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Period: to
The Rats of Tobruk
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Australians fought in land and air campaigns in Egypt and Libya in North Africa
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Australians fought their first major land battle in World War II
When men of the 6th Division AIF, and other Allied troops, engaged Italian forces at the town of Bardia on the coast of Libya. -
3-5 of janurary the Italian positions were attacked and Bardia was captured.
Over 40,000 Italian prisoners were taken. -
on 21-22 of JanuraryThe 6th Australian Division captured Tobruk from the Italians
The 6th divison advanced west along the Libyan coast. The town became a garrison for the Australian and British forces. -
Rommel arrived in Tripoli on 12 February with different ideas.
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In early March, one of Hitler's best generals came to aid of their italian allies
In early March, one of Hitler's best generals, Erwin Rommel with his Afrika Korps, came to the aid of their Italian allies in Libya. -
Rommel immediate set forth an aggressive plan
he started his offensive on 24 Mar 1941, capturing El Agheila on the first day. -
Rommel attacked
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the British military governor of Cyrenaica Lieutenant General Philip Neame withdrew his headquarters
To Tmimi, which was west of Tobruk; his column was intercepted by a German patrol near Martuba during the night of 7 Apr 1941, and both Neame and Lieutenant General Richard O'Connor were captured. -
commanding officer of the Australian 7th Infantry Division Major General John Lavarack assumed Neame's responsibilities
On 8 Apr, commanding officer of the Australian 7th Infantry Division Major General John Lavarack assumed Neame's responsibilities -
the australian men at tobruk held their groud
Tobruk was garrisoned by troops of the Australian 9th Division under Lieutenant General Leslie Morshead; the 20th, 24th, and 26th Brigades of Australian 9th Division held their ground, killing Prittwitz on the first day of the attack. Overall, Morshead had about 25,000 fighters, British, Australian, and Indian, available for the defense. -
in April, German forces had begun to cut off and surround Tobruk.
the seige started on the 10th
The Siege of Tobruk begins with German troops cutting landward communications with Tobruk, besieging 9th Australian Division and 18th Australian Brigade. Rommel ordered the 15th Panzer Division under General Heinrich von Prittwitz und Gaffron to attack Tobruk directly from the west -
the German 5th Light Division launched a renewed attack;
13 Apr, the Australian 8th Machine Gun Battalion held off the attack -
The german pazer regiment secured a small bridgehead
14 Apr, another attack was mounted that saw the German 5th Panzer Regiment securing a small bridgehead on the El Adem road; 16 of the 36 German tanks dispatched for this attack were destroyed by dug-in British Crusader tanks by the time the Germans withdrew. -
Rommel shifted the weight of the attack on the western side of Tobruk.
On 15 Apr, . 1,000 Italian troops attacked the defensive line held by the 2nd Battalion of the Australian 24th Brigade, overrunning one position quickly; the arrival of the heavy artillery fire by the 51st Field Artillery Regiment drove back the Italians. -
Was attacked again and the Australian infantry flanked the offensive, forcing the Italians to withdraw.
On 16 Apr, the 1st Battalion of the Italian 62nd attacked from the direction of Acroma, with tanks from the Italian Ariete Division trailing behind for support; 51st Field Artillery Regiment once again halted the Italian attack, while -
the British launched a raid on Bardia behind German lines.
During the night of 19 to 20 Apr, it was successful in that it forced Rommel to garrison troops at Bardia to guard against further raids when they could had been used on the front lines in an offensive role. -
Axis tanks equipped with grappling hooks destroyed a section of barbed wire
Axis tanks equipped with grappling hooks destroyed a section of barbed wire allowing German troops, supported by German tanks, to rush in. Many posts manned by men of A Company of 2nd Battalion of Australian 24th Brigade, fell quickly. -
the Australians launched a counterattack with men of the Australian 18th Brigade
3 May,the Australians launched a counterattack with men of the Australian 18th Brigadethus far held in reserve; the counterattack was only able to capture one post -
On 4 May, the lack of progress led to Rommel calling off the offensive.
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two Australian companies attacked Italian positions with the support of over 60 field guns.
Italian troops fought back with ferocity, halting the attack after inflicting heavy casualties. -
During Aug 1941, the Australian and Indian troops were gradually being replaced
they were replaced by the Polish Carpathian Brigade and the Czechoslovakian 11th Infantry Battalion (East). In Sep and Oct, the British 70th Infantry Division and the British 32nd Army Tank Brigade arrived. By this time, only one Australian battalion and two Australian companies remained in Tobruk; all other Australian units were withdrawn.