The rats of tobruk chips rafferty, peter finch, and grant taylor all of whom are australian star in this wartime drama about one of australias greatest military legends. The 20yearold sydneysider had arrived in the small mediterranean port of tobruk. The battle of tobruk, located on the north coast of africa, was a battle in world war 2 in which a contingent of australian and british soldiers held out against a superior force led by erwin. The rats of tobruk were soldiers of the australianled allied garrison that held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii. To the australian who is conscious of the screen as the greatest medium for the fostering ofa national spirit it has been a constant source. As war breaks out in europe in 1939, three friends droving cattle in australia decide to join up. The name the rats of tobruk refers to the troops, mostly australian, who held out against german gen. The allied artillery shells land among the advancing germans but do not stop them. It is slow to get going, but the story is a good one, and the acting is quite well done. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 james higgins 20091205. The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. A little less of the personal dramatics and more of the action.
Handtohand fighting breaks out as they cross the defensive wire. The rats of tobruk were soldiers of the australianled allied garrison that held. November 27, 1944, monday, what happened on 11271944. Peter finch, chips rafferty, grant taylor, and pauline garrick star in the rugged australian wwii adventure the fighting rats of tobruk. Available on dvd through au following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944. The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 2 on aso australias audio and. Then, the british 8th armys taking of occupied africa in 1943, from the trouncing of tobruk to the triumph at tripoli, can be relived once more with the oscarwinning documentary desert victory. The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 1 on aso australianscreen. Its notable mostly for providing an early role for peter finch. The conditions in the siege of tobruk war were desert, rubble, rocks and dust repeated ground assaults were coming from bombs and shells that had gone off all around the area during the fight, which subjected the australians to fight in a harsh dusty place were. Australians in the bougainville campaign, 194445more. 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.
The defenders of tobruk and their besiegers were at a stalemate. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 rare movie collector. The port continued to be held by the allies until its surrender on 21 june 1942. The fighting rats of tobruk desert victory on tcm shop. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 opens on a pastoral scene. Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime. This short film features memorial historian dr karl james discussing the exhibition rats of tobruk 1941. 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. The fighting rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel starring grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty and george wallace. The fighting rats of tobruk dvd, 2001 for sale online ebay. German radio started calling the australians poor desert rats of tobruk, which they took immense pride in, calling themselves the rats of tobruk. Movie about australian rats of tobruk ww2 rats of tobruk. These men became famously known as the rats of tobruk.
The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 release info imdb. The rats of tobruk, history teachers association of nsw state conference 2011. After returning to australia, the tobruk siege servicemen looking for comradeship, established the rats of tobruk association. This was an adf pr video extolling the values of the australian defence forces. The falcon in hollywood, directed by gordon douglas, was one of the most viewed movies released in 1944 on tv people were watching gillette cavalcade of sports. To prepare for that, rommel wasnt receiving the supplies and material he needed. Watch the rats of tobruk, the australian classic war film by. Please include his name and service, unit and service number. 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. On 22 march 1944, the original members of the rats of tobruk formed the. Using this as a rallying cry, the rats of tobruk defended the city for 250 days, winning an important battle against the germans and helping to turn the tide of wwii. My rot website is now near completion and contains some,500 records of rats of tobruk for aussie, uk and polish veterans and fallen. The fighting rats of tobruk the rats of tobruk 1944. Before ww2 its inhabitants figures about 4,000 citizens, residing in several 100 whitecolored homes standing out starkly about the sunbaked, rugged terrain sloping right down to a small quay.
The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. Their story is based on the siege of the libyan city of tobruk in north africa by rommel s afrika korps. 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. Erwin rommels legendary afrika korps at the libyan port of tobruk during 1941. First, while still only 19, he was involved in a network to help his czechoslovak compatriots flee the 1939 nazi occupation. The army provided advisers who had served in tobruk. 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 famous story of the rats of tobruk and the ships that supplied them in ww2, as told by the rats themselves. Yet until last year, the only people who knew about it were the ones who were there and the family members they told.
An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. Tobruk is a tiny but significant harbour on the coastline of cyrenaica. Significance around 1944, active branches and subbranches were started in every state. The largely australian defenders held the city for 250 days before being relieved by british forces. Richard burton plays a scottish army officer put in charge of a disparate band of anzac troops on the perimeter of tobruk with the german army doing their best. One of very few australian features made during world war ii, this 1944 film memorializes a great triumph of the nations troops three years earlier. If you can provide me with his soldier portrait i can do the commemoration for him. 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. Australian film about the egyptian campaign against rommel in world war ii attempts to take a slightly documentary approach to the subject. Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your watchlist and rate your favorite movies and tv shows on your phone or tablet. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian movie that follows three friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii.
Dawn fighting against the germans to capture vilna in. Miloslav kratochvil bitton was a hero several times over. By 1941, theyre with the 9th division of the australian infantry force, fighting italians and nazis in north africa. The germans with hordes of tanks and infantry are defeated in some of the most. 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 pommels forces for months. His story, and that of thousands of other australian soldiers fighting. The records on my rot website are taken from my national. The siege started on 11 april 1941 and was relieved on 10 december.
Peter linton is killed but the others manage to repel the germans. Australian forces battle german tanks and infantry for an incredible 281 days in order to capture the libyan port tobruk, one of the crucial battles of wwii. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. Is there a list of persons who are rats of tobruk answers. The action of the men of the 215th during tobruk s easter battle was lost under the desert sands. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie. Captured german and italian weaponry was used throughout filming.
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