Rats of Tobruk

Thieves in the Night

Adolph Hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the 'perfect' fighting machines. Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. They had been conditioned to die for their nation's glory even if this entailed sacrificing their own life and the lives of their mates. They were aggressive, strong, without empathy and at the outbreak of World War 2, they crushed all who dared stand in their way.

But in northern Africa , the Germans confronted a very different breed of soldier. They confronted soldiers without respect for authority or for domineering powers. These soldiers were volunteers without dreams of glory but who instead believed that some things were worth fighting for. They were empathetic soldiers who were infuriated if their leaders brushed aside their suffering or dared express an attitude that any man was expendable or inferior. These soldiers were from Australia and at Tobruk, they gave Hitler his first taste of defeat.

A great deal can be learnt about the strengths of the Diggers character by studying both the tactics they used to fight the Germans as well as their reaction to German propaganda.

Tactics used to fight Germans.

In 1941, Great Britain withdrew most of its forces from Africa and sent them to defend Greece leaving Australians with the task of defending the portal city of Tobruk . The city had to be held as a strong point where future attacks could be launched upon German troops.

The odds were stacked against the Diggers. The German force was twice its size and masterminded by Rommel, a military genius who had never been defeated in battle. Despite the long odds, the Diggers never entertained the idea of retreat or surrender.

But despite plenty of courage, the Diggers knew they could not win on courage alone hence they innovated to fight the battle to their strengths rather than their weaknesses. When Rommel charged Tobruk with tanks, the Diggers didn't bother to resist as to do so would result in certain destruction. Instead, they attacked the follow up infantry and once they were eliminated, the tanks lacking in ground support were easier targets. When the Luftwaffe dropped waves upon waves of bombs, the Diggers didn't make much effort to shoot them down rather they hid safely in Tobruk's network of tunnels. This ensured they remained focused on the task of defending the city against the German infantry.

When the Germans retreated to regroup, the Australians didn't wait in a siege mentality. Instead they went on the offensive; attacking German positions, stealing German artillery and then retreating back into the city like thieves in the night. Subsequently, the stolen artillery (known as 'bush artillery') was used against its creators.

The conviction of the Diggers even won them the respect of the Nazis. Major Ballerstedt, C.O. 2nd Battalion, 115th Motorized Infantry Regiment, wrote to his superiors:

" The Australian, who are the men our troops have had opposite them so far, are extraordinarily tough fighters. The German is more active in the attack, but the enemy stakes his life in the defence and fights to the last with extreme cunning."

The thoughts were echoed by a captured German officer struggling to explain how he found himself a prisoner of war:

" I cannot understand you Australians. In Poland , France and Belgium once the tanks got through the soldiers took it for granted they were beaten. But you are like demons. The tanks break through and your infantry keeps fighting."

The Australian response to Nazi propaganda

The Nazis had proven themselves to be supreme masters of propaganda and turned to such methods when success on the battlefield proved elusive. The Nazis had discovered that Germans responded to words of optimism, success, freedom, supremacy and excellence. Consequently, they described the Australians as the complete opposite believing it would lower the Australian moral. They likened the fighting style of the Australians to that of a rat; a vermin that steals from the shadows. The propaganda expressed supreme confidence that the German victory was assured and the Australian defeat imminent as the "rats" were caught in a German trap.

Naively, the Germans failed to appreciate that propaganda that would demoralize a German would motivate an Australian.

Are Australians afraid of failure?

Australians identify with the battler whom demonstrates that even in defeat, victory can be achieved. A battler has been defined as someone who " thrust doggedly onwards: starting again, failing again, implacably thrusting towards success. For success, even if it only the success of knowing that one has tried to the utmost and never surrendered, is the target of every battler"

As they identified with the battler, the Diggers knew that as long as they continued to make trouble, they were achieving success. If they kept saving their mates, they were achieving success. Most importantly, if they tried their utmost against the odds and never surrendered, they had achieved success. Consequently, the German prediction of failure merely gave the Digger more incentive to persevere. In the words of Chester Wilmot:

' Berlin Radio made a fatal mistake in trying to jibe and scare the Australian soldier into surrender. The longer the odds Lord Haw Haw offered against the Diggers chance of getting out, the more heavily the digger backed himself."

Do Australians need to feel superior?

The Diggers had come from a culture where the champions were the underdogs who stood up against those who expressed their 'superiority'. Consequently, the Germans preaching their superiority merely gave the Australians more motivation to cut them down.

Do Australians glorify their 'excellence'?

Countries that are born of revolutions, great heroics or have great artistic traditions are justified in championing their 'excellence'. However Australians are unable to engage in such self-glorification as their culture is built upon the scum of British society. Consequently, instead of glorifying themselves as heroes or champions, Australians self depreciate by affectionately referring to themselves as "dickheads", "bastards", "mongrels" and "drongos". Hence when the Germans called them 'rats', the Australians were not offended. To the contrary, they embraced the description; dubbing themselves the "Rats of Tobruk." It was seen as a sign that the underdogs were indeed making life difficult for the domineering power.

In the end

By war's end, it was the Germans who lost their nerve. As their motivation to fight was for glory, once the glory dried up, so did the motivation. When authority was found wanting, the soldiers trained to obey found themselves without a rudder. When soldiers obsessed with feeling superior confronted defeat, their morale was shattered. Consequently, when the going got tough, Hitler's 'perfect' soldier who had proved almost invincible, capitulated.

Recreation time

July 30, 1941 - Rules of cricket between Australia 's 20th Brigade and Britain 's 107 Royal Horse Artillery

Rule 2. Play to be continuous until 1800 hours, except by interference by air raids. Play will NOT, rpt NOT cease during shell fire.

Rule 4. Shirts, shorts, long socks, sand shoes if available. ITI Helmets will not be worn or any other fancy head gear. Umpires will wear white coat (if available) and will carry loaded rifle with fixed bayonet.

Rule 6. All players to be searched for concealed weapons before start of play, and all weapons found, other than S T grenades, Mills bombs, & revolvers will be confiscated. (This does not apply to umpires.)

Rule 8. Manager will make medical arrangements & have ambulance in attendance.

[Top]