CAMP, Robert Henry
| Service Number: | QX7953 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 June 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/9th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Herberton, Queensland, Australia, 11 June 1919 |
| Home Town: | Herberton, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Herberton State School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Tractor Driver |
| Died: | Natural Causes , Herberton, Queensland, Australia, 24 August 1992, aged 73 years |
| Cemetery: |
Herberton General Cemetery, Qld |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 29 Jun 1940: | Involvement QX7953 | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Jun 1940: | Enlisted | |
| 29 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, QX7953, 2nd/9th Infantry Battalion | |
| 23 Nov 1945: | Discharged | |
| 23 Nov 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, QX7953, 2nd/9th Infantry Battalion |
Remembering The Rats of Tobruk.
THE legend of the Rats of Tobruk hits close to home for Cairns Vietnam veteran Phil Warwick.
Mr Warwick’s father-in-law, Bob Camp, was one of thousands of Australians who were besieged by German-Italian forces at the Libyan port of Tobruk in 1941.
He said Mr Camp, who was one of five Herberton brothers to survive World War Two, seldom spoke about his harrowing experience.
"All I remember him saying was that they were ‘firing hell’ on them and were under constant bombardment,” Mr Warwick said.
“But I think it’s still important for people to remember that these men were our fathers and grandfathers – they are not so far removed.
“Children ought to be given an insight on what these men went through, they are arguably responsible for where we are today.”
Holding Tobruk was a crucial objective for the Allied forces as part of their wider effort to defend the Suez Canal, a vital supply route.
The Rats of Tobruk was the nickname given to Australian and British soldiers who dug in against superior forces, for which they earned admiration.
Mr Warwick, the deputy president of Cairns RSL Sub-Branch, has taken a strong interest in researching the siege of Tobruk.https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/remembering-the-rats-of-tobruk-in-cairns/news-story/14a1ee5ae20b8da9c06b57de00ca1420
Submitted 15 November 2023 by Lynette Turner
Click images to start slideshow.