Rats of Tobruk Memorial facts for kids
The Rats of Tobruk Memorial is a special monument in Canberra, Australia. It stands on Anzac Parade, which is a main street with many memorials. This memorial helps us remember brave soldiers from World War II.
These soldiers were called the "Rats of Tobruk." They got this name during a tough battle in a town called Tobruk in Libya. Tobruk is a port city by the Mediterranean Sea. German forces surrounded Tobruk starting in April 1941. The Australian soldiers fought very hard to defend the town. Most of them were replaced by other Allied troops later that year. However, fighting continued in Tob area until 1942.
The brave defense of Tobruk was very important. It made the German army stretch their supplies and use many soldiers there. This helped the Allied forces in other parts of the war. The memorial honors the amazing courage of these soldiers. They were given the special name, "Rats of Tobruk," because they held out so well.
The memorial was officially opened on April 13, 1983. Sir Ninian Stephen, who was the Governor-General of Australia at the time, unveiled it. Later, on April 17, 1991, a time capsule was placed at the memorial. This was to mark 50 years since the siege of Tobruk began. Mr. J.N. Madeley, who led the "Rats of Tobruk Association," placed the capsule.
The Memorial's Design
The memorial in Canberra is a copy of an earlier one. The original memorial was built by Australian soldiers in Tobruk during the siege in 1941. Sadly, that first memorial was destroyed. But one important piece survived: an original stone with writing on it. This stone was once a step at the Tobruk Post Office. It is now part of the Canberra memorial.
The memorial looks like an Obelisk, which is a tall, thin stone pillar. Walls around it show what the defense lines looked like during the siege. The design reminds us of the area where the battle happened. The front of the memorial shows the coastline and harbor. The back shows where the defense positions were.
There is also a special "eternal flame" at the memorial. This flame is made from bronze. It was designed and sculpted by an artist from Melbourne named Marc Clark (sculptor). The flame was added in 1984. The whole memorial was designed by architects from a company called Denton Corker Marshall.
