Australians at Tobruk by joynsonatkinson You are browsing in: Archive List > British Army Archive List > Siege of Tobruk 1941 Archive List > World > North Africa ...

The last Rat of Tobruk, Tom Pritchard, left and top right, who died aged 102 on the weekend. Bottom right: Pritchard, left, and best mate Alf Jackson at Tobruk House in Melbourne in 2019.

Mr Pritchard was the last known survivor of the 14,000 Australian troops who defied the Nazi-led war machine for 242 bloody days during the siege of Tobruk in 1941.

Tom Pritchard, who has died aged 102, was believed to be the last Australian soldier to serve with the Desert Rats during the siege of Tobruk.

Australian newsreel, telling of the besieged Australian forces in Tobruk. Coverage shows dawn patrols, wrecks in Tobruk Harbour, tank patrols, anti-aircraft action against German planes, gun ...

There are only a few of the original Rats of Tobruk still alive, but many of those gathered in Canberra on Sunday to mark 75 years since the famous World War II siege. Australians proved their ...

Mr Henderson said the ''mateship'' of the Australian forces is what he remembers most clearly from his time in Tobruk, and he has never regretted being part of the siege.

The siege of Tobruk started on April 10, 1941. The Australian Rats were commanded by Lieutenant General Leslie Morshead, a Gallipoli veteran also known as “Ming the Merciless”.

On the anniversary of one of Australia’s most famous war achievements, the Australian War Memorial has uncovered the untold story of one of the best-known “Rats of Tobruk”.

The siege of Tobruk occurred between April and August in 1941 with around 14,000 Australian soldiers surrounded by a German-Italian army.

Tom Pritchard, army medic thought to be the last Australian ‘Rat’ at the Siege of Tobruk At Tobruk, the Australians were in constant action for six months, withstanding more than 1,000 air ...