In the early days of April 1941, the 14,000 Australian forces garrisoned
in the Libyan town of Tobruk were told to expect reinforcements and
supplies within eight weeks... Eight months later these heroic, gallant,
determined 'Rats of Tobruk' were rescued by the British Navy having held
the fort against the might of Rommel's never-before defeated Afrika
Corps. Like Gallipoli and Kokoda, the siege of Tobruk is an iconic
battle in Australia's military history. Under ceaseless attack from
Rommel's men, the Australian defence held strong. In Tobruk, Peter
FitzSimons relates the personal histories and stories not only of the
men who defended the garrison against the German onslaught but of the
Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel, and the powers back in both Berlin and
Britain.
