First tank attack on Tobruk repelled

14th April 1941: Panzers breaking through the wire are trapped - while bayonets break up the German infantry infiltration- leading to first Australian VC of the war

Australian infantry and a destroyed Panzer after the nighttime battle.

The night of 13th/14th April 1941 saw a sustained attack by tanks and infantry on the besieged forces of Tobruk. The greater part of the hastily assembled garrison, the Australian 9th Division, had been civilians only six months before. They had no anti-tank weapons, so the troops on …