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Tobruk Fig TreePrint Page 
The Tobruk Fig Tree is dedicated to those who served in the 2nd / 24th Infantry Battalion during World War Two.
Victoria's 2nd / 24th Infantry Battalion was raised in Wangaratta in July 1940. It was part of the 26th Brigade, with the 2nd / 23rd and 2nd / 48th Battalions. The brigade was initially part of the 7th Division but in early 1941 became part of the 9th Division. The 2nd / 24th trained at Bonegilla before sailing for the Middle East in November 1940.
The 2nd / 24th entered Tobruk on 10 April 1941 and helped defend the "fortress" for the next eight months. The 2nd / 24th saw extensive service at Tobruk, manning the Red Line at a number of different locations and participating in the bitter fighting in the Salient. The Red Line was Tobruk's outer line of defence and consisted of a series of concrete pillboxes forming a semi-circle around the town. In October the majority of the 9th Division, except the 2nd / 13th Infantry Battalion, was evacuated by sea. The 2nd / 24th was evacuated on the night of 20 October, sailing to Alexandria. The division was transferred to Palestine and Syria for rest and garrison duties.
Location
| Address: | 2 - 4 Templeton Street, Wangaratta RSL, Wangaratta, 3677 |
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| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -36.352149 Long: 146.326846 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Tree |
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| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 03-September-1939 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 15-August-1945 |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 1995 |
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Tobruk Fig Tree
Dedicated to the men of the 2 / 24 Australian Infantry Battalion (Wangaratta's Own).
This Fig tree was propagated from the Fig tree growing inside the perimeter of the Tobruk Fortress, Libya, North Africa.
The original tree, above an aid post, was well known to members of Wangaratta's Own who served during the Siege of Tobruk from April to October 1941.
