On return home the soldiers formed the rats of tobruk association. The definitive account of when australias famed rats of tobruk they took on general erwin rommel, the. The boldness of the defenders of tobruk raised morale in the countries of the british empire and commonwealth. This site is dedicated to those who fought at tobruk. The siege started on 10th april 1941 and was relieved at the end of november when australian forces were withdrawn. The army rats of tobruk, looked up to these ran officers and men, who supported them under the most arduous conditions you will never hear a rat of tobruk army say anything bad about our navy. What you need to know about the siege of tobruk imperial war. In time it became italy s primary stronghold guarding the eastern libyan province of cyrenaica. Tobruk was the only deep water port in eastern libya and as a consequence it had been heavily fortified by its former italian garrison. The 9th division was the fourth aif division raised, being formed in. Goebbels referred to the garrison as rats, and they proudly adopted the insult as a title, and became the rats of tobruk. As the australian and british pursued the retreating italians a tank battle took place. The rats of tobruk were soldiers of the australianled allied garrison that held the libyan port.
Rats of tobruk summary the siege lasted 242 days when it eventually ended on the 27th of november 1941. Australians, backed by british artillery and tanks, captured the fortress in the first allied drive through cyrenaica libya, and australian troops, again backed by british artillery, held it against as great odds as have been faced by any garrison in history. The deserts of north africa were an important battleground in world war ii. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of. Their determination, bravery, and humour, combined with the aggressive tactics of their commanders, became a source of inspiration during some of the wars darkest days.
Unit patches during the siege of tobruk 1941 the only 2nd aif division present at tobruk was the 9th division. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. Soldier recalls rat of tobruk days your local examiner. Troops from these countries besieged the allied troops at tobruk. On an armoured patrol into the desert, men of the australian 9th division run into an italian patrol. Descendants of the rats of tobruk association inc website. The tanks in the italian column are in fact m48 pattons. Camillo resident robert halls, 98, was a rat of tobruk, a name australian soldiers.
These ships operated under most difficult of conditions, very often under attack by italian and german aircraft theirs was no easy task. The siege of tobruk started on the 10th of april 1941 when the first shots were exchanged with the axis. In so doing, they achieved lasting fame as the rats of tobruk. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film about the siege, focusing upon. The ring of strongposts which the italians built around tobruk is about 26. The rats who returned to melbourne formed as association which has branches in every state as well as in the united kingdom. Italy a german ally had occupied libya, right next to egypt where the british were heavily ensconced. By 1911, tobruk had become an italian military post, but during world war ii, allied forces, mainly the australian 6th division, took tobruk on. So up the derne road we go, leaving tobruk behind us, jerry frying instead of us. The rats of tobruk were soldiers of the australianled allied garrison that held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii. As libya forges ahead with a very modern struggle, 6. Rats of tobruk home tribute is a tribute to the rats of tobruk, who fought in tobruk, during the siege of tobruk, of 241 days from april 10 to december 1941.
After the defenders of the stronghold were dismissed in nazi propaganda as rats in a trap, they soon started calling themselves the rats of tobruk. For eight long months in 1941 around 14,000 australian soldiers were surrounded in the libyan port city by a german italian army commanded by gen erwin rommel. Over the centuries, tobruk also served as a waystation along the coastal caravan route. In late 1940, the allies had defeated the italian 10th army during operation compass 9 december 1940 9 february 1941 and trapped the remnants at beda. Jacks, directed by robert wise, that stars richard burton, james mason, and robert newton. The name resounded in headlines throughout the british empire. The siege of tobruk 1941 the following text is transcribed from awm file of research no 581, dated 24 april 1958 tobruk, like gallipoli, is a name that means much in the war annals of australia. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Because the tobruk garrison is forced to dig in under constant bombardment, the nazi propagandist lord haw haw declared they were caught like rats in a trap. Controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean.
The siege started on 11 april 1941 and was relieved on 10 december. These include bardia and tobruk, beda fomm, rommels first attack. Voluntary research to add all rats of tobruk onto the rot national database. The defenders of tobruk did not surrender, they did not retreat. Australian rats of tobruk lz click here to view list. The siege started on 11 april 1941, when tobruk was attacked by an italogerman force under lieutenant general erwin rommel, and continued for 240 days up to 27 november 1941, when it was relieved by the allied 8th army during. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. During world war 2, more than 14,000 australians fought at tobruk libya, during the historic 242 day siege. The germans conquered all before them but tobruk held out against rommel and stood in the way of his advance towards egypt and the suez canal. Wikimedia commons has media related to rats of tobruk memorial the replica memorial is based on the 1941 memorial in the tobruk war cemetery, built by australian soldiers during the siege, which has since been destroyed. We are working to produce a tribute for all rats to be presented to awm and other organisations for the 80th anniversary of the siege of tobruk and also to association descendants. Action packed war epic about a group of british commandos who find themselves trapped behind enemy lines after the german afrika korps smash through the allied defenses in north africa.
Incorporated into the memorial is the original inscription stone, the only surviving relic of that memorial, and at one time a front step of the tobruk post office. The rats of tobruk some of the 15,000 men of general morsheads 9th australian division shelter in caves during an air raid during the siege of tobruk. Rats of tobruk libya ww2 second world war 1939 1945. Tobruk 75th anniversary edition peter fitzsimons on. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The siege of tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between axis and allied forces in north africa during the western desert campaign of the second world war. The rats of tobruk the experiences of australians during ww2. The rats of tobruk were soldiers of the garrison that held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during and after the siege of tobruk in world war ii.
The rats of tobruk, a name adopted by australian soldiers who were at the siege of tobruk. Tobruk was important because it was the best deep water harbour in north africa between egypt and libya, so tobruk is a really big story. During 8 long months of moonless nights, the tobruk garrison was surrounded by german and italian. On 35 january 1941, the italian positions were attacked and bardia was captured. In august 1941, one australian brigade was evacuated by sea, with the remainder of the 9th australian imperial force division leaving in september and october 1941. Like gallipoli and kokoda, the siege of tobruk is an iconic battle in australias military history. On 1 2 may 1941 the germand italian forces attacked en masse the australian positions protecting the libyan port of tobruk. The rats of tobruk continue to hold a very special place within the ranks of returned servicemen, particularly in australia, where there is the rats of tobruk. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. Those who served there became known as the rats of tobruk, socalled. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii.
The port continued to be held by the allies until its surrender on 21 june 1942. Vietnam veterans day anzac day family archives remembrance day the rats of tobruk association rsl funeral services. It was no picnic, we were in bunkers made by italians. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk.
The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 1 on aso australias audio and. This was an adf pr video extolling the values of the australian defence forces. The tobruk defenders endured regular attacks by enemy bombers and stukas but tried to make the best of it. This photograph taken in august 1941 shows the rats of tobruk some of the 15,000 men of the 9th. The city is beautifully situated along its ushaped harbour, between the encroaching sands of the sahara from the south and lively mediterranean waves from the north. Modern soldier inside tobruk australian troops 1941. On 22 january 1941, a joint force of british, australian, and indian troops captured the libyan port city of tobruk making it the only alliedheld city in axiscontrolled territory. Tobruk was the site of an ancient greek colony and, later, of a roman fortress guarding the frontier of cyrenaica. The famous story of the rats of tobruk and the ships that supplied them in ww2, as told by the rats themselves.
The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. Tomorrow marks the 77th anniversary of the day the eighth army finally made contact with the besieged rats of tobruk in operation crusader, effectively marking the end of the siege. German troops lead by general erwin rommel had arrived in libya to reinforce their italian allies. See more ideas about ww2, north africa, world war two. Welcome to the rats of tobruk associations facebook page around 14,000 australians were in tobruk during the siege. Allies surrender at tobruk, libya on this day in 1942, general erwin rommel turns his assault on the britishallied garrison at tobruk, libya, into victory, as his panzer division occupies the. The desert rats is a 1953 american blackandwhite war film from 20th century fox, produced by robert l. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the. In late 1940, the allies had defeated the italian 10th army during operation. Eight months later these heroic, gallant, determined rats of tobruk were rescued by the british navy having held the fort against the might of rommels neverbefore defeated afrika corps.
Where is tobruk and why was it so important in 1941. Fierce fighting and heroism from allied infantry and support troops alike had the may show go into the history books as one of their finest hours. A parallel can also be drawn between tobruk and milne bay. The victorian state branch decided to form a pipe band as a living memorial to the soldiers who died at tobruk and to keep alive the proud name the rats of tobruk. In the 20th century, the italians set about fortifying tobruk s harbour and constructing an extensive outer defensive perimeter to ward off further landward attacks. View map of north africa this is a large file and may take some time to download.