Tobruk is a Mediterranean port with an excellent deep water harbour. During the war it was important to Allied and Axis forces alike, for the reception of supplies and reinforcements. In January 1941, it was taken from the Italians by General Wavell's forces, and after the clearance of the demolitions in the harbour the port was usable and proved invaluable. When Rommel commenced his drive across Cyrenaica towards Suez it was deemed essential that Tobruk be held, and the resulting siege lasted from 11 April to 10 December 1941, when the Axis forces were driven back. They recovered far more quickly than was expected and by early February 1942, it was the Allies turn to fall back towards a line running southwards from Gazala to Bir Hakeim. Again orders were given to hold Tobruk, but it fell to Rommel on 21 June. It was retaken five months later by the Eighth Army in their final sweep along the North African coast into Tunisia.
Tobruk War Cemetery incorporates the burial ground used during the siege and the memorial erected there at the time by the Australians has been replaced by a permanent memorial of similar design. Many battlefield graves in the desert have been brought into the cemetery.
There are now 2,282 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in Tobruk War Cemetery. 171 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate a number of casualties known or believed to be buried among them. The cemetery also contains 171 war graves of other nationalities, most of them Polish.
The cemetery was designed by Sir J. Hubert Worthington, with some additional stone work provided by Sir Charles Wheeler.
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SURNAME
Anikest
FORENAME
Ezra
UNIT
51 Commando (former ?)
RANK
Pioneer
NUMBER
PAL/10285
DATE OF DEATH
13th October 1942
AGE
GRAVESITE
Tobruk War Cemetery,Libya 1.A.16
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Pioneer Corps
KIA Tobruk
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SURNAME
Maynard
FORENAME
John Edward Trestrail (Jackie)
UNIT
8 Commando
RANK
Corporal
NUMBER
5440304
DATE OF DEATH
17th July 1941
AGE
24
GRAVESITE
Tobruk War Cemetery,Libya 4.K.10
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
born Cornwall
son of...
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SURNAME
Harrison
FORENAME
George
UNIT
1 Special Service Regiment (D Squadron)
RANK
Second Lieutenant
NUMBER
203434
DATE OF DEATH
14th September 1942
AGE
26
GRAVESITE
Tobruk War Cemetery,Libya 9.E.9
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Engineers
born Worcestershire...