Tobruk

Lore & Background

Tobruk was the site of an ancient Greek colony and, later, of a Roman fortress guarding the frontier of Cyrenaica. Over the centuries, it also served as a waystation along the coastal caravan route. By 1911, it had become an Italian military post. During World War II, Allied forces, mainly the Australian 6th Division, took Tobruk on 22 January 1941. The Australian 9th Division ('The Rats of Tobruk') pulled back to Tobruk to avoid encirclement and reached Tobruk on 9 April 1941. Prolonged fighting followed against a siege by German and Italian forces. The siege was lifted by Operation Crusader in November 1941. A renewed offensive by Axis forces under Erwin Rommel resulted in Tobruk being captured in June 1942. It was held by the Axis until November 1942, when it was recaptured by the Allies. Rebuilt after World War II, Tobruk was expanded during the 1960s to include a port terminal linked by an oil pipeline to the Sarir oil field. King Idris of Libya had his palace at Bab Zaytun. Tobruk was traditionally a stronghold of the Senussi royal dynasty and one of the first to rebel against Muammar Gaddafi in the Arab Spring.

In Their Own Story

The sun hammered down on the whitewashed walls of the outer perimeter, turning the sand into a blinding glare. Sergeant Calloway pressed his back against the concrete lip of a bunker slit and watched the mirage shimmer where the road met the sea. Somewhere beyond the dune line, the low rumble of Panzer engines had been building for twenty minutes. He could taste dust in his teeth, could feel the vibration in the soles of his boots through the packed earth. A young corporal beside him checked his magazine for the third time. 'They're coming up the causeway,' the corporal whispered, though there was no need to whisper—there was no one left to hear. Calloway racked the bolt, tasted salt and iron, and waited for the first shell to tear the sky open over the harbor.

Reader's Guide

Tobruk has a strong, naturally protected deep harbour, probably the best natural port in northern Africa. The city is surrounded by a desert lightly populated with nomadic herdsmen. There are many escarpments to the south, forming a substantial physical barrier between the north and south of Libya. Previously, Tobruk was some distance from Benghazi via the Libyan Coastal Highway, but this was shortened after construction of the Charruba–Timimi Road between 1975 and 1985. Construction of the Tobruk–Ajdabiya Road reduced the distance between those two cities. Because it is approximately 120 miles from Egypt by land, Tobruk is an important hub for merchants and travellers. Tobruk suffers a serious saltwater intrusion problem; a desalination factory has been built there. The city features a hot desert climate, but its maritime location allows it to receive significantly more precipitation than areas further inland.

Did You Know?

• The Siege of Tobruk lasted from 9 April to November 1941, about eight months.
• Tobruk was captured by British, Australian and Indian forces on 22 January 1941.
• The Australian 9th Division was known as 'The Rats of Tobruk'.
• Tobruk was recaptured by the Allies in November 1942.