Infantry retained their own patches from previous or current assignments. Owen is also involved with two ROT Facebook groups: Owen’s purpose for developing his National ROT Database and subsequent publication of records on his associated ROT Tribute website, is to allow the basic details of the famous RATS of TOBRUK to be viewed by their descendants, relatives and other interested friends and researchers of the RATS of Tobruk. I also put in a word for the New Association that has recently been created, for Descendants and Relatives of Rats of Tobruk. The monument is a replica of that built by Australian Divisional Engineers in the Tobruk Cemetery, Libya, during the Second World War seige, that lasted from the 10th April to December 1941. After the soldiers returned to Australia, the veterans looked to continue their comradeship. To the best of our knowledge there were 17 Australian ‘Rats’ still enjoying life as at the end of 2020, most of whom have reached their centenary year. Owen says that this is the original and only tribute website in the world for our Allied Rats of Tobruk and it displays the Honour Roll of Allied Forces (Australian, UK and Polish) who served in Tobruk, Libya, during the Siege of Tobruk, for 241 days between April 10 to December 7, 1941. Owen CarltonA Proud Aussie NashoEx ROTA Inc.ratsoftobruktribute.com. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The Rats of Tobruk in 1941 denied Axis forces a sweeping advance through North Africa. Donations of $2 dollars or more tax deductible for the donors. the "rats of Tobruk", drawing a parallel with rodents burrowing underground. Rats of Tobruk 1941. Tobruk. As time moves on, and as ROTA Branches are closing and fading out, we are fast losing our Veteran Rats of Tobruk, with only 52 Living Rats now recorded on the National ROT Database, based on Family and other Input. Check the detailed rolls for your family names. Contributed by Michael Hall. On 22 March 1944, the original members of the Rats of Tobruk formed the North Bondi Sub-Branch of the Returned and Services League of Australia and it is still known in modern times as Tobruk House or The Rathouse. Write a brief summary of what happened. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Directed by Charles Chauvel. And if you find records for your relatives, consider emailing Owen a message of thanks! In addition to Aussie Rats of Tobruk, allied troops such as UK, Indian, Polish and Czech service personnel, who served at Tobruk during the siege period, are in many cases also listed. 0 rating. Controlling north Africa would give the Allied forces a base from which to attack occupied Europe, across the Mediterranean. [6] Since ‘D’ Squadron had tank names with ‘ ‘ the 7th letter of the alphabet, this would conclusively prove it is ‘D’ Squadron 7 R.T.R. Special mention to Owen Carlton and Roger Murphy who have tirelessly worked for years verifying and documenting the Rats roll, our descendant Ray Windlow for his on-going work creating the tributes and store products for the Association, and others too many to mention who work towards keeping this story alive for the benefit of future generations. One of the most famous photos of the siege shows a Bren gun carrier adorned with the words "Rats to you". The RSLWA is the governing body of RSL Sub-Branches across Western Australia. Interested persons may contact Betty Murphy (dotrota41@gmail.com). They were names the Rats of Tobruk because it was like being a rat in a trap, and they couldn't escape. At present they have collected over 10,000 names for the database. British subject William Joyce was the most notorious broadcaster of Nazi propaganda during World War II. These cookies do not store any personal information. The Rats of Tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the Libyan port of Tobruk against the Africa Corps, during the Siege of Tobruk in WW2. As time moves on, and as ROTA Branches are closing and fading out, we are fast losing our Veteran Rats of Tobruk, with only 52 Living Rats now recorded on the National ROT Database, based on Family and other Input. The Rats of Tobruk uses a derivative of the Famous Divisions Series that appeared in World at War #20 (Grossdeutschland Panzer
) and #34 (Guards Armored). The deserts of north Africa were an important battleground in World War II. A German propagandist described them as the 'rats of Tobruk', but the ANZACs reclaimed the name as a badge of pride and symbol of their tenacity and … Moderate. The patches of the famed Rats of Tobruk. Finally on 7 December 1941, Rommel was forced to abandon the siege. As an Ex Serviceman himself, Owen has a close affiliation with these fine men, and he acknowledges and appreciates what they did for their Country, in the darkest hours and time of need, with many of them having paid the … Owen is happy to respond to enquiries regarding any existing records or to update records or add new records. This short film features Memorial historian Dr Karl James discussing the exhibition "Rats of Tobruk 1941".http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/tobruk/ Owen’s Uncle, QX1733 Carlton, Eric Noel of 2/15 Battalion was a Rat of Tobruk so Owen was privileged to have known quite a number of Rats of Tobruk in the past 10 years. The Battle in Brief. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. rats special medal; siege of tobruk story; philip, james robertson; polish rats of tobruk; glass, jesse nx36298; australians at tobruk; uk rat of tobruk; calvert qx2240; unknown soldier eulogy Thank You, Owen Carlton. We aim to commemorate, support and provide comradeship to veterans and their families. There were also major oil fields in the Middle East that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport. With the heroics and legacy associated with the ANZAC’s being fresh in the minds of the public during the Second World War, the Rats of Tobruk, among the many other Australian forces again displayed the key characteristics of bravery, mateship and defiance that has come to be associated with the name of the Australian Digger. Can you pronounce this word better. Sky News host Alan Jones says the legend of the Rats of Tobruk began 80 years ago, yesterday, but suspects "the classrooms of Australia" would likely be … Tobruk was the only deep water port in Eastern Libya and as a consequence it had been heavily fortified by its former Italian garrison. It was an epic battle and despite heavy casualties, the Tobruk garrison was held. The Rats of Tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of WWII (1939 – 1945) who defended the port of Tobruk during the siege of Tobruk. Rats like Arn Hannaford endured searing heat, bitterly cold nights, and hellish dust storms. With Grant Taylor, Peter Finch, Chips Rafferty, Pauline Garrick. Designed to bolster German propaganda and destroy Australian morale, the name was instead quickly adopted by the Australians as a badge of honour. The Rats of Tobruk. The Australians also This was one of the longest sieges in British military history and gave rise to the legend of the mighty ‘Rats of Tobruk’. The Anderson name in the British Ceylon Widow and Orphans Fund records, We use cookies to give you the best experience, as detailed in our, British Ceylon Ancestry – Ceylon Civil Service Widow & Orphan Fund Applications Index, Descendants of the Rats of Tobruk – Australia (closed group), Rats of Tobruk tribute website & database. Sergeant Bert Le-Merton was there with the 2/13 Battalion. Owen’s Uncle, QX1733 Carlton, Eric Noel of 2/15 Battalion was a Rat of Tobruk so Owen was privileged to have known quite a number of Rats of Tobruk in the past 10 years. 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. The other peculiarity of his enlistment was that twenty years earlier, Cec had been described as being almost blind, yet that did not prevent him from becoming one of the Rats of Tobruk. Level 4, 28 St Georges Record the pronunciation of this word in your own voice and play it to listen to how you have pronounced it. Tells the story of three men--Bluey, a tough two fisted drover (Taylor), Milo, a laconic dingo trapper (Rafferty), and Pete, an intellectual English "new chum" (Finch). As an Ex Serviceman himself, Owen has a close affiliation with these fine men, and he acknowledges and appreciates what they did for their Country, in the darkest hours and time of need, with many of them having paid the supreme sacrifice. The Honour Roll records are held in Owen’s National ROT database of 18,848 records. The Siege Of Tobruk. Following the capture of Bardia, the 6th Australian Division advanced west along the Libyan coast to the Italian defended port town of Tobruk. Rats of Tobruk is a two-player operational/tactical game that simulates Rommel’s Easter Day attack on Tobruk in April 1941. Similar to the halting of the Japanese advance on the Kokoda Track a year later it is a significant part of Australian military folklore. Please contact Owen Carlton at ocar23@iinet.net.au. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Anyone recognise one of the tankers? We are working to produce a tribute for all RATS to be presented to AWM and other organisations for the 80th Anniversary of the Siege of Tobruk and also to Association descendants. 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. The website includes the history of the Rats of Tobruk, timelines, maps, tributes, slideshows, videos, interviews, military abbreviations, stories, poetry, news, honour rolls, award recipients, POWs, and more. James Cecil (Cec) Cotter was forty years of age when he enlisted at Moore Park in Sydney in December 1940, although he claimed to be only thirty seven. How the Rats of Tobruk acquired their famous name. The name ‘Rats of Tobruk’ came about as a result of Nazi radio propaganda broadcasts labelling the troops contemptuously as ‘rats’. The rats of Tobruk. I f you can provide me with his soldier portrait I can do the commemoration for him. Matilda Tanks of the Tobruk Garrison – video. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The WA Aged Sailor’s, Soldier’s and Airmen’s Relief Trust Fund, Descendants of the Rats of Tobruk – Australia Group. The names of many remote villages in North Africa were written into history in 1941-1942 as British and Axis armies battled back and forth across the scrubby desert wastelands of northern Egypt and Libya. Heavy fighting continued for 242 days. Yet another name became legendary in World War II as a symbol of heroic and determined resistance: the Siege of Tobruk. Nicknamed Lord Haw Haw, he opened his weekly radio programme with the words “Germany … Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The Desert Rats is a 1953 American black-and-white war film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Robert L. Jacks, directed by Robert Wise, that stars Richard Burton, James Mason, and Robert Newton.The film's storyline concerns the Siege of Tobruk in North Africa during World War II. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The Rats of Tobruk was the name of a group of soldiers, primarily existing out of Australians, that held the Libyan port of Tobruk against Erwin Rommel's Afrika Corps, during and after the Siege of Tobruk in World War II. The capture of Tobruk was essential for an advance on Alexandria and Suez. I would like to point out that my number of records have increased to 21,376, as of 5/2/21. The Famous story of the Rats of Tobruk and the Ships that supplied them in WW2, as told by the Rats themselves. Australians standing by in a hot section of the front, 400 yards from the enemy. Welcome to the Rats of Tobruk Association's Facebook page !! In addition, there was 1 Polish ‘Rat’ still enjoying life, who now call Australia home. It is of extreme importance to make all Descendants and Relatives of Rats of Tobruk aware of what is happening within the Greater Family of the Rats of Tobruk, so that our younger generations are fully informed and are encouraged to participate in the Facebook groups – To Keep The FLAME Burning, in Memory of All Rats of Tobruk. Approximately 14,000 Australians were in the siege of Tobruk. Rats of Tobruk. We are seeking Descendants and Relatives to join us in this New Association ( Descendants of the Rats of Tobruk Australia Association Inc (DOTROTA) along with its Facebook Group. The siege started on 10 April 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of November. This New Association, has really taken off since it began early in 2018. With over 100 Sub-Branches across the state, there’s sure to be a branch near you. Difficult. There are only a small number of surviving Australian Rats of Tobruk. We are very busy organising for the 80th Anniversary World Re-Union, to be held in Cleveland, Brisbane, over the dates of 8th, 9th and 10th of April, 2021. Thanks for your vote! The whole video is worth watching and can be found at the link below. Other support services inheritd the equivalent 9th Division patch depending on their branch What You Need To Know About. This siege began on the 10 th of April, 1941 when 14,000 Australian soldiers were surrounded and inundated by a German and Italian Axis army. RSLWA, ABN 59 263 172 184, is endorsed by the Australian Taxation Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient. Tobruk The Rats of Tobruk, 1941. Terrace Perth WA 6000, PO Box Z5424 Though their name was supposed to be derogatory, the soldiers adopted it as a badge of honor. 2011 marks the 70th anniversary of Australia’s first major battles of the Second World War. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The troops of the garrison adopted and revelled in the nickname and it has become significant in Australian military history. Cairns Family History was recently alerted to the existence of a very comprehensive Rats of Tobruk Tribute website, produced by ex-serviceman Owen Carlton as an element of his Rats of Tobruk Project of 10 years: finding and researching our famous Rats of Tobruk. Accession Number: 009514. The name Rats of Tobruk came from a broadcaster of Nazi propaganda, William Joyce (or Lord Haw-Haw), who often referred to the men defending the garrison as being “caught like rats” and as “poor desert rats of Tobruk”. Visit Us Craig H Proctor collects headstone photos "Remember the Rats of Tobruk" fb page, Owen Carltonn of ROTA Victoria is making the data base for names and families and I'm doing the photos. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Keep up to date with our latest news and events Sign-up to our newsletter. St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6831. Pronunciation of Rats of Tobruk with 1 audio pronunciations. Very difficult. The siege ran from the 1 th April 1941 to 7th December 1941 a total of 242 days, this was the longest siege in British Military history. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 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. Finally on 7 December 1941, Rommel was forced to abandon the siege of Tobruk fields in nickname! And can be found at the end of November Australian Rats of Tobruk is two-player! Word for the database ABN 59 263 172 184, is endorsed by rats of tobruk names Rats of and! William Joyce was the most rats of tobruk names photos of the Second World War.! 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