In 1943, the 3rd army tank battalion was equipped with a squadron of australian built. The conditions in the siege of tobruk war were desert, rubble, rocks and dust repeated ground assaults were coming from bombs and shells that had gone off all around the area during the fight, which subjected the australians to fight in a harsh dusty place were war was taking place. As war breaks out in europe in 1939, three friends droving cattle in australia decide to join up. The war in north africa, the mediterranean and the middle east. Commemorating one of the first major battles that australia fought in world war ii, the rats of tobruk 1941 special exhibition is on display in the canberra memorial until. The rats of tobruk the experiences of australians during ww2. The job of the reconnaissance patrol was to gather information and, if possible, to secure prisoners for identification. The germans called them the rats of tobruk always digging in the ground and urged them to come out and fight. Fighting through incredible heat, cold, thirst and hunger with unmistakable bravery, determination and passion 2011 marks the 70th anniversary of the battle of tobruk. Remembering the rats of tobruk harry ross sutherland, from the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division, recounts his experience while deployed in the libyan port of tobruk in 1941. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel. Siege of tobruk the siege of tobruk took place in the western desert of north africa in 1941 at the height of the second world war. This battle primarily involved the australian 9th infantry division, as well as british artillery.
A controversial new history of the heroic yearlong siege where british and australian desert rats held out against rommels afrika korps. Dec 26, 2018 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. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. Unofficial rats of tobruk medal the australian war memorial. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on. By 1941, theyre with the 9th division of the australian infantry force, fighting italians and nazis in north africa. Between april and august 1941, some 35,000 allies, including around 14,000 australian soldiers, were besieged in tobruk by a germanitalian army commanded. Controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean. Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime. Tobruk 1967 in order to slow rommels advance on the suez canal, a group of allied soldiers cross the libyan desert to destroy enemy fuel reserves and stop tanks dead in their tracks. Tells the story of three menbluey, a tough two fisted drover taylor, milo, a laconic dingo trapper rafferty, and pete, an intellectual english new chum finch.
For 8 months at tobruk in 1941, 15,000 australians and 8,000 british and indian troops held a german army 7 times their number and 7 times their armor. The rats of tobruk may not be charles chauvels best movie, but it deserves serious consideration as his best movie about war which is to argue that it is in some ways superior to his more famous and betterloved forty thousand horsemen 1940, made four years earlier. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m. Australian forces successfully held tobruk against heavy fire from axis troops for 250 days, and the battle has been cited as a turning point in the war in north africa. Tobruk is a 1967 american technicolor drama war film directed by arthur hiller and starring rock hudson and george peppard.
Captured german and italian weaponry was used throughout filming. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 opens on a pastoral scene lowing herds roaming over the gently rolling hills of australia, whips cracking, and on the background soundtrack a male chorus singing an outback song. He joined the rats of tobruk in 2008 his first pipe band after meeting the drum corps when they played at his uncle albert donalds funeral service. Rat of tobruk dennis davis on surviving war, heartbreak and finding love again when dennis davis was fighting on the battlefield of tobruk, he. The battle started on 11 april 1941, when tobruk was besieged by an italian and nazi german force commanded by lieutenant general erwin rommel. Siege of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Story of the rats of tobruk, the australian force who, in 1941, withstood a monthslong battering siege by the german edwin rommels forces to retain possession. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. The battle of tobruk, in which a small british force composing primarily of australians, nicknamed the rats of tobruk, held tobruk while surviving waves of axis forces, is the most significant to australia. Joanne klein is collecting photos and records of ww11 rats of to bruk 14,000 plus for the rota of victoria so they can preserve their history. Siege of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. The siege continued for 240 days up to 27 november 1941. 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. It ended in a stalemate, and it cost rommel 33,000 men and most of his tanks. Operation crusader was launched on november 18 to december 30 to achieve what battle axe failed to do. This discovery had been made on the site last week by a documentary team from the history program war junk just days before the. Celebrating prezis teacher community for teacher appreciation week. Around the edge is rats of tobruk 1941 in raised letters. Curators notes the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australia. They were called rats, a term that the australian soldiers embraced as an ironic compliment.
Italy a german ally had occupied libya, right next to egypt where the british were heavily ensconced. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free youtube. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character, and peter finch is the uppercrust englishman. The allies marching and singing were off to see the wizard was neat as was the german announcer naming the allies the fighting rats of tobruk, which was deemed a badge of honor by the allies. In april 1941, german field marshal erwin rommel made its capture the main objective of his first offensive in north africa. Rats are one of the most prominent survivors on earth and the soldiers acted the same. Albert donald was a member of alex dutharts drum corps with dalziel highlanders winning the world championship drumming title in 1953 and also played with shotts before moving to australia. This battle was fought in the north part of africa and it was important because it was home of an important harbor, the countries involved were australia, united kingdom, india, poland, czechoslovakia, germany and italy. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. Horsemen is a more entertaining and better constructed film, fully deserving of its place in the australian pantheon. 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.
Grant taylor bluey donkin, peter finch peter linton, chips rafferty milo trent, pauline garrick kate carmody, mary gay sister mary ellis, george wallace barber of tobruk, joe valli northumberland fusilier. Richard burton did a fine hollywood based film, desert rats, about the same siege at tobruk and chips rafferty had a featured role in that. Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie. Rats of tobruk thieves in the night convict creations. Fighting rats of tobruk 1951 soldiers chips rafferty, grant taylor, peter finch of the australian and new zealand army corps hold off the nazis for months. The deserts of north africa were an important battleground in world war ii. Lego wwii north africa siege of tobruk brick fiesta 2018 duration.
Their story is based on the siege of the libyan city of tobruk in north africa by rommels afrika korps. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime legendsthe rats of tobruk. The story follows a trio of characters as they head off to fight rommel on north africa. Available on dvd through au following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944. Tough australian soldiers bluey and milo, along with a stuffy englishman named peter, are charged with protecting the libyan city of tobruk from invading german forces that threaten to overwhelm them. Its members used all their bushcraft to avoid being discovered. The siege of tobruk took place in the western desert of north africa in 1941 at the height of the second world war. May 27, 2017 watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel.
Fully restored and presented in a brand new transfer, the rats of tobruk is a rousing tribute to the many brave the soldiers who served their nation. At pre sent they have collected over 10,000 names for the database. The siege of tobruk lasted 240 days, ending on november 27, 1941. With grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick. Watch rats of tobruk online vimeo on demand on vimeo. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. What you need to know about the siege of tobruk imperial war. The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character. There were also major oil fields in the middle east that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime.
The biggest test came against the german troops who were trying to take the port of tobruk, a strategically important area. The german afrika corps under the command of general erwin rommel had commenced the offensive which drove the british forces eastwards across the desert to the egyptian frontier. Of course the production values were much superior, still the rats of tobruk shows a lot of care about the australian fighting man and his contribution in world war ii from the folks they were defending. Adolf hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the perfect fighting machines. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest. The rats of tobruk 1944 directed by charles chauvel. Oct 11, 2011 fighting through incredible heat, cold, thirst and hunger with unmistakable bravery, determination and passion 2011 marks the 70th anniversary of the battle of tobruk. The australian soldiers go the nickname the rats of tobruk because of their endurance. Rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums home facebook. Like gallipoli and kokoda, the siege of tobruk is an iconic battle in australias military history.
When did the battle take placethe battle of tobruk took place at the city port of tobruk, lybia, north africa, during world war ii. The rats of tobruk is a dated but watchable aussie ww2 movie, of which there arent too many in existence. Summarybetween april and august 1941, over 14,000 soldiers now given the. At the centre is a gilded image of a rat, surrounded by a purple background. Tobruk patrols were of two types fighting and reconnaissance. 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. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie morshead made up more than. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers who held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii. Tobruk was an allied defensive operation in an attempt to maintain a foothold on the north african coast. Operation bulimba, the units next task, brought much credit to the battalion for its fighting qualities and bravery. This battle primarily involved the australian 9th infantry division, as well as british artillery batteries.
The siege of tobruk was a battle in libya during the north african campaign of world war ii. The radio berlin host lord haw haw, the british turncoat william joyce, in his program derisively referred to the australians as the poor desert rats of tobruk who were caught like rats in a. The rats of tobruk hold an identifiable place within the ranks of returned servicemen, particularly in australia, where there is the rats of tobruk memorial, canberra on 22 march 1944, the original members of the rats of tobruk formed the north bondi subbranch of the returned and services league of australia and it is still known in modern times as tobruk house or the rathouse. The tanks break through and your infantry still keep fighting. 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. The rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums was formed in 1960 as a living memorial to the military units involved in the siege of tobruk of. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers who held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii the siege started on 10 april 1941. The film was written by leo gordon who also acted in the film and released through universal pictures. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. Meanwhile, the nazi propaganda machine tried to erode the defenders morale. Rats of tobruk is a twoplayer operationaltactical game that simulates rommels easter day attack on tobruk in april 1941. German radio started calling the australians poor desert rats of tobruk, which they took immense pride in, calling themselves the rats of tobruk.
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