Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. 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. There were also major oil fields in the middle east that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport. The siege started on 11 april 1941 and was relieved on 10 december. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Also they lived in very dirty conditions and were always dirty and muddy like a rat. Three cattle rustlers from the australian outback are drafted as world war ii begins.
The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. The australians gave themselves the nickname the rats of tobruk after radio berlin described the australians as caught like rats in a trap. Released as the fighting rats of tobruk, this drama was based on actual incidents. The fighting rats of tobruk is more of a narrated documentry, poorly acted and shot in darkness. His story, and that of thousands of other australian soldiers fighting against the germans in. The defenders of tobruk and their besiegers were at a stalemate. Grant taylor are two aussie infantrymen who are fighting in north africa during world war ii when they meet. The rats of tobruk controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean. As war breaks out in europe in 1939, three friends droving cattle in australia decide to join up.
The name the rats of tobruk refers to the troops, mostly australian, who held out against german gen. Original us theatrical trailer for the fighting rats of tobruk a classic australian world war ii film. 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 fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. This opened with an outflanking movement that brought eighth army to within 30 miles of the tobruk perimeter. Men of the 2th battalion going out through the wire in tobruk, 30 april 1941 awm 007. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free youtube. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. 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. Military books about the siege of tobruk 194142 books.
Curators notes the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australia. 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. Alternetly, this article could be stripped back to a definition of what a rat of tobruk is, with the coverage of the fighting being moved to the seige article. Rat of tobruk dennis davis on surviving war, heartbreak and finding love again when dennis davis was fighting on the battlefield of tobruk, he. For relief, the australian soldiers get to go sightseeing in down town tobruk or whats left of it. The fighting rats of tobruk trailer 1944 video detective. Leah riches, the patrolling war in tobruk australian war memorial 1 tobruk is not a siege, nor a defence.
Using this as a rallying cry, the rats of tobruk defended the city for 250 days, winning an important battle against the germans and helping to turn the tide of wwii. See the original fighting in benghazi in this hardhitting double feature from the darkest days of world war ii. 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. 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. Mar 18, 2011 in so doing, they achieved lasting fame as the rats of tobruk. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free by lynn m. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 rare movie collector. This was an adf pr video extolling the values of the australian defence forces. For what its worth, i would rather watch desert rats desert fox on the same subject matter. Erwin rommels legendary afrika korps at the libyan port of tobruk during 1941. Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime. The black rat by iris clayton he lived in a tin hut with a hard dirt floor. The rat holes are caves in the walls of the escarpment in the inner perimeter of tobruk, varying from 8 to 11 miles from what is left of the town.
By 1941, theyre with the 9th division of the australian infantry force, fighting italians and nazis in north africa. During world war 2, more than 14,000 australians fought at tobruk libya, during the historic 242 day siege. Beleaguered and battle weary the friends fight on, proving to be a. To prepare for that, rommel wasnt receiving the supplies and material he needed. The battles played out are not very clear and leaves the viewer guessing what really happened. Meet queenslands last rat of tobruk queensland times. It was planned that 70th division would break out from. The rats who returned to melbourne formed as association which has branches in every state as well as in the united kingdom. The only libyan territory still in british hands was the cyrenaican port of tobruk.
The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was relieved on 10 december. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. He was a rat of tobruk until forty five, he was one of the few that came back alive. Combined german and italian troops had sealed off all land approaches to tobruk on april 11. The fighting was intense and it was almost like the trench warfare in ww1 but in this case it was in a barren. In the course of the fighting, the germans blasted insults as well as artillery at the largely aussie troops, likening them to rats.
Apr 28, 2019 the 20yearold sydneysider had arrived in the small mediterranean port of tobruk. 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 thieves in the night convict creations. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. 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. An illustrated life of simpson, the man with the donkey a is for anzac primary school gallipoli book vietnam 50th anniversary cap war campaign ribbons brief history of the third reich by m. Lego wwii north africa siege of tobruk brick fiesta 2018 duration.
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. 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 rats of tobruk is a rousing tribute to the many brave the soldiers who. Tells the story of three menbluey, a tough two fisted drover. The rats of tobruk the experiences of australians during ww2. Soldiers chips rafferty, grant taylor, peter finch of the australian and new zealand army corps hold off the nazis for months. These actions and campaigns were fought in the middle east and the mediterranean where the three australian services were continuously. Nominal roll certificate for leslie emanuel andersen. With grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick. 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. German radio started calling the australians poor desert rats of tobruk, which they took immense pride in, calling themselves the rats of tobruk.
The capture of tobruk was followed up by the british 7th armoured division and the 6th division. 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. Oscar winner peter finch network stars in this thrilling tale of the soldiers who stopped rommel. The fighting rats of tobruk desert victory on tcm shop. This battle primarily involved the australian 9th infantry division, as well as british artillery batteries.
This is the films first real encounter in the desert and chauvel emphasises the immediacy and very personal nature of the fighting, as well as the comradeship of. May 12, 2012 the famous story of the rats of tobruk and the ships that supplied them in ww2, as told by the rats themselves. With the attack now over, the sergeant major took the roll and found that only one of his man had been killed in the short, sharp action. 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. 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. 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. 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. I believe if you want to see just how far directors have progressed from the early days of film making to what we expect today, then this film is worth. Americanborn british fascist william joyce better known as lord hawhaw took to the airwaves, deriding the defenders as the poor rats of tobruk. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. This special anniversary exhibition is on display in the memorial until 16 november 2011. 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.
Simpson and duffy ww1 australian hero gallipoli childrens book not only a hero. Tobruk is the most important port in northern africa, because its deep water allows large ships to dock there. This short film features memorial historian dr karl james discussing the exhibition rats of tobruk 1941. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m. Grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick, mary gay, george wallace. Grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick, mary gay, george wallace, joe valli, tony villa, joe. 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 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. Whittock winning world war one the western front diaries dvd history. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. An english writer and two australian cattle drivers encounter danger serving in the anzacs during the 281day stand at the libyan port of tobruk. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the port of tobruk in libya against the german afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in ww2. Australians standing by in a hot section of the front, 400 yards from the enemy. The siege of tobruk lasted some 241 days from 10 april 1941 until 27 november of the same year.
There are about 20,000 men british, indian and australian scattered along a semicircle of 52 miles from mediterranean to mediterranean. Queenslands last rat of tobruk vernon hansen made the journey to meet up with the dwindling numbers of the rats of tobruk association. It is a permanent offensive day after day, night after night. It is also surrounded by steep escarpments, which make it easy to fortify against attack from the land there were some 14,000 australian troops and 12,000 british and indian troops in tobruk. 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. This socalled siege of tobruk began on 10th of april 1941 and ended in november of that year. Peter finch, chips rafferty, grant taylor, and pauline garrick star in the rugged australian wwii adventure the fighting rats of tobruk. Rats of tobruk is a twoplayer operationaltactical game that simulates rommels easter day attack on tobruk in april 1941. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. The siege started on the 10th of april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. 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. War books on the australian siege of tobruk 194142. Adolf hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the perfect fighting machines.
Battered and scarred he fought for this land, and on his return they all shook his hand. 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. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel. The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 1 on aso australias audio and. The goal is to hold tobruk for at least two months. 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. Just another day at the office for the australian desert rats during the long siege of tobruk. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 release info imdb. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on. Available on dvd through au following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account.
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