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Siege of TobrukPrint Page 
A fig tree grown from a cutting taken from the original tree on the battlefield at Tobruk, commemorates those who served in the siege of Tobruk in World War Two.
The Siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 242 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.
Australians provided the mainstay of the Tobruk defence force until August, when they were withdrawn and replaced by the British 70th Division, with the attached Polish Carpathian Brigade. British forces lifted the siege on 10 December 1941 during Operation 'Crusader', when 1st Army Tank Brigade linked up with a 'break out' force from Tobruk - the 32nd Army Tank Brigade - at Ed Duda, to the south-east of the town.
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: | Birdwood Avenue, Shrine Reserve, Melbourne, 3000 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.830139 Long: 144.973276 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Tree |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW2 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 10-April-1941 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 10-December-1941 |
Dedication
Plaque :
In memory of all who served in the Siege of Tobruk
The first defeat of German land forces in WWII.
Army, Navy, Air Force
April - December 1941.
Known as the "Rats of Tobruk" whose motto was "No Surrender"
Plaque :
Tobruk Fig Tree
Australian and Allied Forces who fought in the Siege of Tobruk became known as "The Rats of Tobruk" when German broadcasts likened them to rats coming out of their shelter.
This siege was the first defeat of German land forces in WWII.
The original fig tree was a significant landmark in Tobruk for Australian forces.
This tree has been grown from a cutting taken from the original tree in the battlefields of the Siege of Tobruk, Middle East, April - December 1941. The cutting was brought back to Australia by a member of the Rats of Tobruk
