The australian troops of the 6th division aif gained control of tobruk from the italian infantry on the morning of the 22nd of january. Australian involvement in the second world war rsl nsw. The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 1 on aso australias audio and. He was a rat of tobruk until forty five, he was one of the few that came back alive. The fighting rats of tobruk desert victory on tcm shop. The rats of tobruk, history teachers association of nsw state conference. The germans called them the rats of tobruk always digging in the ground and urged them to come out and fight. Like stealthy shadows, they saw without being seen. The war in north africa, the mediterranean and the middle east.
Beleaguered and battle weary the friends fight on, proving to be a considerable challenge to the enemy and a boon to the allied war effort. Australian troops were mainly engaged in land battles in new guinea, the. 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. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. 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. 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. Today, out of 14,000 aussie rats that held tobruk against rommels forces 78 years ago, only around 30 are still alive to tell the story. May 27, 2017 watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m. Tobruk was the only deep water port in eastern libya and as a consequence it had been heavily fortified by its former italian garrison.
Their story is based on the siege of the libyan city of tobruk in north africa by rommels afrika korps. Buy the fighting rats of tobruk desert victory dvd at. As war breaks out in europe in 1939, three friends droving cattle in australia decide to join up. Australians standing by in a hot section of the front, 400 yards from the enemy. It took the australians less than two days to capture 27,000 italian pows, 208 guns, 28 tanks and a large number of supplies. The rats of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. The rats of tobruk, a name adopted by australian soldiers who were at the siege of tobruk. As in many war movies, the camaraderie of the men is stressed. The story follows a trio of characters as they head off to fight rommel on north africa. Tobruk truth the rats of tobruk association, queensland. On january 21 1941, the australian 6th division attacked the italian garrison of tobruk.
The job of the reconnaissance patrol was to gather information and, if possible, to secure prisoners for identification. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime legends the rats of tobruk. Fleas and rats proved more of a nuisance than the enemy, to both sides. Tobruk was an allied defensive operation in an attempt to maintain a foothold on the north african coast.
The defenders, nicknamed the rats of tobruk, would hold out for eight months. 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. A special anzac day ceremony was to have been held this year in the libyan town of tobruk, marking the 70th anniversary of the start of what was to become a key event in australian military. 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. On return home the soldiers formed the rats of tobruk association. 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. Tobruk patrols were of two types fighting and reconnaissance. Speaking of rats, german propaganda made the analogy of the defenders being caught like rats, about to be exterminated. The port continued to be held by the allies until its surrender on 21 june 1942. Captured italian armato m40 far left and m19 middle and right tanks being used by the australian 6th division cavalry regiment during the capture of tobruk in january 1941. On an armoured patrol into the desert, men of the australian 9th division run into an italian patrol. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. Its members used all their bushcraft to avoid being discovered.
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. The rats of tobruk controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean. The defenders decided to run with it, and take the name for themselves. Rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums home facebook. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. Mussolini had assumed power in italy with plans to restore italy to the status. 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. 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. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character, and peter finch is the uppercrust englishman. Later, almost exclusively at night, a fighting patrol would act on viable targets found. In preparation for the attack on tobruk, division z. Peter finch, chips rafferty, grant taylor, and pauline garrick star in the rugged australian wwii adventure the fighting rats of tobruk. 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.
This photograph taken in august 1941 shows the rats of tobruk some of the 15,000 men of the 9th. 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. 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. They were very successful in defeating italian troops at benghazi, and vichy french.
Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free youtube. Peter linton peter finch is wounded in the first skirmish. One of the last of the rats of tobruk, murray willing, and fellow veteran norvyn bluey stevens both recently died at the age of 100 and while they served in different theatres of. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. The siege started on 11 april 1941 and was relieved on 10 december. A controversial new history of the heroic yearlong siege where british and australian desert rats held out against rommels afrika korps.
Libya world war two tobruk tour, from libya expeditions. 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. Brisbane rat of tobruk heads back to the battle ground. This site is dedicated to those who fought at tobruk. 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. Africa issued a number of detailed drawings of the tobruk fortifications to the assault troops, to help them in overcoming these. Horsemen is a more entertaining and better constructed film, fully deserving of its place in the australian pantheon. The rats of tobruk were soldiers of the australianled allied garrison that held the libyan port.
Australian involvement in tobruk was not confined to land. By 1941, theyre with the 9th division of the australian infantry force, fighting italians and nazis in north africa. The league badge ccrsla ccrsla downloads ccrsla executive rsl afof. Stay connected to your students with prezi video, now in microsoft teams. Fighting rats of tobruk desert war fight for available in dvd ship this item temporarily out of stock online buy online, pick up in store is currently unavailable, but this item may be. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest. 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. Curators notes the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australia. The special forces that helped win the desert battles of the second world war.
The name the rats of tobruk refers to the troops, mostly australian, who held out against german gen. With grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick. The tanks break through and your infantry still keep fighting. The 2th remained to fight its way out in december when the garrison broke out to join up with the british eighth army which effected the relief of tobruk on 10th december 1941. This socalled siege of tobruk began on 10th of april 1941 and ended in november of that year. 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. 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. Destined to serve in the north africa campaign in the 9th division they become involved in the siege of tobruk, holding up the advance of pommels forces for months. 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. Three australian friends end up fighting nazis in north africa in a clumsily executed action tale. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on.
What you need to know about the siege of tobruk imperial war. The rats of tobruk 1944 directed by charles chauvel. The rats of tobruk is a dated but watchable aussie ww2 movie, of which there arent too many in existence. There are only a few of the original rats of tobruk still alive, but many of those gathered in canberra on sunday to mark 75 years since the famous world war ii siege. Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime. Italy a german ally had occupied libya, right next to egypt where the british were heavily ensconced. For one reason or another, the italians offered little resistance and many surrendered without fighting. Battered and scarred he fought for this land, and on his return they all shook his hand.
These actions and campaigns were fought in the middle east and the mediterranean where the three australian services were continuously. Then, the british 8th armys taking of occupied africa in 1943, from the trouncing of tobruk to the triumph at tripoli, can be relived once more with the oscarwinning documentary desert victory. Rat of tobruk and burma railway veteran remembered ahead. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie. Original us theatrical trailer for the fighting rats of tobruk a classic australian world war ii film. The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. 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. I am not an expert, but the fortifications look quite substantial to me. 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. Erwin rommels legendary afrika korps at the libyan port of tobruk during 1941. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of.
Peter linton, an english writer in australia to study the land. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel. Jun 26, 2015 together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime legends the rats of tobruk. Rats of tobruk gather in canberra to mark 75th anniversary. 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.
It cannot be claimed that tobruk stopped rommel and his africa corps but it cannot be overlooked that the siege had an important effect on the war for another reason. G herman gill, royal australian navy, 19391942, australia in the war of 19391945, series 2 navy, vol. Soldiers chips rafferty, grant taylor, peter finch of the australian and new zealand army corps hold off the nazis for months. 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. 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 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. Marsa matruh titoli versione film stelvio cipriani. After early successes against the italian army, the army is besieged in tobruk. There were also major oil fields in the middle east that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport. Tobruch is a port city on libyas eastern mediterranean coast, near the border with egypt. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. Meanwhile, the nazi propaganda machine tried to erode the defenders morale.
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