What happened at the Battle of Tobruk?
On June 21, 1942, General Erwin Rommel turns his assault on the British-Allied garrison at Tobruk, Libya, into victory, as his panzer division occupies the North African port. Britain had established control of Tobruk after routing the Italians in 1940.
Why did the Battle of Tobruk happen?
Controlling north Africa would give the Allied forces a base from which to attack occupied Europe, across the Mediterranean. There were also major oil fields in the Middle East that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport. Control of oil supplies was often a deciding factor in winning battles.
What important events happened in 1942?
1942
- Germany suffers setbacks at Stalingrad and El Alamein.
- Singapore falls to the Japanese in February – around 25,000 prisoners taken.
- American naval victory at Battle of Midway, in June, marks turning point in Pacific War.
- Mass murder of Jewish people at Auschwitz begins.
What type of fighting occurred in the siege of Tobruk?
Tobruk was subject to repeated ground assaults and almost constant shelling and bombing. The Nazi propagandist Lord Haw Haw (William Joyce) derided the tenacious defenders as ‘rats’, a term that the Australian soldiers embraced as an ironic compliment.
How did Rommel take Tobruk?
Despite efforts to destroy the fuel at Tobruk, the Axis captured some 1,400 t (1,400 long tons) and 20 t (20 long tons) at Belhamed. Amongst the 2,000 vehicles captured were 30 serviceable tanks and it has been estimated that Rommel was using some 6,000 captured British lorries by the end of the month.
Why did Rommel take Tobruk?
British forces in Libya’s eastern coastal region of Cyrenaica were caught completely by surprise and retreated several hundred miles across the desert towards Tobruk. Realising that he had a chance to capture Tobruk before the Allies had time to organise a defence, Rommel pushed forward.
What happened on 21 June 1942 at Tobruk?
The road from Bardia to Tobruk on 21 June 1942 with British prisoners of war on the left, sunken ships in the harbour and smoke over the port. / 32.07611°N 23.96139°E / 32.07611; 23.96139
What was the significance of the Siege of Tobruk?
The siege of Tobruk was the first occasion in the war that German Panzer units had been stopped. The siege of Tobruk was lifted in December 1941 in the course of Operation Crusader. Axis forces re-captured the port on 21 June 1942, after defeating the Eighth Army in the Battle of Gazala . [70]
What is the exact location of Tobruk in Libya?
/ 32.07611°N 23.96139°E / 32.07611; 23.96139 The Axis capture of Tobruk, also known as the Fall of Tobruk and the Second Battle of Tobruk (17–21 June 1942) was part of the Western Desert Campaign in Libya during the Second World War.
How many men were taken from Tobruk?
From 11 April – 10 December, 47,280 men were taken from Tobruk, 34,113 were brought in and 33,946 long tons (34,491 t) of stores delivered; 34 ships were sunk and 33 damaged. The Bardia raid was planned for the night of 19/20 April, by ‘A’ Battalion, Layforce to disrupt Axis lines of communication and damage installations and equipment.