I don't know because I do know that with the right actions, Monty would have let them go. Monty inherited an army in the desert that had almost achieved victory and he managed to almost let that victory slip away from him. The fact that it didn't was more a sign of how desperate things were for the Germans rather than any real ability on his part. He was too cautious and didn't follow up when he should. In sort Monty only became famous in the desert war because he came in at the right time...