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Rats of TobrukPrint Page Print this page

07-May-2019
07-May-2019

Photographs supplied by Arthur Garland

Two Aleppo Pine trees commemorate the Rats of Tobruk. One tree represents the Polish contribution to the seige, and the other represents the Tasmanian and Australian contribution. The plaque commemorates the 75th anniversary of the siege in 2016. 

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:Jordan Downs Drive, Pontville Catholic Cemetery, Pontville, 7030
State:TAS
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -42.690222
Long: 147.262861
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Tree
Monument Theme:Conflict
Sub-Theme:WW2
Actual Event Start Date:10-April-1941
Actual Event End Date:27-November-1941

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:2016
Front Inscription

Plaque :

Aleppo Pines from seeds of the original Lone Pine of Gallipoli

Planted by the descendants of the Rats of Tobruk to commemorate all comrades in arms in war

Lest We Forget

This plaque commemorates all Rats of Tobruk who served during the Siege of Tobruk (10 April 1941 - 7 December 1941)

Carpathian Brigade & Polski Korpus 

Commemorating the 75th Anniversary in 2016

Pontville Tasmania

Sponsored by SPK (Polish Ex-servicemen`s Association)

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au