 The Australians closed up to Giovanni Berta on 1 February but the Italians eluded them by the speed of their withdrawal.O'Connor had intended to pause while supplies were built up around Mechili and wait for parts of the new 2nd Armoured Division to arrive.The failure to trap the 10th Army led O'Connor to ignore the lack of supplies and the decrepitude of the 40 serviceable cruisers and tanks.