Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

An Australian patrol lays up in an anti-tank ditch near the perimeter of the Australian defences around Tobruk. AWM 020779 . This appears to be a posed photo as the men are carrying no visible equipment or ammunition pouches and only their weapons (SMLE .303 rifles and .45 calibre Thompson sub machine guns). The term anti tank ditch seems ambitious as its hard to see that ditch causing any delay to a tank moving at speed.

Lieutenant General (later Sir) Leslie Mooreshead, General Officer Commanding the 9th Division at Tobruk. A one-time teacher, Gallipoli veteran and renowned as a disciplinarian, he was nick-named 'Ming the Merciless' by his troops after a cartoon character of the time.

An Australian patrol in part of the anti-tank ditch. Compared to another photo purporting to be in an anti tank ditch, which is not much more than a shallow depression, this image gives avery graphic impression of the nature of the obstacle. The aim is to ground a tank in the bottom of the ditch at an angle that prevents self-recovery.

A dugout in the Tobruk area with ships ventilators or 'punkas' erected by the Australian Engineers in occupation

Australians standing by in a hot section of the front, 400 yards from the enemy. Many forward posts like this are isolated during the daylight hours (Original caption). This photograph was reproduced in the unit history 'Purple and blue: the history of the 2/10th Battalion' published in 1958. The men were identified in the unit history as, front to rear: VX35964 Private (Pte) William John Goodgame', VX36671 Pte Gordon James Watkins and SX1412 Pte Charles George Stening'. All three were promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal during their service. Lance Corporals Goodgame and Watkins were killed in action at Buna, Papua, on 24 December 1942. This image gives a clear impression a clear impression of the exposed nature of their position and the cramped conditions under which they operated. Charlie Stenning was a well known identity in the 2nd/10th Battalion Association after the War, Bill Goodgame in the foreground is clearly not planning to withdraw; he has no boots on! He is armed with a Thompson sub machine gun.

Map displaying the defensive layout during the siege during April to May 1941.

Men of an Anti Tank Company at Tobruk; The 2nd/3rd Anti Tank Regiment and the 24th and 26th Anti Tanl Companis served at Tobruk.

Another map minus unit dispositions but more clearly displaying key locations within the defensive perimeter