HONOuR ROLL
Honour Roll Preface
The list of Australian Rats of Tobruk was created by Owen Carlton for the Rats of Tobruk Association. It was very much a labour of love for Owen, who dedicated many hours examining service records and other historical documentation. The association is very appreciative of the huge effort put in by Owen to build the list.
The last surviving Australian ‘Rat of Tobruk’ passed away in August 2024. As of August 2024 there is one Polish Rat still enjoying life, who now calls Australia home.
Whilst the list of Australian soldiers who served in Tobruk is extensive, it is far from complete, and the list may contain errors caused by limitations in the records and documents examined. Should you believe there is an error with a particular soldier’s record or you believe you know of a Tobruk veteran who is not listed, we would like to know. Please send an email with the details to: ratsoftobruk41@gmail.com
Definition
For a soldier to be recognised by this Association as a Rat of Tobruk, there needs to be evidence that he served at Tobruk during the Siege. The siege started on the 10 April 1941 when the first shots were exchanged with the Germans after they had encircled the fortress with the Italians and ended on 7 December 1941 when Rommel was finally forced to abandon the siege.