 sleeveless leather jerkins for protection against the cold and barbed wire were distributed , as were 350 sets of captured Italian wire cutters . The 17th Infantry Brigade finally received its 3 @-@ inch mortars but found them lacking their sights . An officer dashed back to Cairo to obtain these in time . Some 300 pairs of gloves and 10 @,@ 000 yards ( 9 @,@ 100 m ) of marking tape arrived with only hours to go . The gloves were distributed , but the tape did not reach the 16th Infantry Brigade in time , so rifle cleaning flannelette was torn into strips and used instead . 
