Hi could anyone answer the following: after the siege of Tobruk in 1941 why did the Allied high command then make the decision that it was no longer strategically important enough to hold, they reduced the minefields and moved equipment and men away. Then Churchill says hold at all costs even though it was now in a weaker state. Would he have been part of the decision process that said reduce its capabilities? I’ve read that the allies were aware of Rommels 1941 plan to attack Tobruk which hecopied in June 1942. Just trying to understandwhy the allies no longer thought it was importantto hold. I thought it was because it was a deepsea port which made it so important and wouldprevent Rommel from bringing in men andequipment. Unless I’ve read this all wrong.
I think the problem is that maintaining (supplying) Tobruk during the siege had [NOT] been easy. I believe it was Auchinleck's decision that Tobruk would not be held - in any case Churchill was not involved in that decision, which is why things went so awry in 1942.
This might help (the author has a book too): Tobruk: 8 Key Facts About The WW2 Siege & Battle Only glanced at: Axis capture of Tobruk - Wikipedia As a South African division was in the garrison, this is a South African article: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/smsajms/article/download/151031/140609
The cost of holding Tobruk to the navy and air force was considerable, and could not be repeated with Japan in the war. The idea was to fall back to the frontier and hold there, or indeed back further east, where the position at El Alamein had been under construction since at least summer 1941. The decision not to hold was known in London, but when push came to shove chaos reigned, and Auchinleck had lost control over Ritchie who in turn had lost control over his command. All the best Andreas
This may be a good entry point: The greatest military reversal of South African arms: The fall of Tobruk 1942, an avoidable blunder or an inevitable disaster? | Southern Journal for Contemporary History I disagree with David on his view of Rommel and his abilities, but for the question of Tobruk you'll probably be hard pressed to find someone who has done more work on the matter. All the best Andreas
Thankyou Andreas appreciate your help. My interest is due to my Dad being captured on the 20/06/42 before the fall of Tobruk. I’ve only been on the site for a short while and have had so much help. I’ve actually contacted David as I came across one of his articles. I’ve asked him some info ref some SANDF archives, also he has a book our South Africans v Rommel which I’ve added to my list. My aim is to put some background to my dads service records from enlisting, BEF, Dunkirk, the desert leading to the fall of Tobruk, his time as a POW, his return to the UK and eventually leaving the army. Hoping this will be something I can leave behind for the family. The information and help from this site has been excellent.
Thanks David, some good information in the article. I guess it’s a good example of the confusion of war and different opinions of leaders which doomed ordinary soldiers like my Dad.
The Fall of Tobruk https://podbay.fm/p/we-have-ways-of-making-you-talk/e/1655773221 SHOW NOTES In June 1942 the Libyan city of Tobruk fell to Rommel’s German troops leaving the Allied North African campaign in serious trouble. Eighty years on, Al and James look back on the conflict and explore the writings of Major-General Francis Tuker in his book Approach to Battle.
Just found a footnote referring to an article in 2008 by Professor Andrew Stewart, Kings College London @ UK Staff College, on the repercussions of the surrender: 'The ‘Atomic’ Despatch: Field Marshal Auchinleck, the Fall of the Tobruk Garrison and Post-War Anglo-South African Relations'. Link: Vol. 36 No. 1 (2008) | Scientia Militaria - South African Journal of Military Studies I am not in any way an expert on the incident and issues, what intrigues me are the references to a 'Court of Inquiry' into the surrender: . A footnotes states: Both documents are in the National Archives, minus alas when they were released.
