Summary of North Africa and Tobruk

Here are the key points about the events in North Africa during World War II:

Italy's War Declaration

From September 1940, the Australian 6th Division helped British troops push the Italians back along the coast.
A famous event was the siege of Tobruk, where Australian troops fought bravely.

In 1941, German General Rommel led his troops against the Allies.
Around 15,000 Australians of the 9th Division were trapped in Tobruk and could only get supplies from the sea.
They defended the town for 242 days (about eight months) against many attacks.
The Germans called them the "Rats of Tobruk," which the Australians saw as a compliment.
The Australians were evacuated in October 1941, and later the Germans captured Tobruk on 20 June 1942.

In early 1941, Australian soldiers went to help defend Greece from Germany.
The German planes were very powerful and attacked many places.
The remaining Australian troops were evacuated to Crete.
From April to May 1941, many soldiers were lost, and evacuation was tough. Some had to stay behind and became prisoners.

As much of Europe came under control of fascists, Australians in the 7th Division were sent to Syria.
In June and July 1941, Australians helped free Syria from a French government that supported Hitler.

By the end of January 1942, both the 6th and 7th Divisions started coming back to defend Australia from the Japanese.
The 9th Division stayed in North Africa and played an important role in the Battle of El Alamein from late October to early November 1942.
The British commander, General Montgomery, praised the Australian soldiers for their bravery, saying they were crucial to winning the battle.

This summary tells us about the brave actions of Australian soldiers during a very difficult time in history!