Horsemen is a more entertaining and better constructed film, fully deserving of its place in the. 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 the siege started on 10 april 1941. The story follows a trio of characters as they head off to fight rommel on north africa. They tend to be overlooked in britain at least so here is what the germans thought of them. The tanks break through and your infantry still keep fighting. Siege of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The rats of tobruk is a dated but watchable aussie ww2 movie, of which there arent too many in existence.
As war breaks out in europe in 1939, three friends droving cattle in australia decide to join up. The rats of tobruk controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. The rats of tobruk, poznat i kao the fighting rats of tobruk sh. No quotes approved yet for fighting rats of tobruk. 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. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character, and peter finch is the uppercrust englishman. The rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums was formed in 1960 as a living memorial to the. 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.
There were also major oil fields in the middle east that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport. With grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick. Commemorating one of the first major battles that australia fought in world war ii, the rats of tobruk 1941 special exhibition is on display in the canberra memorial until. Apr 22, 2011 a special anzac day ceremony was to have been held this year in the libyan town of tobruk, marking the 70th anniversary of the start of what was to become a key event in australian military history. Borbeni stakori tobruka je australijski crnobijeli ratni film snimljen 1944. The rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums was formed in 1960 as a living memorial to the military units involved in the siege of tobruk of. By 1911, tobruk had become an italian military post, but during world war ii, allied forces, mainly the australian 6th division, took tobruk on 22 january 1941. I was a tobruk rat, and still am at 94 years of age.
At pre sent they have collected over 10,000 names for the database. Rats of tobruk, the 1944 stream umbrella entertainment on. 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. Watch rats of tobruk online vimeo on demand on vimeo. The successes of axis forces during the siege of tobruk were largely due to rommels ability to launch effective defenses against british tank forces. It is the caipital o the butnan destrict an haes a population o 120,000 2011 est.
The rats of tobruk hold an identifiable place within the ranks of returned servicemen, particularly in australia, where there is the rats of tobruk memorial, canberra. Soldered to the centre of the brass plate is a smaller triangular piece of aluminium with an even smaller triangular piece of copper sheet attached to it. The battle in tobruk took place from april 10th 1941 to november 27th 1941 w hy was this an important destination. Fighting through incredible heat, cold, thirst and hunger with unmistakable bravery, determination and passion 2011 marks the 70th anniversary of the battle of tobruk. 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. Tobruk rats it was a miracle the enemy didnt break in.
Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime. The medal is a triangular piece of brass plate, with the words tobruk rats 1941 stamped around the edge. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. Destined to serve in the north africa campaign in the 9th division they become involved in the siege of tobruk, holding up the advance of rommels forces for months. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. A special anzac day ceremony was to have been held this year in the libyan town of tobruk, marking the 70th anniversary of the start of what was to become a key event in australian military. The fighting rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. Grant taylor bluey donkin, peter finch peter linton, chips rafferty milo trent, pauline garrick kate carmody, mary gay sister mary ellis, george wallace barber of tobruk, joe valli northumberland fusilier. This destination was important as it was a place to set up and protect egypt where they could have a good defense.
Milo and english gent peter ship out to africa to fight in the siege of tobruk. The radio berlin host lord haw haw, the british turncoat william joyce, in his program derisively referred to the australians as the poor desert rats of tobruk who were caught like rats in a. Found these quotes about the 9th australian infantry division who defended tobruk for 242 days in 1941. The rats of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. The rats of tobruk 1944 directed by charles chauvel. The rats of tobruk hold an identifiable place within the ranks of returned servicemen, particularly in australia, where there is the rats of tobruk memorial, canberra on 22 march 1944, the original members of the rats of tobruk formed the north bondi subbranch of the returned and services league of australia and it is still known in modern times as tobruk house or the rathouse. Also featuring george wallace and joe valli, chauvels bold tale of war gives life to the many heroic tales of mateship during wwii. Their story is based on the siege of the libyan city of tobruk in north africa by rommels afrika korps. Celebrating prezis teacher community for teacher appreciation week. Siege of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. The rats of tobruk may not be charles chauvels best movie, but it deserves serious consideration as his best movie about war which is to argue that it is in some ways superior to his more famous and betterloved forty thousand horsemen 1940, made four years earlier.
It ended in a stalemate, and it cost rommel 33,000 men and most of his tanks. The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 1 on aso australias audio and. 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. Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. May 27, 2017 watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m. Italy a german ally had occupied libya, right next to egypt where the british were heavily ensconced. Fighting rats of tobruk movie quotes rotten tomatoes. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie morshead made up more. By 1941, theyre with the 9th division of the australian infantry force, fighting italians and nazis in north africa. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. Download audiobooks book depository books with free.
In poland, france, and belgium, once the tanks got through the. He was probably the most important australian feature film director from the 1930s to the 1950s and, with his wife and cowriter, elsa is responsible for several bonafide australian classics including in the wake of the bounty 1933, 40,000 horsemen 1941, and jedda 1955 the first colour film made in australia and the first to cast. Australians in tobruk originally posted by byron back to the original thread. 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. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel.
Fully restored and presented in a brand new transfer, the rats of tobruk is a. 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. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of. 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. Trench art unofficial medal manufactured in tobruk by australian troops. I was reunited with my former co in 1944 in dekelia. Its members used all their bushcraft to avoid being discovered. 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. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. Curators notes the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australia.
Charles chavel is a legend in australian cinema history. Bbc ww2 peoples war i was a tobruk rat, and still am at. The battle started on 11 april 1941, when tobruk was besieged by an italian and nazi german force commanded by lieutenant general erwin rommel. Over the centuries, tobruk also served as a waystation along the coastal caravan route. Please include his name and service, unit and service number. Tobruk patrols were of two types fighting and reconnaissance. 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. Joanne klein is collecting photos and records of ww11 rats of to bruk 14,000 plus for the rota of victoria so they can preserve their history. Fully restored and presented in a brand new transfer, the rats of tobruk is a rousing tribute. May 10, 2017 craig h proctor collects headstone photos remember the rats of tobruk fb page, owen carlton of rota victoria is making the database for names and families and joanne klein is doing the photos. Also this made the enemies have to bring in more troops and supplies as they had to travel lots of distance over the.
The siege of tobruk took place in the western desert of north africa in 1941 at the height of the second world war. Tough, resourceful, disdainful of their british bosses they nonetheless fought bravely and well for their side and by extension for values now quaint. Adolf hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the perfect fighting machines. Whereas hitler believed in the superiority of his aryan troops, these defiant australians proved to be the superior breed. Rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums home facebook. Beleaguered and battle weary the friends fight on, proving to be a considerable. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie. This battle was fought in the north part of africa and it was important because it was home of an important harbor, the countries involved were australia, united kingdom, india, poland, czechoslovakia, germany and italy. The story is told through the eyes of cattle drover bluey donkin grant taylor, dingo trapper milo trent chips rafferty, and english writer peter linton a very. Rats of tobruk, the 1944 stream umbrella entertainment. The rats of tobruk 1944 anzacs wage a long and courageous resistance to nazi invasion during world war ii. On march 22, 1944, original members of the rats of tobruk formed the north bondi subbranch of the returned and services league of australia and it is still known in modern times. 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. 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.
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. Tobruk wis the steid o a colony o auncient greeks, an, later, o a roman. The rats of tobruk may not be charles chauvels best movie, but it deserves serious consideration as his best movie about war. Like stealthy shadows, they saw without being seen. The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free youtube. German radio started calling the australians poor desert rats of tobruk, which they took immense pride in, calling themselves the rats of tobruk. A captured veteran of the early european campaigns stated. The rats of tobruk were australian war soldiers that fought in a siege that took place from 11 april 1941 to 27 november 1941. What was the significance of this event for the war and for australia. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m.
Bbc ww2 peoples war i was a tobruk rat, and still am. Beleaguered and battle weary the friends fight on, proving to be a considerable challenge to the enemy and a boon to the allied war effort. The eight month long siege of tobruk in 1941, which saw the name rats of tobruk first coined by radio berlin as a contemptuous one take a proud place in australian history was one of the greatest stories of bravery and endurance against overwhelming odds in. I did a bit of research for the game panzer leader on the forces in the na campaign some time ago and came away with the understanding that the australians were among the best troops, if not the best troops, on either side of the conflict.
See the full list of the rats of tobruk cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. The job of the reconnaissance patrol was to gather information and, if possible, to secure prisoners for identification. The siege of tobruk was a battle in libya during the north african campaign of world war ii. Tobruk was the site of an ancient greek colony and, later, of a roman fortress guarding the frontier of cyrenaica. Video overview the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australias. Siege of tobruk the siege of tobruk took place in the western desert of north africa in 1941 at the height of the second world war. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. Meanwhile, the nazi propaganda machine tried to erode the defenders morale. If you can provide me with his soldier portrait i can do the commemoration for him. The siege continued for 240 days up to 27 november 1941. Three australian friends end up fighting nazis in north africa in a clumsily executed action tale. Operation crusader was launched on november 18 to december 30 to achieve what battle axe failed to do. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime.
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