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. This photograph taken in august 1941 shows the rats of tobruk some of the 15,000 men of the 9th. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. The old warships that helped the rats of tobruk with supplies and evacuation of the wounded were insulted by radio berlin, being called a pile of scrap iron. 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 nazi propagandist lord haw haw william joyce derided the tenacious defenders as rats, a term that the australian soldiers embraced as an ironic compliment.
Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie morshead made up more. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of. 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. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. 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. How teachers and students can make the quick transition to online learning. The job of the reconnaissance patrol was to gather information and, if possible, to secure prisoners for identification. 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. By 1941, theyre with the 9th division of the australian infantry force, fighting italians and nazis in north africa. Grant taylor are two aussie infantrymen who are fighting in north africa during world war ii when they meet.
Curators notes the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australia. The siege of tobruk lasted 240 days, ending on november 27, 1941. Around the edge is rats of tobruk 1941 in raised letters. 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. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the libyan. Released as the fighting rats of tobruk, this drama was based on actual incidents. 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 australians gave themselves the nickname the rats of tobruk after radio berlin described the australians as caught like rats in a trap. Peter finch enjoyed one of his first major screen successes with this wartime drama from australia. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was relieved on 10 december. Rat of tobruk definition rats of tobruk association. For relief, the australian soldiers get to go sightseeing in down town tobruk or whats left of it. This special anniversary exhibition is on display in the memorial until 16 november 2011.
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. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. It was planned that 70th division would break out from. 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 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. Grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick, mary gay, george wallace, joe valli, tony villa, joe. The rats of tobruk were australian war soldiers that fought in a siege that took place from 11 april 1941 to 27 november 1941. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character, and peter finch is the uppercrust englishman. Siege of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. When did the battle take placethe battle of tobruk took place at the city port of tobruk, lybia, north africa, during world war ii. On january 21 1941, the australian 6th division attacked the italian garrison of tobruk. 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.
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. To prepare for that, rommel wasnt receiving the supplies and material he needed. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was relieved on. The rats of tobruk the experiences of australians during ww2. Information supplied by the family of robert scarr and the. The story follows a trio of characters as they head off to fight rommel on north africa. These actions and campaigns were fought in the middle east and the mediterranean where the three australian services were continuously. Like stealthy shadows, they saw without being seen. 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.
Mar 18, 2011 in so doing, they achieved lasting fame as the rats of tobruk. At the centre is a gilded image of a rat, surrounded by a purple background. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. 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 only libyan territory still in british hands was the cyrenaican port of tobruk. On an armoured patrol into the desert, men of the australian 9th division run into an italian patrol. 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 rats of tobruk is a dated but watchable aussie ww2 movie, of which there arent too many in existence. The siege started on 10 april 1941, when tobruk was attacked by an italogerman force under lieutenant general erwin rommel and continued for 241 days up to 27 november 1941, when it was relieved by the allied 8th army during operation crusader. Unofficial rats of tobruk medal the australian war memorial. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie.
The term rats of tobruk, a moniker applied by the nazi propagandist. After early successes against the italian army, the army is besieged in 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. 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 siege continued for 240 days up to 27 november 1941. Tells the story of three menbluey, a tough two fisted drover. Tobruk was the 1st time they were eve stopped in their advances.
The garrison, commanded by lieutenant general leslie morshead, consisted of the 9th australian division 20th, 24th, and 26th brigades, the 18th brigade of the 7th australian division, four. It took the australians less than two days to capture 27,000 italian pows, 208 guns, 28 tanks and a large number of supplies. A group of ten australian soldiers posing with a rats of tobruk banner outside a building bearing the sign magezzeno. Its members used all their bushcraft to avoid being discovered. May 27, 2017 watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m. 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. 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. 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.
Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime. Australians standing by in a hot section of the front, 400 yards from the enemy. 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. Remembering the rats of tobruk harry ross sutherland, from the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division, recounts his experience while deployed in the. In whats acknowledged as the longest recorded siege in british military history, those dubbed the rats of tobruk fought for eight months to repel repeated attempts by the germans. What you need to know about the siege of tobruk imperial war. 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.
Allied offensive that saw italian forces under rodolfo graziani effectively wiped out. Watch the rats of tobruk, the australian classic war film by. The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 1 on aso australias audio and. Also they lived in very dirty conditions and were always dirty and muddy like a rat. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m. 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. Three thousand australians were either injured or killed at tobruk, and a further 941 were taken prisoner.
Tobruk patrols were of two types fighting and reconnaissance. Soldiers chips rafferty, grant taylor, peter finch of the australian and new zealand army corps hold off the nazis for months. Horsemen is a more entertaining and better constructed film, fully deserving of its place in the. The rats of tobruk were soldiers of the mainly australian garrison that held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during and after the siege of tobruk in world war ii. As war breaks out in europe in 1939, three friends droving cattle in australia decide to join up. 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 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 port continued to be held by the allies until its surrender on 21 june 1942. The defenders of tobruk and their besiegers were at a stalemate. Lego wwii north africa siege of tobruk brick fiesta 2018 duration. The rats of tobruk 1944 directed by charles chauvel. For one reason or another, the italians offered little resistance and many surrendered without fighting. 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. Jan 05, 2014 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.
Three australian friends end up fighting nazis in north africa in a clumsily executed action tale. Italy a german ally had occupied libya, right next to egypt where the british were heavily ensconced. The goal is to hold tobruk for at least two 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. This battle primarily involved the australian 9th infantry division, as well as british. Combined german and italian troops had sealed off all land approaches to tobruk on april 11. Rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums home facebook. 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.
Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free youtube. Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. The rats of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. The tanks break through and your infantry still keep fighting. 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.
There were also major oil fields in the middle east that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport. Adolf hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the perfect fighting machines. 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 rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. 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.
Their story is based on the siege of the libyan city of tobruk in north africa by rommels afrika korps. The rats who returned to melbourne formed as association which has branches in every state as well as in the united kingdom. The rats of tobruk controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean. The siege of tobruk was a battle in libya during the north african campaign of world war ii. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. 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 history.
German radio started calling the australians poor desert rats of tobruk, which they took immense pride in, calling themselves the rats of tobruk. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel. Rats of tobruk is a twoplayer operationaltactical game that simulates rommels easter day attack on tobruk in april 1941. Meanwhile, the nazi propaganda machine tried to erode the defenders morale. 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. This opened with an outflanking movement that brought eighth army to within 30 miles of the tobruk perimeter. With grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick. Erwin rommel, in a letter to his wife, lucie, wrote, today may well see the end of the battle of tobruk. A lot of the fighting is done at night and it is very difficult to see what is going on because the film has gotten darker over the years. The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk.
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