1942 First attack by British at El Alamein
With Operation Lightfoot, Montgomery hoped to cut two corridors through the Axis minefields in the north. Armour would then pass through and defeat the German armour. Diversionary attacks in the south would keep the rest of the Axis forces from moving northwards. Montgomery expected a twelve-day battle in three stages - "The break-in, the dog-fight and the final break of the enemy."
-http://www.campusprogram.com/reference/en/wikipedia/s/se/second_battle_of_el_alamein.html