Tobruk 1941

by Chester Wilmot

R.A.F. night-fighters shoot down 33 German planes over London.

  12th.

  Rudolph Hess lands in Scotland.

  15th–16th.

  First British attempt to relieve Tobruk by attack from Egypt fails.

  16th–17th.

  German attempt to widen breach in Tobruk perimeter repulsed.

  20th.

  Duke of Aosta, Viceroy of Abyssinia surrenders. Germans begin air-borne attack on Crete.

  30th.

  Evacuation of Anglo-Anzac forces from Crete begins.

  31st.

  British troops complete pacification of Iraq. Rebels seek armistice.

  JUNE:

  8th.

  British, Australian, Free French and Indian troops invade Syria.

  15th–17th.

  Second British attempt to relieve Tobruk by attack from Egypt fails.

  18th.

  Turkey signs treaty of friendship with Germany.

  22nd.

  Germany invades U.S.S.R.

  JULY:

  1st.

  General Auchinleck (C.-in-C., India) exchanges posts with General Wavell (C.-in-C., Middle East).

  7th.

  U.S. Forces occupy Iceland and Greenland.

  12th.

  Syrian campaign ends: Armistice signed at Acre.

  AUGUST:

  3rd.

  Tobruk garrison attempts to retake German Salient, but fails.

  12th.

  Mr Churchill and President Roosevelt approve draft of Atlantic Charter. (This Charter was never signed.)

  13th.

  Germans occupy Smolensk, threaten Kiev and Odessa.

  25th.

  British and Soviet troops invade Iran.

  28th.

  British and Soviet troops complete occupation of Iran.

  SEPTEMBER:

  1st.

  Rommel launches heaviest air attack on Tobruk with 140 planes.

  11th.

  President Roosevelt announces that U.S. fleet ordered to destroy Axis forces operating in ‘American defensive waters’.

  15th–16th.

  Two Axis columns penetrate 35 miles into Egypt but are turned back.

  OCTOBER:

  7th.

  President Roosevelt announces plan for revision of Neutrality Act to permit American merchantmen to carry ‘Lend-Lease’ goods to Britain.

  16th.

  Germans take Odessa.

  29th.

  Germans take Kharkov and threaten Moscow and Rostov.

  NOVEMBER:

  5th.

  German advance checked at Moscow’s outer defences.

  18th.

  British begin counter-offensive in Libya for relief of Tobruk.

  22nd.

  Germans capture Rostov but are driven out five days later.

  27th.

  Germans only 20 miles from Moscow.

  DECEMBER:

  7th.

  Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

  Siege of Tobruk is raised.

  8th.

  Britain and U.S.A. declare war on Japan.

  10th.

  Rommel’s forces in full retreat break off contact with Tobruk.

  25th.

  British re-capture Bengazi.

  Dancing on Coral

  Glenda Adams

  Introduced by Susan Wyndham

  The True Story of Spit MacPhee

  James Aldridge

  Introduced by Phillip Gwynne

  The Commandant

  Jessica Anderson

  Introduced by Carmen Callil

  Homesickness

  Murray Bail

  Introduced by Peter Conrad

  Sydney Bridge Upside Down

  David Ballantyne

  Introduced by Kate De Goldi

  Bush Studies

  Barbara Baynton

  Introduced by Helen Garner

  Between Sky & Sea

  Herz Bergner

  Introduced by Arnold Zable

  The Cardboard Crown

  Martin Boyd

  Introduced by Brenda Niall

  A Difficult Young Man

  Martin Boyd

  Introduced by Sonya Hartnett

  Outbreak of Love

  Martin Boyd

  Introduced by Chris Womersley

  When Blackbirds Sing

  Martin Boyd

  Introduced by Chris Wallace-Crabbe

  The Australian Ugliness

  Robin Boyd

  Introduced by Christos Tsiolkas

  The Dyehouse

  Mena Calthorpe

  Introduced by Fiona McFarlane

  All the Green Year

  Don Charlwood

  Introduced by Michael McGirr

  They Found a Cave

  Nan Chauncy

  Introduced by John Marsden

  The Even More Complete

  Book of Australian Verse

  John Clarke

  For the Term of His Natural Life

  Marcus Clarke

  Introduced by Rohan Wilson

  Diary of a Bad Year

  J. M. Coetzee

  Introduced by Peter Goldsworthy

  Wake in Fright

  Kenneth Cook

  Introduced by Peter Temple

  The Dying Trade

  Peter Corris

  Introduced by Charles Waterstreet

  They’re a Weird Mob

  Nino Culotta

  Introduced by Jacinta Tynan

  Aunts Up the Cross

  Robin Dalton

  Introduced by Clive James

  The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke

  C. J. Dennis

  Introduced by Jack Thompson

  Careful, He Might Hear You

  Sumner Locke Elliott

  Introduced by Robyn Nevin

  Fairyland

  Sumner Locke Elliott

  Introduced by Dennis Altman

  The Explorers

  Edited and introduced by

  Tim Flannery

  Terra Australis

  Matthew Flinders

  Introduced by Tim Flannery

  Take Me to Paris, Johnny

  John Foster

  Introduced by Peter Craven

  Afterword by John Rickard

  Owls Do Cry

  Janet Frame

  Introduced by Margaret Drabble

  In the Memorial Room

  Janet Frame

  Introduced by Simon Van Booy

  My Brilliant Career

  Miles Franklin

  Introduced by Jennifer Byrne

  Such Is Life

  Joseph Furphy

  Introduced by David Malouf

  The Fringe Dwellers

  Nene Gare

  Introduced by Melissa Lucashenko

  Cosmo Cosmolino

  Helen Garner

  Introduced by Ramona Koval

  The Last Days of Chez Nous & Two Friends

  Helen Garner

  Afterword by Laura Jones

  Wish

  Peter Goldsworthy

  Introduced by James Bradley

  Dark Places

  Kate Grenville

  Introduced by Louise Adler

  The Idea of Perfection

  Kate Grenville

  Introduced by Neil Armfield

  I Saw a Strange Land

  Arthur Groom

  Introduced by Robyn Davidson

  The Quiet Earth

  Craig Harrison

  Introduced by Bernard Beckett

  Down in the City

  Elizabeth Harrower

  Introduced by Delia Falconer

  The Long Prospect

  Elizabeth Harrower

  Introduced by Fiona McGregor

  The Catherine Wheel

  Elizabeth Harrower

  Introduced by Ramona Koval

  The Watch Tower

  Elizabeth Harrower

  Introduced by Joan London

  Out of the Line of Fire

  M
ark Henshaw

  Introduced by Stephen Romei

  The Long Green Shore

  John Hepworth

  Introduced by Lloyd Jones

  Dog Boy

  Eva Hornung

  Introduced by Yann Martel

  The Mystery of a Hansom Cab

  Fergus Hume

  Introduced by Simon Caterson

  Madame Midas

  Fergus Hume

  Introduced by Clare Wright

  Carry Me Down

  M. J. Hyland

  Afterword by J. M. Coetzee

  The Chantic Bird

  David Ireland

  Introduced by Geordie Williamson

  The Unknown Industrial Prisoner

  David Ireland

  Introduced by Peter Pierce

  The Glass Canoe

  David Ireland

  Introduced by Nicolas Rothwell

  A Woman of the Future

  David Ireland

  Introduced by Kate Jennings

  Eat Me

  Linda Jaivin

  Introduced by Krissy Kneen

  Moral Hazard

  Kate Jennings

  Introduced by Gideon Haigh

  Julia Paradise

  Rod Jones

  Introduced by Emily Maguire

  The Jerilderie Letter

  Ned Kelly

  Introduced by Alex McDermott

  Bring Larks and Heroes

  Thomas Keneally

  Introduced by Geordie Williamson

  Came Back to Show You I Could Fly

  Robin Klein

  Introduced by Simmone Howell

  All in the Blue Unclouded Weather

  Robin Klein

  Introduced by Amie Kaufman

  Dresses of Red and Gold

  Robin Klein

  Introduced by Fiona Wood

  The Sky in Silver Lace

  Robin Klein

  Introduced by Alice Pung

  Strine

  Afferbeck Lauder

  Introduced by John Clarke

  The Young Desire It

  Kenneth Mackenzie

  Introduced by David Malouf

  The Refuge

  Kenneth Mackenzie

  Introduced by Nicolas Rothwell

  Stiff

  Shane Maloney

  Introduced by Lindsay Tanner

  The Middle Parts of Fortune

  Frederic Manning

  Introduced by Simon Caterson

  Selected Stories

  Katherine Mansfield

  Introduced by Emily Perkins

  The Home Girls

  Olga Masters

  Introduced by Geordie Williamson

  Amy’s Children

  Olga Masters

  Introduced by Eva Hornung

  The Scarecrow

  Ronald Hugh Morrieson

  Introduced by Craig Sherborne

  The Dig Tree

  Sarah Murgatroyd

  Introduced by Geoffrey Blainey

  A Lifetime on Clouds

  Gerald Murnane

  Introduced by Andy Griffiths

  The Plains

  Gerald Murnane

  Introduced by Wayne Macauley

  The Odd Angry Shot

  William Nagle

  Introduced by Paul Ham

  Life and Adventures 1776–1801

  John Nicol

  Introduced by Tim Flannery

  Death in Brunswick

  Boyd Oxlade

  Introduced by Shane Maloney

  Swords and Crowns and Rings

  Ruth Park

  Introduced by Alice Pung

  The Watcher in the Garden

  Joan Phipson

  Introduced by Margo Lanagan

  Maurice Guest

  Henry Handel Richardson

  Introduced by Carmen Callil

  The Getting of Wisdom

  Henry Handel Richardson

  Introduced by Germaine Greer

  The Fortunes of Richard Mahony

  Henry Handel Richardson

  Introduced by Peter Craven

  The Delinquents

  Criena Rohan

  Introduced by Nick Earls

  Rose Boys

  Peter Rose

  Introduced by Brian Matthews

  Fear Drive My Feet

  Peter Ryan

  Introduced by Peter Pierce

  Hills End

  Ivan Southall

  Introduced by James Moloney

  Ash Road

  Ivan Southall

  Introduced by Maurice Saxby

  To the Wild Sky

  Ivan Southall

  Introduced by Kirsty Murray

  Lillipilly Hill

  Eleanor Spence

  Introduced by Ursula Dubosarsky

  The Beauties and Furies

  Christina Stead

  Introduced by Margaret Harris

  A Little Tea, a Little Chat

  Christina Stead

  Introduced by David Malouf

  The Puzzleheaded Girl

  Christina Stead

  Introduced by Fiona Wright

  The Little Hotel

  Christina Stead

  Introduced by Lisa Gorton

  The Women in Black

  Madeleine St John

  Introduced by Bruce Beresford

  The Essence of the Thing

  Madeleine St John

  Introduced by Helen Trinca

  Jonah

  Louis Stone

  Introduced by Frank Moorhouse

  To the Islands

  Randolph Stow

  Introduced by Bernadette Brennan

  Tourmaline

  Randolph Stow

  Introduced by Gabrielle Carey

  Visitants

  Randolph Stow

  Introduced by Drusilla Modjeska

  The Girl Green as Elderflower

  Randolph Stow

  Introduced by Kerryn Goldsworthy

  The Suburbs of Hell

  Randolph Stow

  Afterword by Michelle de Kretser

  An Iron Rose

  Peter Temple

  Introduced by Les Carlyon

  1788

  Watkin Tench

  Introduced by Tim Flannery

  The House that Was Eureka

  Nadia Wheatley

  Introduced by Toni Jordan

  Happy Valley

  Patrick White

  Introduced by Peter Craven

  Tobruk 1941

  Chester Wilmot

  Introduced by Peter Cochrane

  I for Isobel

  Amy Witting

  Introduced by Charlotte Wood

  Isobel on the Way to the Corner Shop

  Amy Witting

  Introduced by Maria Takolander

  I Own the Racecourse!

  Patricia Wrightson

  Introduced by Kate Constable

  textclassics.com.au

  textpublishing.com.au

  The Text Publishing Company

  Swann House

  22 William Street

  Melbourne Victoria 3000

  Australia

  Introduction copyright © Peter Cochrane 2017

  The moral right of the authors has been asserted.

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright above, no part of this publication shall be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book.

  First published as Tobruk 1941: Capture—Siege—Relief

  by Angus & Robertson, 1944

  This edition published by The Text Publishing Company, 2017

  Cover design by Imogen Stubbs

  Page design by Text

  Series design by W.H. Chong

  Typeset by Midland Typesetters

  Printed and bound in Australia by Griffin Press, a
n accredited ISO/NZS 1401:2004 Environmental Management System printer

  National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

  ISBN: 9781925498455 (paperback)

  ISBN: 9781925410693 (ebook)

  Creator: Wilmot, Chester, 1911–1954, author.

  Title: Tobruk 1941 / by Chester Wilmot; introduced by Peter Cochrane.

  Subjects: Wilmot, Chester, 1911–1954. Wilmot, Chester, 1911–1954—Correspondence. Australia. Army. Australian and New Zealand Army Corps—History. Tobruk, Battles of, Tobruk, Libya, 1941–1942. World War, 1939–1945—Australia. World War, 1939–1945—Campaigns—Africa, North. War correspondents—Australia.