North Africa WWII
North Africa: World War II
In 1941, Australians fought in the North African lands of Libya and Egypt. The Australian Imperial Force (AIF) divisions 6, 7 and 9 fought in those countries. Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships served in the eastern Mediterranean and the Royal Australian Air Force provided air support.
Australians fought their first major land battle in World War II on January 1941, when men of the 6th Division AIF, and other Allied troops, battled Italian forces at the town of Bardia on the coast of Libya. On 3-5 January 1941, the Italian were attacked and Bardia was captured. Over 40,000 Italian prisoners were taken.
The 6th Australian Division captured Tobruk from the Italians on 21-22 January 1941 and the town became a stronghold for the Australian and British forces. In early March, one of Hitler's best generals, Erwin Rommel with his Afrika Korps, came to the aid of the Italians. By April, German forces had begun to cut off and surround Tobruk. Captain Harold Johnstone wrote: Good Friday. Continuous air raids all day. Very heavy artillery barrage all afternoon. Tank battle four miles south. Saw our tanks on fire […] We are now surrounded. For eight months, Tobruk was besieged and Australian force played a prominent role in the town's defence.
The year 1941 was a dark one for the Allies. The Germans conquered all before them but Tobruk held out against Rommel and stood in the way of his advance towards Egypt and the Suez Canal. This raised morale in the countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth. Those who served there became known as the 'Rats of Tobruk', because the Germans described them as rats living in the ground.
Corporal John Edmondson writes about a fellow soldier and one of his experiences:
On the night of 13th-14th April, 1941, a party of German infantry broke through the wire defences of Tobruk … with numerous machine guns, mortars and field pieces … Corporal Edmondson and five privates carried out a bayonet charge …
In 1941, Australians fought in the North African lands of Libya and Egypt. The Australian Imperial Force (AIF) divisions 6, 7 and 9 fought in those countries. Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships served in the eastern Mediterranean and the Royal Australian Air Force provided air support.
Australians fought their first major land battle in World War II on January 1941, when men of the 6th Division AIF, and other Allied troops, battled Italian forces at the town of Bardia on the coast of Libya. On 3-5 January 1941, the Italian were attacked and Bardia was captured. Over 40,000 Italian prisoners were taken.
The 6th Australian Division captured Tobruk from the Italians on 21-22 January 1941 and the town became a stronghold for the Australian and British forces. In early March, one of Hitler's best generals, Erwin Rommel with his Afrika Korps, came to the aid of the Italians. By April, German forces had begun to cut off and surround Tobruk. Captain Harold Johnstone wrote: Good Friday. Continuous air raids all day. Very heavy artillery barrage all afternoon. Tank battle four miles south. Saw our tanks on fire […] We are now surrounded. For eight months, Tobruk was besieged and Australian force played a prominent role in the town's defence.
The year 1941 was a dark one for the Allies. The Germans conquered all before them but Tobruk held out against Rommel and stood in the way of his advance towards Egypt and the Suez Canal. This raised morale in the countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth. Those who served there became known as the 'Rats of Tobruk', because the Germans described them as rats living in the ground.
Corporal John Edmondson writes about a fellow soldier and one of his experiences:
On the night of 13th-14th April, 1941, a party of German infantry broke through the wire defences of Tobruk … with numerous machine guns, mortars and field pieces … Corporal Edmondson and five privates carried out a bayonet charge …