By mid-June 1941, after a period of recuperation and leave, Manahi had returned to the Māori Battalion, which had undergone a reorganisation following the campaign in Greece and Crete. It was now training for desert warfare and constructing defensive positions around the Baggush Box, about west of El Alamein. During this time he participated in a divisional swimming competition, winning the freestyle race. In November he, along with the rest of the division, participated in Operation Crusader. After crossing the Egyptian border into Libya, this involved near-constant fighting for well over a month, during which Manahi, with two others, captured and commandeered a German tank which had become stuck in B Company's trenches. He drove the tank during an engagement with elements of the 21st Panzer Division on 26 November, helping capture an enemy field gun. In early 1942, the New Zealanders were withdrawn to Syria for a period of rest and garrison duty.