The Mersa defence plan also included an armoured reserve but in its absence Ritchie believed he could organise his infantry to cover the minefields between the defended localities to prevent Axis engineers from having undisturbed access.
Rencana pertahanan Mersa juga termasuk cadangan lapis baja namun dalam ketiadaan Ritchie percaya ia bisa mengatur infanteri untuk menutupi ladang ranjau antara lokalitas membela untuk mencegah insinyur Axis dari memiliki akses terganggu.