The number 1 non-fiction bestseller.More than 100,000 copies sold! 'What we have, we hold'MOttO OF AUStRALIA'S 2/17tH BAttALIONIn the tradition of his bestselling Kokoda, Peter FitzSimons, Australia's most beloved popular historian, focuses on one of the seminal moments in Australian history: the Battle of tobruk in 1941, in which more than 15 000 Australian troops - backed by British artillery - fought in excruciating desert heat through eight long months, against Adolf Hitler's formidable Afrika Korps.During the dark heart of World War II, when Hitler turned his attention to conquering North Africa, a distracted and far-fl ung Allied force could not give its all to the defence of Libya. So the job was left to the roughest, toughest bunch that could be mustered: the Australian Imperial Force. the AIF's defence of the harbour city of tobruk against the Afrika Korps' armoured division is not only the stuff of Australian legend, it is one of the great battles of all time, as against the might of General Rommel and his Panzers, the Australians relied on one factor in particular to give them the necessary strength against the enemy: mateship.Drawing on extensive source material - including diaries and letters, many never published before - this extraordinary book, written in Peter FitzSimons' highly readable style, is the definitive account of this remarkable chapter in Australia's history.Foreword by Manfred Rommel.

The siege of Tobruk was a pivotal battle which influenced the outcome of the Second World War. In this book Robert Lyman describes the 'David versus Goliath' confrontation that ensued when Allied forces took on Rommel's Panzer divisions in the Libyan port.

The disastrous raid on Tobruk, the ill-fated Operation Agreement, took place in September 1942. The purpose? To cut off Field-Marshal Rommel’s supply line prior to the Battle of El Alamein, which would be crucial in determining the success or failure of the North African campaign.Operation Agreement involved the army, navy and air force together with the Long Range Desert Group and the Special Interrogation Group, who were fluent German speakers who donned Nazi uniforms to carry out risky missions behind enemy lines. For many years, little would be known about the Tobruk raid. One survivor, seconded to the Commandos for the raid, was told in no uncertain terms to keep his mouth shut when returning to his unit. Based on eyewitness accounts and previously unpublished interviews with veterans, Tobruk: A Raid Too Far explores the operation in-depth, highlighting appalling errors of judgement and their tragic consequences, as well as the astonishing trek of survivors across the desert to reach their front lines.

Tobruk was one of the greatest Allied victories – and one of the worst Allied defeats – of the Second World War. The eight-month long 1941 siege – a defiant stand by the so-called ‘Rats of Tobruk’ – captured the world’s attention. Conversely, the fall of Tobruk in June 1942 came a shock to the Allies in the wake of Japan’s entry into the war and a string of defeats in the Far East. It rocked the foundation of Winston Churchill’s premiership, revived the flagging hopes of the German people and fanned the flames of Arab unrest. It furthered Rommel’s ascendency and marked a turning point in Anglo-American relations and the fight against Nazi Germany. Tobruk: Fiercely Stand, or Fighting Fall presents a new perspective – asking why the remote fortress successfully fought off repeated attacks in 1941, before tragically falling to Rommel’s Axis forces in just 24 hours in mid-1942. It begins with Italy’s invasion of Ottoman-held North Africa in 1911, before introducing key individuals - Rommel, Mussolini and Morshead – to examine how their WWI service shaped later events. From Mussolini’s ill-fated invasion of Egypt in September 1940, the book explores the capture of Tobruk in January 1941 by the Australian 6th Division, the ensuing siege of its sister 9th Division, and the fortress’ disastrous capitulation.

Lieutenant John Rosel won a Military Cross for displaying 'calmness and outstanding leadership' when his platoon became surrounded at a critical point in the siege of Tobruk. He led the defence of several vital outposts against numerous attacks by the troops of General Rommel. His son Mike has written not only a touching tribute to his father's war service but also a perceptive and stylish account of the soldiering experience of a generation. A Rat of Tobruk has many fascinating photographs - mainly taken by John Rosel - and is recommended to anyone interested in the Australian soldiers who risked all while making a substantial contribution to Allied victory in World War II.