Italy a german ally had occupied libya, right next to egypt where the british were heavily ensconced. Eight months later these heroic, gallant, determined rats of tobruk were rescued by the british navy having held the fort against the might of rommels neverbefore defeated afrika corps. The only libyan territory still in british hands was the cyrenaican port of tobruk. They prided themselves on being the first troops to withstand the german. During the siege, german radio propagandists directed a constant stream of derision at the defenders, likening them to rats. By 1941, theyre with the 9th division of the australian infantry force, fighting italians and nazis in north africa. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. 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.
For 8 months at tobruk in 1941, 15,000 australians and 8,000 british and indian troops held a german army 7 times their number and 7 times their armor. It featured the cut down us edit likely designed for us tv and as a support which ran a little more than sixty eight minutes, using the main title the fighting rats of tobruk. The 9th australian division who garrisoned the port proudly adopted this nickname and even designed their own rat shaped medals, crafted from scrap metal taken from a german bomber that they had downed with a captured german. Uncovered german tobruk machine gun emplacement of wwii, long. The siege of tobruk lasted some 241 days from 10 april 1941 until 27 november of the same year. In the course of the fighting, the germans blasted insults as well as artillery at the largely aussie troops, likening them to rats. The fighting rats of tobruk is a 1944 film directed by charles chauvel. 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. Rats of tobruk 1944a story of aussie heroism in the tobruk chapter of world war 1, when men of the aif, living in dugouts and conducting silent raids at night, held tobruk against the german forces for an exhausting eight months. Soldiers chips rafferty, grant taylor, peter finch of the australian and new zealand army corps hold off the nazis for months. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie.
Just another day at the office for the australian desert rats during the long siege of tobruk. The germans called them the rats of tobruk always digging in the ground and urged them to come out and fight. 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. 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. Currans hill, narellan, nsw rats of tobruk chauvel. The rats of tobruk 1944 directed by charles chauvel.
An englishman and two australians are sent to north africa to fight sidebyside in the major battles that help australia capture tobruk. The battalions troops were among the first to face the onslaught of german forces there. 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. 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. Based on a real life wwii battle, the movie tells a story of three friends who join the australian army and end up fighting. 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. In a battle that lasted some 240 days between the axis forces of italy and germany, fighting against a stubborn allied force of australians, defending the port city of tobruk. The battle started on 11 april 1941, when tobruk was besieged by an italian and nazi german force commanded by lieutenant general erwin rommel. The army provided advisers who had served in tobruk. The fighting rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel starring grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty and george wallace.
Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free youtube. Rats of tobruk was a hardworking production made under. This battle primarily involved the australian 9th infantry division, as well as british artillery batteries that were tasked to prevent the capture of tobruk harbor by the german. With grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick. The fighting rats of tobruk desert victory on tcm shop. His story, and that of thousands of other australian soldiers fighting against the germans in. Its members used all their bushcraft to avoid being discovered. There were also major oil fields in the middle east that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport.
The panzers ground on until the leading battalion was two miles inside the tobruk perimeter. 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. This socalled siege of tobruk began on 10th of april 1941 and ended in november of that year. The siege of tobruk was a battle in libya during the north african campaign of world war ii. The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 2 on aso australias audio and. Rats of tobruk is a twoplayer operationaltactical game that simulates rommels easter day attack on tobruk in april 1941. May 27, 2017 watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m. Commemorate the 14,000 australian soldiers that held out against repeated german attacks in the libyan port of tobruk in wwii from 10 april in 1941 and in particular, the rats of tobruk by. Lord hawhaw, during his notorious radio broadcasts, contemptuously referred to them as poor desert rats of tobruk. Rat of tobruk dennis davis on surviving war, heartbreak and finding love again when dennis davis was fighting on the battlefield of tobruk, he.
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. The rats of tobruk controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 rare movie collector. The rats of tobruk the experiences of australians during ww2. 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. In north africa, german field marshal rommel james mason and his troops have successfully fended off british forces, and now intend to take tobruk, an important port city. The siege of tobruk took place in the western desert of north africa in 1941 at the height of the second world war. 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 port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii. The rats of tobruk were soldiers of the australianled allied garrison that held the libyan port. Richard burton plays a scottish army officer put in charge of a disparate band of anzac troops on the perimeter of tobruk with the german army doing their best. Movie about australian rats of tobruk ww2 rats of tobruk. Australian forces battle german tanks and infantry for an incredible 281 days in order to capture the libyan port tobruk, one of the crucial battles of wwii.
Like stealthy shadows, they saw without being seen. This is even shorter than the new york times report of watching an 85 minute theatrical version. The australian 9th division the rats of tobruk pulled back to tobruk to avoid encirclement after actions at er regima and mechili and reached tobruk on 9 april 1941 where prolonged fighting against german and italian forces followed. Tobruk patrols were of two types fighting and reconnaissance. Becasue during german propaganda radio broadcasts lord haw haw as called by allied troops, would refer to the tobruk garrison as poor desert rats of tobruk. This short film features memorial historian dr karl james discussing the exhibition rats of tobruk 1941. Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime.
Their story is based on the siege of the libyan city of tobruk in north africa by rommels afrika korps. Tobruk was an important contributor to that emerging trend. The rats of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. Commandered by lieutenant general erwin rommel german forces had not yet been defeated in battle in world war 2. The australians gave themselves the nickname the rats of tobruk after radio berlin described the australians as caught like rats in a trap. Uncovered german tobruk machine gun emplacement of wwii, long buried in the shifting sands of juno beach, normandy this discovery had been made on the site last week by a documentary team from the history program war junk just days before the anniversary of the dday landings. Far from weakening morale the term was enthusiastically adopted by the troops who thenceforth called themselves the rats of tobruk. During world war 2, more than 14,000 australians fought at tobruk libya, during the historic 242 day siege. Released as the fighting rats of tobruk, this drama was based on actual incidents. Rats of tobruk memorial, canberra the rats of tobruk memorial is on anzac parade, the principal ceremonial and memorial avenue of canberra, australia. Then, as the german infantrymen passed the strongpoints, a murderous fire hit them from the rear. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. Peter linton is killed but the others manage to repel the germans.
As war breaks out in europe in 1939, three friends droving cattle in australia decide to join up. Americanborn british fascist william joyce better known as lord hawhaw took to the airwaves, deriding the defenders as the poor rats of tobruk. As in many war movies, the camaraderie of the men is stressed. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. Erwin rommel, in a letter to his wife, lucie, wrote, today may well see the end of the battle of tobruk. Captured german and italian weaponry was used throughout filming. Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. Action packed war epic about a group of british commandos who find themselves trapped behind enemy lines after the german afrika korps smash through. Combined german and italian troops had sealed off all land approaches to tobruk on april 11. Handtohand fighting breaks out as they cross the defensive wire. 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.
Lego wwii north africa siege of tobruk brick fiesta 2018 duration. Adolf hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the perfect fighting machines. Get watch the rats of tobruk 1944 stream movies online in highdefinition top quality might just be one thing to watch this end of the week. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. The story is told through the eyes of cattle drover bluey donkin grant taylor, dingo trapper milo trent chips rafferty, and english writer peter. Australians standing by in a hot section of the front, 400 yards from the enemy. The rats of tobruk is a dated but watchable aussie ww2 movie, of which there arent too many in existence. 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. 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. The propagandist for germany, william joyce, better known as lord hawhaw. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime. Suddenly, the german tank crews found themselves caught in a corridor of heavy gunfire. The name the rats of tobruk refers to the troops, mostly australian, who held out against german gen. Dec 26, 2018 the lions of tobruk 1970 ww2 war movie.
Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on. Siege of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Like gallipoli and kokoda, the siege of tobruk is an iconic battle in australias military history. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. Erwin rommels legendary afrika korps at the libyan port of tobruk during 1941.
Peter finch, chips rafferty, grant taylor, and pauline garrick star in the rugged australian wwii adventure the fighting rats of tobruk. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character, and peter finch is the uppercrust englishman. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the libyan. 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. Apr 28, 2019 the 20yearold sydneysider had arrived in the small mediterranean port of tobruk.
May 17, 2015 the memorial commemorates those who served at tobruk during world war two. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel. 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. 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. Original us theatrical trailer for the fighting rats of tobruk a classic australian world war ii film. The german siege of the libyan mediterranean sea port town of tobruk began on 10 april 1941. All that stopped the germans march on egypt was the defiant garrison at tobruk. The job of the reconnaissance patrol was to gather information and, if possible, to secure prisoners for identification. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was relieved on 10 december. During the siege of tobruk, which lasted from february to november 1941, during world war ii, german and italian troops, led by general erwin rommel, gained control of the city of tobruk in libya. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. For eight long months, surrounded by german and italian forces, the men. The allied artillery shells land among the advancing germans but do not stop them. 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.
Curators notes the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australia. This movie is totally for you and you will learn to appreciate every bit of the storyline if you are a romantic at heart. 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. For eight long months, surrounded by german and italian forces, the men of the tobruk garrison, mostly australians, withstood tank attacks, artillery barrages, and daily bombings. 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. But a rapid german offensive quickly reversed these early victories. 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. In their fortress of dust and death, they had carried the fight to the german. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. Part 2 the siege continues by john dudek 01 apr 2015 0 the tight formation of attacking british tanks charged inexorably onwards towards the far, hilly desert escarpment over a mile distant as its leader observed their progress from all angles through his tanks open.