amento ▁Male tt i ▁at ▁N ib ei wa ▁camp ▁and ▁the ▁L X III ▁and ▁XX ▁Light ▁T ank ▁batt al ions , ▁with ▁the ▁XX I ▁Corps ▁H Q , ▁were ▁still ▁in ▁Egypt . ▁The ▁five ▁fort ified ▁cam ps ▁from ▁the ▁coast ▁to ▁the ▁esc arp ment ▁were ▁well ▁def ended ▁but ▁too ▁far ▁apart ▁for ▁over la pping ▁fields ▁of ▁fire ▁and ▁the ▁def enders ▁re lied ▁on ▁ground ▁and ▁air ▁pat rol s ▁to ▁link ▁the ▁cam ps ▁and ▁watch ▁the ▁British . ▁The ▁camp ▁at ▁N ib ei wa ▁was ▁a ▁rectangle ▁about ▁, ▁with ▁a ▁bank ▁and ▁an ▁anti - t ank ▁d itch . ▁M ines ▁had ▁been ▁laid ▁but ▁at ▁the ▁north - west ▁corner , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁gap ▁in ▁the ▁mine field ▁for ▁delivery ▁l or ries ▁and ▁a ▁British ▁night ▁reconna issance ▁found ▁the ▁entrance . ▁ ▁A ▁lack ▁of ▁Italian ▁air – ground ▁co - operation ▁was ▁explo ited ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁to ▁attack ▁N ib ei wa ▁camp ▁from ▁the ▁rear , ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁Brigade ▁Group ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Indian ▁Division ▁and ▁the ▁Mat ilda ▁inf antry ▁t anks ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Royal ▁T ank ▁Regiment ▁( 7 th ▁R TR ). ▁Italian ▁air ▁reconna issance ▁sp otted ▁British ▁vehicle ▁movements ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁but ▁Male tt i ▁was ▁apparently ▁not ▁informed . ▁On ▁ 8 ▁January , ▁Male tt i ▁alert ed ▁the ▁nearby ▁ 2 nd ▁Lib yan