Rats of Tobruk MemorialPrint Page 
The monument commemorates those who died in service or were killed in action during the Siege of Tobruk and those who have died since. It is a replica of that built by Australian Divisional Engineers in the Tobruk Cemetery, Libya during the siege, and it lists more than 100 names of local men who served at Tobruk.
The Siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 241 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of World War Two. The siege started on 10 April 1941, when Tobruk was attacked by an Italo–German 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.
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.
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 regiments of British artillery and some Indian troops.
Location
| Address: | Goldsmith Street , Queens Park, East Mackay, 4740 |
|---|---|
| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -21.146379 Long: 149.194558 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 10-April-1941 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 27-November-1941 |
| Link: | http://www.qldwarmemorials.com.au/P… |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 4th March, 2001 |
|---|
This monument is a replica of the one built by the Division Engineers in the Tobruk cemetery during the historic Siege of Tobruk.
The first Victoria Cross of the Australian Army in World War II was awarded to Corporal J. H. Edmondson at Tobruk on 13 April 1941.
The defence of Tobruk by the Australian Imperial Force with elements of other Allied Armed Forces represents the first successful resistance to German land forces in World War II. The valiant defenders now proudly bear the name "The Rats of Tobruk".
The Rats of Tobruk memorial is dedicated to those who gave their lives during the Siege and to those who have died since.
