Around the edge is rats of tobruk 1941 in raised letters. Summarybetween april and august 1941, over 14,000 soldiers now given the. This service may include material from agence francepresse afp, aptn. Laid 21st october 1995 jointly by rats of tobruk association snd five dock r. The battle in tobruk took place from april 10th 1941 to november 27th 1941 w hy was this an important destination. 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 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. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Although he travelled with family, it would have been a lonely trip from his. The siege of tobruk lasted 240 days, ending on november 27, 1941. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie. Explorers singing sand dunes kingdom public transport downloads. Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime.
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. At the centre is a gilded image of a rat, surrounded by a purple background. Espanol esperanto francais bahasa indonesia italiano. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. The medal is a triangular piece of brass plate, with the words tobruk rats 1941 stamped around the edge. Subscribe to download sp\ coopduws r the rats of tobruk. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. Thanks to the generosity of the rights holders, we are able to offer bang galore from the feature film the rats of tobruk as a high quality video download. 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 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 sub. Adolf hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the perfect fighting machines. Australian rats of tobruk lz click here to view list. This site is dedicated to those who fought at tobruk. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. 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.
On march 22, 1944, 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. 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. Rats of tobruk reserve rats of tobruk reserve is a reserve in victoria and has an elevation of 9 meters. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk.
With grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick. 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. Rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums home facebook. The siege of tobruk lasted for 241 days in 1941, after axis forces advanced through cyrenaica. 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. The definitive account of when australias famed rats of tobruk they took on general erwin rommel, the. June 1940, benito mussolini joined in and declared war on britain and france, and then. Jun 26, 2015 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. The focus is for students to collect information and record their references appropriately. The rats of tobruk is a dated but watchable aussie ww2 movie, of which there arent too many in existence.
The story is told through the eyes of cattle drover bluey donkin grant taylor, dingo trapper milo trent chips rafferty, and english writer peter. Mr carlton has authorised the 2nd3rd alaara to utilise the list, and in return, our web site has a link to his. 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. The rats of tobruk the experiences of australians during ww2. Cestina english esperanto espanol suomi francais bahasa indonesia italiano. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film about the siege, focusing upon the australian defenders.
Also this made the enemies have to bring in more troops and supplies as they had to travel lots of distance over the. The rats of tobruk controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean. The second release in the perth mints famous battles collection, this full colour reverse depicts the australian soldiers at the siege of tobruk. Owen carlton, who compiled it as a tribute to the rats of tobruk. Rats of tobruk 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 memorial commemorates those who served at tobruk during world war two. This battle was fought in the north part of africa and it was important because it was home of an important harbor, the countries. 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 fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. The australian soldiers go the nickname the rats of tobruk because of their endurance. How the rats of tobruk acquired their famous name the perth. Tells the story of three menbluey, a tough two fisted drover taylor. Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. Rats of tobruk thieves in the night convict creations. The rats of tobruk 1944 directed by charles chauvel. Riverina rats of tobruk honour roll nsw war memorials register. The association acknowledges this file is the property of mr. 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. The rats of tobruk were australian war soldiers that fought in a siege that took place from 11 april 1941 to 27 november 1941.
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. The rats who returned to melbourne formed as association which has branches in every state as well as in the united kingdom. Controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean. Meet queenslands last rat of tobruk queensland times. 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. Albert donald was a member of alex dutharts drum corps with dalziel highlanders winning the world. The siege of tobruk took place in the western desert of north africa in 1941 at the height of the second world war. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime. The garrison, commanded by lieutenant general leslie morshead, consisted of the 9th australian. He proceeded to france on 21 november of the same year. 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 return home the soldiers formed the rats of tobruk association. 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 axis.
Soldered to the centre of the brass plate is a smaller triangular piece of aluminium with an even smaller triangular piece of copper sheet attached to it. 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 of the egyptian town of tobruk. 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. Rats of tobruk war memorial, five dock nsw war memorials.
Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character, and peter finch is the uppercrust englishman. The german afrika corps under the command of general erwin rommel had commenced the offensive which drove the british forces eastwards. Rats of tobruk reserve is situated in albert park, close to albert park primary school. The story follows a trio of characters as they head off to fight rommel on north africa.
The deserts of north africa were an important battleground in world war ii. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds. 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 wwii, april to december 1941. This destination was important as it was a place to set up and protect egypt where they could have a good defense. Also they lived in very dirty conditions and were always dirty and muddy like a rat. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel. This task requires students to use the given websites to complete a research task on the rats of tobruk. 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. 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. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not. 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. 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. 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.
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. Between april and august 1941, some 35,000 allies, including around 14,000 australian soldiers, were. The rats of tobruk, a name adopted by australian soldiers who were at the siege of tobruk. They were called rats, a term that the australian soldiers embraced as an ironic compliment. There is some shadowing on the letters of the words of and tobruk. May 17, 2015 the memorial commemorates those who served at tobruk during world war two. Rats are one of the most prominent survivors on earth and the soldiers acted the same. There is an anti plagiarism focus in the lesson prior. They were called the rats of tobruk as there attitude and the way the australians fought made them live like rats and they scurried around the war collecting food and weapons stealthily which made them seem like rats. 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.
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. Unofficial rats of tobruk medal the australian war memorial. Rats of tobruk, nx36694 corporal alexander robert mchutchison of northcote, vic left and. To play the downloadable video, you need quicktime 7.
How the rats of tobruk acquired their famous name the. Riverina rats of tobruk honour roll nsw war memorials. This column is a replica of the memorial situated in the war cemetery at tobruk and is dedicated to those who served and those who died during the epic siege. The file contains the names and details of members the 2nd3rd alaar who were legitimately rats of tobruk. Horsemen is a more entertaining and better constructed film, fully deserving of its place in the australian pantheon. The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 1 on aso australias audio and. 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 film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. 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. Italy a german ally had occupied libya, right next to egypt where the british were heavily ensconced. The german siege of the libyan mediterranean sea port town of tobruk began on 10 april 1941. 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. The rats of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. Queenslands last rat of tobruk vernon hansen was in canberra yesterday to mark the 75th anniversary of the siege.
Apr 22, 2011 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. Housed in presentation packaging, no more than 5,000 of these coins will be released. Trench art unofficial medal manufactured in tobruk by australian troops. The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. There were also major oil fields in the middle east that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport. During world war 2, more than 14,000 australians fought at tobruk libya, during the historic 242 day siege.
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