November 16, 2025 • 53 mins
In 1941, amid the blistering sands of North Africa, a band of Australian soldiers earned one of the most enduring nicknames in military history — The Rats of Tobruk. Besieged by German and Italian forces, these men held the Libyan port town of Tobruk for eight gruelling months, defying the odds, the desert, and the propaganda of the Axis powers.
What began as an insult from Nazi radio became a badge of honour. The Australians dug in — literally — carving homes and defenses from the desert rock while withstanding relentless shelling and attacks. Their courage, defiance, and larrikin spirit turned Tobruk into a symbol of Australian resilience under fire.
In this episode, we dig into the siege that defined a generation, the humour that kept the Rats going, and the legacy that cemented their place as one of the fiercest fighting forces of the Second World War.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/weird-crap-in-australia--2968350/support.
What began as an insult from Nazi radio became a badge of honour. The Australians dug in — literally — carving homes and defenses from the desert rock while withstanding relentless shelling and attacks. Their courage, defiance, and larrikin spirit turned Tobruk into a symbol of Australian resilience under fire.
In this episode, we dig into the siege that defined a generation, the humour that kept the Rats going, and the legacy that cemented their place as one of the fiercest fighting forces of the Second World War.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/weird-crap-in-australia--2968350/support.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
A strange, spiraling white light was spotted in the early
morning sky over Sydney, with even skeptical witnesses wondering if
it was a UFO. They were last seen on the
beach with the tall man and that's the best description
police have ever had of it.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
More than seventeen years after Harold Holt disappeared into raging
surf at Chevy A Beach, his widow has finally revealed
his last romantic words docky, terrifying, mesmerizing.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
That's the way a number of Australians have described the
alleged encounter with the YOWI. It's time the Weird Crap
In Australian podcast. Welcome to the wee Crap In Australia Podcast.
(00:46):
I'm your host Matthew Sol joining me for another episode.
Is the one the only researcher extraordinay for the conclusion
of the Rats of Tobrook series.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yes, we've gone over our allotted time because I thought
this was only going to be a two part up,
but I guarantee you'll learn something.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, So we were going to wrap it on Remembrance
Day week, but then you know there's I find our
World War two Holly. These episodes always generate a lot
of discussion, yes mostly from me, So if there are
any pacing issues whatsoever, they were well and truly my fault.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
You can direct those complaints to we grapnin Astralia at
gmail dot com, Forward slash junk Box.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Or forward Matthew talks too much. So yes, sorry about
the slow pace of this, but I hope we've been
at least a little bit informative. This is episode three
hundred and eighty seven. Wow, eighty seven, that's a lot
of it, my goodness, and like previous week, just from
inviting all of you, if you would like to submit
(01:52):
a question for our four hundredth episode, you can do
so in written form. You can send us an audio
memo via our email address, weird crap in Australia at
gmail dot com. If you would love to hear your
voice on a podcast without having to do any work,
you can utilize our four hundredth episode. If you've asked
questions before, please do so again because we have a
(02:16):
lot of listeners. Not everyone as comfortable with submitting a
question or even has a question to ask, so if
you have a burning question, we crap In Australia at
gmail dot com. Be a part of our four hundred.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Even if you've already sent us a question and it's
about something like, you know, what's your favorite episode or
something really basic like that, you can ask you can
do it again because we've done two hundred or one
hundred more episodes since the last time we asked, so
there might be a different answer.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Yeah, there's a very good chance that we have changed
our answer or maybe we want to amend it. So
if you have a question, we crap in Australia at
gmail dot com. You can shoot it through as a
voice memo, you can shoot it through as just text.
We do a series of a couple of text based
ones and then we'll do some voice one. So if
you want to be part of that four hundred, now
it's the time we're crap Australia gmail dot com. All right,
(03:07):
just a little bit of cleanup as well. Our good
friend of the show, Frank, who's been listening for quite
some time, did have a correction to make concerning I
think it was the previous episode, and I figured our
resident military historian would give us a shout, and that
(03:28):
was to say that Rommel was not part of the
Nazi Party. In fact, Rommel would be one of the
individuals who was planning to help execute or assassinate.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Hitler Operation Valkyrie. Operation Valkyrie dramatized in the movie Come
Cruise movie Arkary.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Too little for that movie, too little I have. I
don't know about you, Holly, will be interesting in your
perspective on this. Not every single person on the in
the German Army who fought during World War II were Nazis.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
No, they were.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
It would also be false to say that everyone knew
about the concentration camps who were in the German Army.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Willful ignorance is a thing, as is regular ignorance.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
And I think when it comes to figures like Rommel,
while not a member of the Nazi Party, I very
much doubt that he had absolutely no idea about what
Himmler was up to.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
He was Robin elbows with too many people in the
high ranks to not know what was going on.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
And after D Day, they the name of the game
after that day was how many people could Himmler tell
that he was, oh, the only one responsible for the
concentration camps. Let's just say he very much tried to
(04:59):
implicate as many people as possible. But Frank is right
to point out that, yes, you know, Rommel was just
part of the army, he wasn't part of the Nazi party.
But I don't think that.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
In the grand scheme of things, is that really that
much of a difference.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
And that's sort of where I sit on it as well.
It's like, you know, right now, there are places in
the world have bad governments, you know, who are doing
things on behalf of their people. Now, I think if
you're not standing up against that sort of injustice in
(05:46):
some capacity, whether that's you know, denouncing them publicly, protesting,
you know, supporting charity groups that are assisting people who
have been disenfranchised by their government, I don't think you're
active complicit, but you're aware. And if you're one of
those people who does absolutely nothing, you're like, well, I
can't do anything. I'm completely detached from this. You know,
(06:09):
I'm fine, I'm safe. Like Holly said, I think there
is a willful ignorance. There was a willful ignorance from
the German people, and it was sort of a manufactured
willful ignorance because you had an economy in Germany during
World War II that was absolutely decimated after World War One.
(06:32):
As we've mentioned before, that was at the behest of
all the little rich kings, kinglets and queen lets and
queens who wanted to have a bit of a a
rough and tumble, and that led to World War One.
That's a very oversimplified version of it, but let's just
say it was a bunch of rich kids doing what
(06:52):
rich kids do. Now, after that happens World War One,
the rest of the worlds, you have to pay reparations
for them, and we are going to absolutely enact all
these rules on you. That was the Treaty at Versailles.
And all it took was someone like Hitler to turn
around and say, the economic disparity here is absolutely fucked
(07:15):
and it is because of certain minority group here, which
is what they all do. You know, like today in
our own current times, you know, Donald Trump, you don't
have a fair shake, not because of our corporate buddies,
but because too many illegals in our country, too many
minority groups in our country, too much pantering to the
(07:36):
LGBT community, too much quote unquote wokeness, which is the
term of the day. You know, when my dad was
growing up it was Communists for communist, it was socialist.
Before socialist, it was werewolf. You know, we've been doing
this for a very long time, and you end up
in a situation where these indis come in during economic
(08:01):
hardship and they're able to sway a population to do
terrible things. Most people in Germany knew that their neighbors
were disappearing regardless, you know, suddenly thousands of people just
disappeared suddenly, and there was no one in Germany who
could turn around, maybe outside in the rural communities, who
(08:21):
could turn around and say that they weren't aware that
at least people were gone, and they didn't know why.
You know, I think some people brought into it, and
then I think other people did it. If you're really
interested in World War two history, i'd highly recommend anything
by Dan Cullen. It's his horror horrible history, very.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Horrible history, horrible histories.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
I think that's his Well, maybe it's just Dan Cullen's histories.
I think it's horrible histories. Yeah. Yeah, he is one
of the most fantastic military historians on the fucking planet,
and I would highly, highly encourage any of his World
War II series. Absolutely fantastic. I could never do the
(09:04):
history as much justice as that man and his team does.
And then, if you want the more funnier humany shithead versions.
Last podcast on the Left has done multiple series on
all of them. They just wrapped their series on Heindrich Himmler,
the piece of shit couldn't even face his criminal trial.
(09:26):
Of course, he took Sino capsule and died froten at
the mouth, which is just you know, for anyone, if
you know any Nazis at the moment a neo Nazis,
that's usually what happens to Neo Nazis as terrible, terrible death. Anyway,
after that's like correction, well longer correction than it should
have been. Take it away. Let's wrap up the Rats.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
At the Brook Before we get into the very final
part of this, I want to take a moment to
highlight one particular rat who is a part of a
very particular part of the Rats, who has since become
a member of the Black Rats within the Rats of
to Brook. Now, in case anyone thinks that I'm using
a racial term, technically yes, but also no, it was
(10:07):
actually coined by the Aboriginal people themselves, and I have
a quote here from the Austrone War Memorial to prove it.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Black rats are men who qualify as rats and are
also of Aboriginal and all Torres Strait Islander descent. The
name black Rats is adopted from the poem The Black
Rat by Iris Clayton, daughter of Cecil Robert Clayton, whose
ID number is NX three six Coup five nine of
the second thirteenth Battalion. The poem was first published in
(10:37):
Signed Black Australia, an anthology of Aboriginal poetry, edited by
Kevin Gilbert in nineteen eighty eight. Ain't the Year Osborn?
The Black Rats of Tobook Michael bell O one, December
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
In doing so, I want to acknowledge the Black Rats
as a group of people who went to war for
us and then returned home to segregation thanks to the
color of their skin and their ancestry, no matter how
many bullets they took for their home land. This was
in the depths of the stolen generations.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
When it comes to the soldiers together, I'm sure it
really didn't matter what color of the person was next
to you who was shooting, as long as they were
shooting the enemy.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
As long as they weren't shooting you.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah, you know. The Australian forces, the ANZACs during World
War II worked with Indian soldiers, sex soldiers. There were
Indigenous Australians in their ranks, Maoris, Maoris. They worked with
of course the puping New Guineans as well, so there
(11:38):
is a lot of collaboration and working there. However, it
is important to acknowledge when these people returned home they
are not breeded like the rest of the ANZACs. That's
saying that's very important to remember. Australian War memorial and
Indigenous Liaison officer Michael Bell said descendants of servicemen such
as Driscoll see the Black Rat moniker as a source
(12:00):
of considerable pride. Poet Iris Clayton, whose father counted himself
among the Black Rats, wrote a poem in his honor
in nineteen eighty eight. Quote from Black Rats of Tobrook
Finally come out of the Shadows. Andrew HORNERI, April tenth,
twenty twenty four, Sydney Morning Herald.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
The Black Rats were people of Aboriginal Autoris street ancestry
who circumvented the law against indigenous enlisting in World War two,
and who ended up being stuck into brook during the siege.
Rather than a derogatory title, much like being called a
rat themselves, the Black Rats were held in slightly high
regard by the fighters beside them. After all, they'd already
(12:40):
told the law to go fuck themselves when they enlisted.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Deserve Archibuldry School, Second third Field Ambulance. Driscool was an
original man of the mana Jari people from around the
Mount Tambourine area of southeast Queensland. He was born in
nineteen oh nine and enlisted in the second AIF on
the twentieth of October nineteen thirty nine. Giving his occupation
(13:04):
as cane cutter. Initially gave his father, Albert Driscoll as
his next of kin, though this was later altered to
Olive Driscoll. His sister Driscoll was immediately allocated to the
second third Field Ambulance, embarking from Sydney on the fourth
of May nineteen forty and arriving via Gunrock, Scotland, in
the Middle East in March nineteen forty one. Just a
(13:26):
quicker side here we went to Scotland and they have
a little section at their war memorial which is at
the castle and it harks a little bit about the
Australians serving with the Scottish during World War II in
the Middle East in March nineteen forty one and eventually
to Brook, Driscoll served with the Ninth Division's second third
(13:48):
Field Ambulance for the duration of the war, including in
their North African campaign at the first and second Battles
of l Alamen. He returned briefly to Australia before serving
in New Guinea, where he received a shrapwell wound took
his back. In late nineteen forty three, he returned to
duty and continued in Lebonn in North Borneo until his
(14:09):
discharge on the twenty sixth of November nineteen forty five.
Quote from The Black Rats of Tobrook Michael Bell first
in December twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
So not only was Driscoll at Tebrook, he was injured
helping people on the Kokoda trap. But it gets better.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Aside from his extensive service record, Driscoll has another highly
unusual claim to fame his role in the feature film
The Rats of Tobrook, directed by Charles Chavell. Driscoll took
part in the film's battle re enactments, and he appears
prominently in a stilk that was made into the poster
promoting the film. It was released in nineteen forty four
on the third anniversary of the end of the Brook Siege.
(14:49):
The prominent role Archibald played in the reenactment of the
Siege of Tobrook, and his selection by Chevelle for the
film's promotional imagery are open to interpretation to the hants
strong and imposing figure of the fighting Australian soldier best
suited the narrative of the film and the reputation of
the Rats of Brook. Quote from The Black Rats of
(15:10):
Brook Michael Bell, first of December twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Well, the poster for the film The Fighting Rats of
Tobrook if you're overseas, just the Rats of Tobrook if
you're Australian, features Driscool walking ahead of three other men,
one supported by the other two. They actually have an
image in the notes for Matthew to look on, so.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
He has quoting quite a striking image there and in
that classic kind of a photo with a little bit
of artwork around the sides. Nineteen forties movie poster, Look
would you like to discuss would you like to discuss
movie poster law.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Only if you can see some kind of messaging in
there that the lay person wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
I mean, you know, you're all about like what are
you all always kind of convey with a poster, and
the idea of a poster is that you are trying
to get across the spirit or the heart of the film.
You know. Recently we went and saw a Predator bad Lens,
which I'd recommend, by the way, filmed with our buddies
(16:16):
over in New Zealand, actually mostly a New Zealand production.
In that poster you see a large creature now tiny
little predator launching at it, right, because at the heart
of that film and all Predator films, is an overcoming
that adversity, you know, courage being small but fighting something big,
(16:37):
you know. So when I look at this poster, and
this is very interpretive, you know all film posters are,
but this is what I see. When I look at this,
I do see a very proud Indigenous soldier leading the
way with two other Australian soldiers. I don't know if
(17:01):
it's necessarily meant to be an Australian soldier in the middle,
but it's quite clear that the indigenous soldier is leading
them because of his stature compared to the other two.
It's almost a what would I call it, a sort
of almost and there's a dignity to it. There's a
(17:24):
representation of country. As Again I have said, this is
very interpretive. I have numerous movie poster books. I could
go through them all day with an actual artist or
art historian and they would probably tell me that all
my interpretations are incorrect, or they would do that thing
when you interpret something and they go, hm, hmmm, that's interesting.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Well you see, I was going to do that, but
I'm not gonna miss.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Okay, So Holly, what what's it? You know? Am I? Am?
I awful? Do you have something else?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
So this poster Archibald's involvement in the entire film itself
is interpretable. There are two ways to interpret the poster itself.
We're going to stick to the post. If you want
to google it while you're listening and you're not driving,
feel free you might be able to follow along with
what I'm about to say. The first interpretation is exactly
what Matthew said, the indigenous person leading the other three
(18:23):
to safety past the burned out shell of well, not
quite burnout shell of a German teak. The other interpretation
is that he is too good to help because he
is the one in front and he doesn't even have
his gun ready to shoot like the guys in the background.
(18:44):
Not my interpretation, by the way.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Yeah, yeah, I don't see that. I that's now out
of curiosity. Who postulated that second interpretation?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I found that in a forumish interpretation. But it is
an interpretation.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Look, man, artist objective. Honestly, I think that when it
comes to interpreting, not here's a little secret for you
that that people with degrees are not going to tell you,
or maybe some of the good ones will. I know
a good friend of mine has an art degree. You
recently went to an art gallery with her, Yes, since.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
She tried to convince me that postmodern is art, and
I said, fuck, ell it is.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Did she show you? Did she explain any of it
in a way that you could sort of be like, oh,
I understand this.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
She showed me some of her favorite pieces and tried
to explain to me why they were her favorite pieces.
And I did my best to keep an open mind.
But at the end of it, it's still someone putting
paint at the top of canvas and letting it run down.
There's absolutely no technique involved in it. If I can
do it, then it's not art, all.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Right, So let's sit there and let's have another discussion. No,
we're not going to do that. Look, you have a
very you have a very specific view on art, right
and for you, there needs to be a mechanical efficiency
(20:10):
attached for you to recognize that as art, which is fine. Like,
that's entirely your prerogative, as it is for everyone. You like,
what you like, you don't like, what you don't like.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Art is meant to send you the message that the
artist is conveying. If you're interpreting the message out of
paint slots, that is not an interpretation of what is
my stance. And I will buy on that fucking heel.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
As mister Burns said when he saw his self portrait,
you know in the art gallery. I know what I like,
and I think I like this. So it's it's interesting
that someone would interpret the poster with a sort of
hoity toity.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Attitude, racist attitude. Well, dare I say.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I mean, you can, dare say it, And maybe I
tend to agree with you a little bit here, because
to demonstrate cowardice or to demonstrate hompousness, there are much
different ways to do that. Does that make sense? Like
there would be a much easier way to convey that
(21:15):
messaging with this poster than that.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Also, remember it was nineteen forty four.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Yeah, so I find that as very interesting. So yeah,
there we go. Matthew teaches you about what I don't
have an art degree. I'm probably talking out.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
The other thing about this particular poster is the fact
that it conveys a black rite one of the Indigenous
Australians at t Brook doing the fighting when that was
an illegal thing for him to do.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
That's right. So if you're not aware of World War
II or World War One history, Indigenous persons were not
allowed to enlist in the Australian Army. And then you'll say,
but Matthew, you just told me that there was an
Indigenous person enlisted in the Australian Army who had a
serial number, And I will go, that is absolutely true.
(22:09):
Because when you're fucking losing a war.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
You'll take anyone.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
You'll take anyone who can hold a fucking gun. Or
when you're trying to win a war, you'll take anyone
who can hold a fucking gun.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Princes only for those who are winning.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Right. The Americans at the moment have banned transgender people
from their army. I don't give a shit. Are you
wearing if you're wearing a dress or not wearing a dress,
are your pointing your gun at the person trying to
kill me? That's all I give a shit about.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
I mean, transgender people have been part of the army
for how long, Like one of them was a key
player in mash for how many seasons, for God's sake.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Well he was trying to get out of the army.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
Yeah, but it was still obviously a known element to
that point.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
You know, look, there's there's always been tans people in
the army. There's always been gay people and lesbian people
in the army.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
It was surprisingly enough, what gena telle you have and
what you would identify it as has absolutely no bearing
on how well you can aim a fucking gout.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
That's right. It's as simple as that. And like a
you know, anyway we'll get we'll get sidetracked. But that's
basically why necessity, yep, race racism is put the side
when situation necessitates as many people working collaboratively as possible.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Race, gender and yep, and social class means shit or
when you're losing a war.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
The Russians had just as many female soldiers as male soldiers.
In fact, there was a Russian sniper. I believe they
called her the Black Widow. She was brutal, one of
the best snipers during World War Two. Again, the need
necessitated that everyone fought right. That that's just the way
it goes, and rules often get dropped and bent and
(24:00):
put to the side. So I always remember that. I've
often found that racism is a sign of comfortability, manipulation,
whether it be from the rich or the media, or
you're comfortable enough that you don't need everyone so you
can discriminate. You know. That's generally how I feel about it. Anyway,
(24:21):
we'll keep going push, but what an interesting discussion. This
poster is prompted.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
As of Anzac Day twenty twenty four, there are fifty
nine identified and named black rats of to Brook, and
work continues to uncover others. So if you happen to
know some that aren't only on a roll at the
War Memorial, now.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Yeah, just dreat them an email and if you have
the service number as well, that's really handy. Looking for
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Speaker 2 (25:38):
By October, the garrison had settled into a multinational defensive
to Brook. The British seventieth Infantry Division took over the
southern sector, while the Polls and checks men the Eastern
and Western lines. Together, they prepared for the long awaited
break in. On the twenty first November nineteen forty one,
Operation Crusader begin English eighth Army's Grand Offensive to relief
(26:02):
to Brook and drive Rommel's forces back across Sirenica.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
The eighteenth Brigade was relieved at first, brought out by
sea at night. During August, they were replaced by a
Polish brigade, which included a Czechoslovakian battalion. The British seventieth
Division relieved the ninth Division during September and October. On
the final night of the relief, the convoys sailing to
Brook was attacked and turned back. The second thirteenth Battalion
(26:27):
had to remain into Brook until the siege was lifted.
The siege continued for another two months. In mid November,
the British launched a major offensive, Operation Crusader, to destroy
Rommel's forces and lift the siege. Crusader quickly became a
confusing series of tank in infantry battles As the offensive
staggered towards Brook. The garrison broke out and captured the
(26:48):
high ground at Iduda Ridge east of the fortress, only
to lose Parnavate. Later during the battle, the garrison linked
up with a British column spearheaded by the New Zealand
Division from the Great Siege Australian War Memorial.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
When the last Australians departed, they carried with them a
monica that could not be worn on their chest, but
on their hearts, the Rats of Tabruk. It was both
a farewell and a declaration of identity. The Siege of
Tarbruk had shown that ordinary soldiers, armed with determination and
a grim sense of humor, could hold back the might
of Pittler's war machine. In doing so, they earned a
(27:24):
place among the defining legends of Australian military history. I
would like to point out that it was the Australians
that stopped Rommel, and it was the Australians that stopped
the fucking Japanese.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Well, you know, this is the in my opinion, this
is the sort of confluence of all of these different factors.
You know, Australia has now become a nation, right, there's
this first sense of the you know, Australian identity from
(27:56):
people who had become who had been sent here ass
had become to associate with their country. You know, world
War One had happened, which is the baptism of fire trusting.
Historical individuals like Ned Kelly had declared, I am an Australian,
this is my home, this is where I lived. And
(28:17):
so you have, perhaps you know, the first or second
generation of a well maybe second, third generation, fourth generation
of Australians born in Australia who only knew Australia as home.
And they had also sort of gotten excitable from stories
(28:39):
from their parents, their fathers, their older brothers, their grandparents
who had fought during World War One. And though the
majority of those soldiers had said, please don't go, it
will be horrific, they still went. And all of those things,
I think come together to create this ragtag group of
(29:05):
scaly wags.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
And anti authoritarians, because anyone who tells us to do
something as a collected nation, generally we're going to tell
them to tuck themselves.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
It's the strange contradiction of the Australian people is that
we will will reject authority regardless of whether it's in
our best interest or not. Funnily enough, there's a lot
of people that talk about the complicity of Australians during
times when we need to be less complicit, and I
(29:39):
think in the same breath, we also reject authoritarians just
as quickly because we don't like being told what to do,
whether it's good for us or bad for us, which
is not Look, I would rather have that than a
population that's just like, I live in the best country
in the world, and I'm never going to say anything
real love, because if I did, then I want to
(30:01):
live in the best country of the world. And I've
been told since I was a little boy that I
lived in the best country in the world. I think
that mentality just fucks you up.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
It's so toxic.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
It slows your society down. People make bad decisions all
the time, and you know, the Australian disposition is, yeah,
you know, we really don't like being told what to do.
Sometimes that's great in the situation where you have an
authoritarian tries to kick you around, or when you go
to World War two to five Nazis. It's not so
great when you hold things like follow the road.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Rules, don't drink and drive, don't text and drive, stea
home so we don't spread a virus.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
You know, we're a bit so that being said, when Australians,
for the majority, I think Australians did stay home and
tried to stop the spread with COVID. Not to rehash
that old argument, but it was funny, like I watched
them American commentators talking about that. They're like, you know, oh,
they're taking their freedom away, and he's like, man, man,
look look, look, I've been to Australia a couple times.
(31:00):
They don't care about freedom. They just don't like to work.
So if they get to stay home and not work,
they're really actually quite happy.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
I'll agree with that.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
And I was like, yeah, actually, if Australia has one weakness,
and we have many, but if Australia had one explodable weakness,
if someone rocks up and says I'm King of Australia,
you get another day off on your weekend, most Australians
would happily be like, you're our king now, thanks mate.
(31:32):
What are we calling it? Well, it's no longer going
to be called Friday. It's going to be called Sausage Day,
Sausage and Beer Day. And we would be like, yeah,
oh yeah, that sounds all right. Bloody eighth true blue
lock that in Bunnings are still open. Right. With such
a contradiction, the Bunnings will remain open.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
I think Matthew's lying for office over there.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Well, it depends. Does of Australia have to sound oker
or do they have to be a little bit pompers.
I can do both.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
I think they'd end it with a neutral accent, just
our generalized Australian accent.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
My dear, Hello Australians, thank you all so much for
electing me king for life.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
You're beer day, you're an uptight wanker, or you're a
no good bogan. So you'd have to go the generalized accent.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Yeah, not the alban easy, which I think.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Is still a bit bogan.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
I think Anthony Albers has the next to Hawkey, has
the most Australian accent of any Australian Prime minister.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
The cost of the Siege of Tabrook was immense. Between
April and October nineteen forty one, the Ninth Division alone
suvaged seven hundred and forty nine killed, one thy, nine
hundred and ninety six wounded, six hundred and four taken prisoner.
The toll on the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian
Navy was equally severe. Yeah, the victory carried enormous symbolic weight.
(33:02):
To Brook had been the first time in the Second
World War that German forces had been decisively halted on
land on the other side of the planet. A few
months later, the Australians would also be the first to
halt the Japanese. The Siege of Brook became the legend
in Australian military history, spoken of in the same breath
as Gallipoli and Kakoda. The men who fought there took
(33:25):
pride in the nickname that had once been ment as
as an insult, and most of the rats of Tobrook
returned home as heroes. For months they had held out
against Rommel's best troops, forcing the Axis to divert men
and supplies, and building precious time for the defense of
Egypt and the Seuiz Canal. The town, itself, a barren
port on a featureless plateau ringed by rocky ridges and gullies,
(33:48):
had been turned into a fortress by sheer determination. There
was little vegetation, no real cover, and the sun beat
down mercilessly. Remember it's in North Africa, across the middle
of the Northern Summit. The Harbor was small and constantly
threatened by bombs, but it had held, and in doing so,
had become a symbol of stubborn defiance. When the Axis
(34:10):
finally retook to Brook in June nineteen forty two, the
victory was followed.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
It didn't really do much for Rommel, did it.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
It did not. He had lost all faced by that
point in time.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
And was prepping to kill Hitler.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Look, I'm not against killing Hitler.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
There are lots of people who's fine.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
I have no problem with him killing Hitler. But yeah,
it I think he had his guts kicked in by.
Any time a force was defeated by Australians, it wasn't
looked on very well, especially because the major dickhead what
was the General MacArthur. MacArthur had done a pretty good
(34:50):
job of slagging off Australian forces, and so when Australian
forces kicked your ass it was seen as a double
insult for Australians.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
The story of Tobrook was not just one survival, but
of character, the proof that once again, ordinary men under
extraordinary pressure could hold back the might of an empire.
Want to be empire, It had already invaded quite quite.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Poland doesn't took Poland.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
They took half of France. They were in the Netherlands.
I'm pretty sure they'd taken Denmark. They were working their
way through Finland or was that?
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Why did why did the Polish submarine sink?
Speaker 2 (35:24):
I don't know the institute that they.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Installed screen doors? And can you say that because I
have a Polish ancestor.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
That was going to be a joke, and I.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Think I told that joke, Paulie. Actually I can say it.
I'm part polar I can say that too.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
So Brook became a symbol of defliance against the Allied world.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Just we only did my genealogy. It's just white. It's
different shades of white on white on.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
White lines all British white, but yours is European white.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Yeah, you're like, we've joked about this quite often, but
my family has consistently kept up its history of being
white trash, whereas yours did to a certain point. Then
there was a massive drop off and then you end
up marrying white trash. So now I'm on the way up.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
The Brook became a symbol of defiance across the Allied world.
The Australian soldiers dirty, unshaven, and constantly under bombardment, wore
their exhaustion like armor. The garrison had been under siege
for months, surviving on supplies ferried in by the Royal
Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, under constant threat from
the Looftwiper. The so called to Brook Ferry Service, a
(36:42):
lifeline of destroyers, sloops and smaller vessels, rave night after
night of air raids to deliver ammunition, food, and reinforcements.
Many ships never returned. Twenty six vessels were lost to bombs, mines,
and torpedoes during the siege, their crew swallowed by the
same unfigiving sea that shimmered like glass under that is
its sun.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
Kind of cruel, isn't it to stick them in the
desert next to an ocean.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
You can't drink water, water everywhere, but not a drop
to drink.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Now. The thing about toabrook, and that's what we're going
to wrap this episode up with, is that it generated
a tremendous amount obviously a propaganda because it was a
good propaganda fodder for us, but a tremendous amount of
popular media at the time. So we're going to go
through a couple of examples like that, and the the
(37:31):
overall impact culturally of Toabrook. And I think, HULLI you
would like me to read this poem?
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Sure, give it, give it a go. But it's a
bit long.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Isn't there a special way to read poetry? I don't
know if I've ever been.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Good at Do you want me to do it?
Speaker 1 (37:45):
No, I'll give it a try and you tell me
how I go. Is it a rhyming poem or one
of those poems just read?
Speaker 2 (37:52):
There is a beat to it. That's why I asked
if you wanted.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Me to do it? Okay, Well how does the beat go?
Give me a couple of give me a proper Is
it like a bum bump?
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Or is it not a beet porm? Just it has
like I am Cama kind of beat. What I mean?
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Well, I'll give it a shot and you direct me.
How about that? They brought us from Australia for to
fight Nazi hun who were once more on the war path,
well equipped with tanks and guns. They shoved us into Libya,
where the guidebook says it's grand, but forgot to mention
little things like flies and fleas and sand. De Brook
(38:30):
was chosen as the place for us to start our stuff.
Old Jerry Seen besieged it and began to treat us rough.
He dropped a friendly hint or too, as how we
soon would pop it, advising us to turn it in,
forget the war and hop it now. Being mad Australians,
we just didn't take the drum. So we sent his
(38:51):
diving stuck us and made things damn well hum. A
few blokes took the final count. Some joints got knocked about,
but done. As Tommy says, was really bleeding out. He
keeps on raiding with his planes, drops bombs and bloody traps.
His soldiers sometimes make a move, and lads have frontline scraps,
(39:13):
but months have pasted, he must admit, and seems we're
here to stay till the spring Box come in and
join us. Much up from Buddy Away. Don't get the
wrong impression think we're players in a game. It sounds
nice and easy, but there's hardships just the same. First,
we live in dugouts, extra strong in roof and sides
(39:33):
a guard from bombs and trapnel to preserve our lousy
hides of all the plagues of Egypt. Well, the fly
must be the worst so blasted team and friendly oblivious
when they're cursed. No matter what we want to do
or where we want to go, the fly brings all
his tribe along as principles of the show. When evening falls,
(39:55):
the desert broods, the sun slips out of sight, retiring
to our little caves. We pray for tranquil night elong
the piece is shattered with all objective fleas. The Saints
accord to scour us from the damn vorocious fleas.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
I just want to break in adjective. Was because it
was censored in the newspaper, thank you. It was probably
fucking but.
Speaker 1 (40:18):
Yeah, then sharp on time. The cookies raw wafts over
the din of battle, or you can hear as much
and golf and mess gear's homely rattle, and when the
aif gets home, they won't get the sins of all
the cattle cockies who've been raising beef in tins. I
like that one. Actually, it's basically fuck you, bully beef.
(40:42):
Now you have read a poem by a bloke who
seems well versed where you're to travel to east of
sues to raise a man sized thirst. Sessions may be different,
but I'll bet five quid to one. The thirst raised
in to Brook just takes the blinking bun. And when
we're back at home again and all this strife is
some mug is sure to ask just what did you
(41:04):
do at the war? You'll look the cheese right in
the face and pat the baby's curls, say when you
defriended old to Brook where there wasn't any girls. Of
all the troops mixed up in here, there's one we
would like to toast. They're always up to something, but
you never hear them boast. It's good to hear them
working with reverberating crack. We dip our lids, sincerely to
(41:28):
the boys of the Antiac And that was published in
the Comera Free Press Tuesday, the seventh of COBAD nineteen
forty one, page four to Brook. And as you can tell,
I don't normally read poetry.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
That was it was unattributed. I don't know who wrote it, but.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
I like that dude as a bit tongue in cheek.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
Oh, it's fucking Australian run.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Now. Of course, as we mentioned at the start of
the podcast, there would eventually be made. There were films
that were made about the Rats of Brook and for
the longer time, and I believe if a publican knows
their history, the Rats of Tobrook never brought another beer
in Australia. Monica digger is especially attributed to the Rats
(42:13):
of to Brook.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
It started in trenches in World War One. But the
Rats of to Brook were a special class of digger.
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Yeah, and so whenever you think of the Australian you know,
digging in the dirt in the desert, all of that
icnography comes from the Rats of Tabrook. And so yeah,
the African Front became this thing that generated a lot
of legend, a lot of culture, as you can see,
(42:41):
sort of had this massive effect where they you know,
they made film and they wrote poetry, and there were books,
and there was art, and there was this, you know,
this long running effort to continue that history, to make
sure it was there, it's available to people. And we
see that, you know in stories like Holly brought up
(43:04):
with the Black Rats, who they are still actively finding
members for to this day. So again, you do know
someone and you have their soldier number, their serial number,
I guess, for lack of a better term, make sure
you let the Australian War Memorial.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Know enlistment number.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
Enlistment numbers, thank you. I was like trying to think
of it. I kept thinking serial number because I played
too many dystopian cyberpunkish games and I kept thinking serial number.
Of course, yes, enlistment number. If you have their enlistment number,
you can send that through to the Australian War Memorial. Well, Holly,
I think you've covered everything. Is there anything else you'd
(43:40):
like to add before we wrap up the series?
Speaker 2 (43:43):
I don't think so. I do know that in two
twenty one Full of Judy Vanguard, I believe it was,
you could actually play as a as a Red of
brook Well.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
They covered every aspect of World War II in that
game series, So that doesn't prize me in the slightest, Holly,
you know who kicked off the Call of Judy series, No,
Steven Spielberg.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
At least you didn't see James Cameron.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
Yeah, lately it's been how we've been playing the Game
of Powers. James Cameron affected dot dot dot dot dot.
Speaker 2 (44:17):
Three degrees of separation of James Cameron on fucking anything,
horror and Hollywood at the moment.
Speaker 1 (44:23):
Absolutely, So what we're going to be doing next week
is we're going to take our little break in the
form of another film commentary. And I think, Holly, you
wanted to take a look at the Mel Gibson film Gallipoly.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Well, we keep saying we're gonna and we were gonna
do it for the the episode, and we never end
up doing it, so we better do it.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
So Yeah, to keep up with the theme, the next
movie commentary we're going to be doing is Gallipoli. Holly,
if you've got your phone, they you can tell everyone
where they can watch it. I believe Amazon Prime and.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
Stan Foxtel and Binge unforginally.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
Really mm hmm. You'll probably purchase it from YouTube.
Speaker 2 (45:04):
You can buy it from Amazon.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
You can buy it from Amazon Prime. I would highly
recommend you do rent it or buy it from Amazon Prime.
Have a what and we're going to do an audio
commentary over the top. So basically, you turn the film down,
you watch it, and we talk to you. You know,
it's as if we're in the room with you. It's
a wonderful experience. Gives Holly as cancer out to come
(45:28):
up with the next episodes. So yes, Gallipoli, starring a
very young Mel Gibson. I think it's an excellent look
into Australian culture at the time. It's a fantastic look
at soldiering in Australia and obviously the devastating impact of
fighting in the trenches. So please watch that film with
(45:50):
us as we record another audio commentary for you next
week and then back to our regularly schedule programming. Before
I let you go, just a couple of housekeeping items.
Don't forget if you want to reach out to us,
were crap in Australia. Gmail is at your first port
of call. Don't forget to submit your questions there for
our four hundredth episode. Just send that through. Make sure
(46:10):
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just let us know whether it's a written or audio question,
just so we can separate the two and organize that episode.
And if you have any suggestions for our four hundredth episodes,
so there's a story that you'd absolutely think is perfect
(46:31):
for such a big episode, please feel free to shoot
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Astray into the search bar. You can also help out
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but we actually give you something minisodes they're really really good,
(46:53):
and add.
Speaker 2 (46:53):
Free episodes because I know that I've been putting the
discount code into the free to listen two episodes.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
It adds up brutal these days when it comes to
Spotify algorithmic inserting these days. But yes, we do need ads.
Of course, like most programs that are running for free,
they are for free, so we have to do a
little bit advertising in order to generate some money so
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(47:23):
seen our library. It's a decent sized library for a
small apartment for Australian material. You know, we buy research material.
We still go to books. There are active subscriptions to
new sites, to archives, all that sort of stuff so
that we can kind of make these as accurate as possible.
(47:43):
So if you can help us out friendly five dollars
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Volume one to six are available now from our great
mats at Impact Comics dot com dot au. They make
fantastic Christmas giftsn't forget the Christmas holidays are fast approaching,
so if you have a friend or a family member
(48:07):
who likes their weird history, grab those from Impact Comics
dot com dot you. I do not believe they're doing
a restock before the end of the year, so once
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sure you grab them. And I believe there'll be a
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of the month, So keeping eye on Impact Comics dot
com dot you and grab your books. We'll do freek
(48:28):
signing all the way to the end of the year.
If you help our mates out, we're going to sign
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saying them know that you'd like your book signed before
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so that's an incentive to buy some great books and
help out a small business. We'll absolutely do that for you.
(48:49):
And at last, but not at least, you can grab
yourself a week crap in an Australia T shirt or
a bunch of other merch from our red bubble and
tea public stores. Just typing, we craping Australia into the
search bar. And if you're like our great mate Stephen,
who sends us emails regularly about his new shirts, you
will look as cool as Steven does.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
Yes, that reminds me. Stephen bought our Sizzle the sand
Man shirt, which I'm very proud of because I came
up with that idea. That's our Christmas shir Stephen, that's
our Christmas shirt. If you want to Christmas, ignore Matthew
and by by Holly Sizzle the Same Man shirt.
Speaker 1 (49:23):
Stephen, have you done?
Speaker 2 (49:25):
Don't listen to him?
Speaker 1 (49:26):
What have you done?
Speaker 2 (49:27):
Don't listen to him? Buy more? Or everyone listened to this,
buy more. Don't listen to Matthew, listen to Holy Holly
loves you.
Speaker 1 (49:36):
Right, I'll do it. Do a little promo here for Holly,
just because I love her. This is what This is
the power of love. And you can also pick up
our Sizzle the sad Man. Of course here in Australia
we don't do frosty Christmas. What the fuck is with
that shit? You can grab yourself a Sizzle the Sandman.
Holly helped organize the design work for that. It is
the one and only week Crap in Australia Christmas T
(49:59):
shirt and it celebrates all the fun things about Australian Christmas,
of course, being building sand castles, being on the beach,
drinking a beer, drinking a beer. All of that is
on our Sizzle the Sandman T shirt. So if you'd
like to grab that for the firstive season, Red Bubble
and we and Tea Public and I believe just typing
(50:20):
Sizzle the Sandman into those search bars and it should
pop up otherwise use we Crab in Australia. Stephen, I
am so disappointed, inn't you? No? The war on Christmas
will continue. I know I am out numbered, but just
like the rats of de Brook and prepared to fight
this behemos still ow. We will defeat Christmas. We will
(50:46):
defeat the retail giants pushing Christmas all the way in September.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
Retail, yes, I will. I will admit that one needs
to be stepped in the gut. But Christmas itself.
Speaker 1 (50:56):
We will fight them at the mole Center displays them
at the checkouts. We will fight them at the checkouts.
We will fight with our relatives who we don't see
that often, who have very different political opinions than us,
and have to make it known and write in our
faces about it. Ah, Christmas, you can just hear the
fucking jingle vels a jing jing jiggling.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
Hopefully not yet at work, which is good for me.
I don't know about them.
Speaker 1 (51:21):
I think no, not yet. They've put up Christmas decorations,
which I expected, but I think retailers around Australia got
the message.
Speaker 2 (51:30):
That all an unusual torture is not open.
Speaker 1 (51:34):
I don't think it was good for retail workers, to
be honest. I think it's like enough complaints happened that
people like the big companies sort of stopped. Yep, you know.
So yeah, we won't expect to hear any Riah Kerry
won't shake the dust off her frozen tomb.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
Sixteen more days until we have to deal with it.
Speaker 1 (51:53):
And then it's all I want for Christmas. Man.
Speaker 2 (51:56):
Follow up for Christmas is the fucking New Year.
Speaker 1 (51:58):
All I want for Christmas is that song to just
get blasted into space, send it to the Aliens as
a weapon of war. Well, as is our custom, Holly,
We'll give you the final words.
Speaker 2 (52:10):
No, I'm pretty good today. That a fun have a
lot of stuff to your spiel. I think I derailed you.
Speaker 1 (52:15):
If you yes, let's leave that as the final words.
We said too many final words. Otherwise, ladies and gentlemen,
please stay safe, be kind to each other. One thing,
very very quickly, I'll shout out to it is kitten season.
A lot of the shelters around Australia absolutely brimming with kittens.
Please don't buy kittenens as Christmas presents unless you're an
(52:37):
adult and you have little children who would like a
new kitten for Christmas. While we decry the amount of
feral cats out in the Australian bush land destroying the
Australian bush one of the easiest ways to prevent that
is to adopt a kitten, get them d SXT so
they can't contribute, and then keep them indoors and love them.
(53:00):
It's a nice human way to take care of the problem,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (53:03):
Hold them hostage you know you want to hostage with
belly rubs.
Speaker 1 (53:08):
And we will see you all again next week. More
Weird crap in Australia. Until then, Bye for now. By
the weird crap in Australia. Podcast is produced by Holly
(53:32):
and Matthew Soul for the Modern Meltdown. If you've enjoyed
this podcast, please rate and review on your favorite podcatching app.
A strange, spiraling white light was spotted in the early
morning sky over Sydney, with even skeptical witnesses wondering if
it was a UFO. They were last seen on the
beach with the tall man and that's the best description
police have ever had of it.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
More than seventeen years after Harold Holt disappeared into raging
surf at Chevy A Beach, his widow has finally revealed
his last romantic words docky, terrifying, mesmerizing.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
That's the way a number of Australians have described the
alleged encounter with the YOWI. It's time the Weird Crap
In Australian podcast. Welcome to the wee Crap In Australia Podcast.
(00:46):
I'm your host Matthew Sol joining me for another episode.
Is the one the only researcher extraordinay for the conclusion
of the Rats of Tobrook series.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yes, we've gone over our allotted time because I thought
this was only going to be a two part up,
but I guarantee you'll learn something.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Yeah, So we were going to wrap it on Remembrance
Day week, but then you know there's I find our
World War two Holly. These episodes always generate a lot
of discussion, yes mostly from me, So if there are
any pacing issues whatsoever, they were well and truly my fault.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
You can direct those complaints to we grapnin Astralia at
gmail dot com, Forward slash junk Box.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Or forward Matthew talks too much. So yes, sorry about
the slow pace of this, but I hope we've been
at least a little bit informative. This is episode three
hundred and eighty seven. Wow, eighty seven, that's a lot
of it, my goodness, and like previous week, just from
inviting all of you, if you would like to submit
(01:52):
a question for our four hundredth episode, you can do
so in written form. You can send us an audio
memo via our email address, weird crap in Australia at
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you can utilize our four hundredth episode. If you've asked
questions before, please do so again because we have a
(02:16):
lot of listeners. Not everyone as comfortable with submitting a
question or even has a question to ask, so if
you have a burning question, we crap In Australia at
gmail dot com. Be a part of our four hundred.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Even if you've already sent us a question and it's
about something like, you know, what's your favorite episode or
something really basic like that, you can ask you can
do it again because we've done two hundred or one
hundred more episodes since the last time we asked, so
there might be a different answer.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Yeah, there's a very good chance that we have changed
our answer or maybe we want to amend it. So
if you have a question, we crap in Australia at
gmail dot com. You can shoot it through as a
voice memo, you can shoot it through as just text.
We do a series of a couple of text based
ones and then we'll do some voice one. So if
you want to be part of that four hundred, now
it's the time we're crap Australia gmail dot com. All right,
(03:07):
just a little bit of cleanup as well. Our good
friend of the show, Frank, who's been listening for quite
some time, did have a correction to make concerning I
think it was the previous episode, and I figured our
resident military historian would give us a shout, and that
(03:28):
was to say that Rommel was not part of the
Nazi Party. In fact, Rommel would be one of the
individuals who was planning to help execute or assassinate.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Hitler Operation Valkyrie. Operation Valkyrie dramatized in the movie Come
Cruise movie Arkary.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Too little for that movie, too little I have. I
don't know about you, Holly, will be interesting in your
perspective on this. Not every single person on the in
the German Army who fought during World War II were Nazis.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
No, they were.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
It would also be false to say that everyone knew
about the concentration camps who were in the German Army.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Willful ignorance is a thing, as is regular ignorance.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
And I think when it comes to figures like Rommel,
while not a member of the Nazi Party, I very
much doubt that he had absolutely no idea about what
Himmler was up to.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
He was Robin elbows with too many people in the
high ranks to not know what was going on.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
And after D Day, they the name of the game
after that day was how many people could Himmler tell
that he was, oh, the only one responsible for the
concentration camps. Let's just say he very much tried to
(04:59):
implicate as many people as possible. But Frank is right
to point out that, yes, you know, Rommel was just
part of the army, he wasn't part of the Nazi party.
But I don't think that.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
In the grand scheme of things, is that really that
much of a difference.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
And that's sort of where I sit on it as well.
It's like, you know, right now, there are places in
the world have bad governments, you know, who are doing
things on behalf of their people. Now, I think if
you're not standing up against that sort of injustice in
(05:46):
some capacity, whether that's you know, denouncing them publicly, protesting,
you know, supporting charity groups that are assisting people who
have been disenfranchised by their government, I don't think you're
active complicit, but you're aware. And if you're one of
those people who does absolutely nothing, you're like, well, I
can't do anything. I'm completely detached from this. You know,
(06:09):
I'm fine, I'm safe. Like Holly said, I think there
is a willful ignorance. There was a willful ignorance from
the German people, and it was sort of a manufactured
willful ignorance because you had an economy in Germany during
World War II that was absolutely decimated after World War One.
(06:32):
As we've mentioned before, that was at the behest of
all the little rich kings, kinglets and queen lets and
queens who wanted to have a bit of a a
rough and tumble, and that led to World War One.
That's a very oversimplified version of it, but let's just
say it was a bunch of rich kids doing what
(06:52):
rich kids do. Now, after that happens World War One,
the rest of the worlds, you have to pay reparations
for them, and we are going to absolutely enact all
these rules on you. That was the Treaty at Versailles.
And all it took was someone like Hitler to turn
around and say, the economic disparity here is absolutely fucked
(07:15):
and it is because of certain minority group here, which
is what they all do. You know, like today in
our own current times, you know, Donald Trump, you don't
have a fair shake, not because of our corporate buddies,
but because too many illegals in our country, too many
minority groups in our country, too much pantering to the
(07:36):
LGBT community, too much quote unquote wokeness, which is the
term of the day. You know, when my dad was
growing up it was Communists for communist, it was socialist.
Before socialist, it was werewolf. You know, we've been doing
this for a very long time, and you end up
in a situation where these indis come in during economic
(08:01):
hardship and they're able to sway a population to do
terrible things. Most people in Germany knew that their neighbors
were disappearing regardless, you know, suddenly thousands of people just
disappeared suddenly, and there was no one in Germany who
could turn around, maybe outside in the rural communities, who
(08:21):
could turn around and say that they weren't aware that
at least people were gone, and they didn't know why.
You know, I think some people brought into it, and
then I think other people did it. If you're really
interested in World War two history, i'd highly recommend anything
by Dan Cullen. It's his horror horrible history, very.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
Horrible history, horrible histories.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
I think that's his Well, maybe it's just Dan Cullen's histories.
I think it's horrible histories. Yeah. Yeah, he is one
of the most fantastic military historians on the fucking planet,
and I would highly, highly encourage any of his World
War II series. Absolutely fantastic. I could never do the
(09:04):
history as much justice as that man and his team does.
And then, if you want the more funnier humany shithead versions.
Last podcast on the Left has done multiple series on
all of them. They just wrapped their series on Heindrich Himmler,
the piece of shit couldn't even face his criminal trial.
(09:26):
Of course, he took Sino capsule and died froten at
the mouth, which is just you know, for anyone, if
you know any Nazis at the moment a neo Nazis,
that's usually what happens to Neo Nazis as terrible, terrible death. Anyway,
after that's like correction, well longer correction than it should
have been. Take it away. Let's wrap up the Rats.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
At the Brook Before we get into the very final
part of this, I want to take a moment to
highlight one particular rat who is a part of a
very particular part of the Rats, who has since become
a member of the Black Rats within the Rats of
to Brook. Now, in case anyone thinks that I'm using
a racial term, technically yes, but also no, it was
(10:07):
actually coined by the Aboriginal people themselves, and I have
a quote here from the Austrone War Memorial to prove it.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Black rats are men who qualify as rats and are
also of Aboriginal and all Torres Strait Islander descent. The
name black Rats is adopted from the poem The Black
Rat by Iris Clayton, daughter of Cecil Robert Clayton, whose
ID number is NX three six Coup five nine of
the second thirteenth Battalion. The poem was first published in
(10:37):
Signed Black Australia, an anthology of Aboriginal poetry, edited by
Kevin Gilbert in nineteen eighty eight. Ain't the Year Osborn?
The Black Rats of Tobook Michael bell O one, December
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
In doing so, I want to acknowledge the Black Rats
as a group of people who went to war for
us and then returned home to segregation thanks to the
color of their skin and their ancestry, no matter how
many bullets they took for their home land. This was
in the depths of the stolen generations.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
When it comes to the soldiers together, I'm sure it
really didn't matter what color of the person was next
to you who was shooting, as long as they were
shooting the enemy.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
As long as they weren't shooting you.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah, you know. The Australian forces, the ANZACs during World
War II worked with Indian soldiers, sex soldiers. There were
Indigenous Australians in their ranks, Maoris, Maoris. They worked with
of course the puping New Guineans as well, so there
(11:38):
is a lot of collaboration and working there. However, it
is important to acknowledge when these people returned home they
are not breeded like the rest of the ANZACs. That's
saying that's very important to remember. Australian War memorial and
Indigenous Liaison officer Michael Bell said descendants of servicemen such
as Driscoll see the Black Rat moniker as a source
(12:00):
of considerable pride. Poet Iris Clayton, whose father counted himself
among the Black Rats, wrote a poem in his honor
in nineteen eighty eight. Quote from Black Rats of Tobrook
Finally come out of the Shadows. Andrew HORNERI, April tenth,
twenty twenty four, Sydney Morning Herald.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
The Black Rats were people of Aboriginal Autoris street ancestry
who circumvented the law against indigenous enlisting in World War two,
and who ended up being stuck into brook during the siege.
Rather than a derogatory title, much like being called a
rat themselves, the Black Rats were held in slightly high
regard by the fighters beside them. After all, they'd already
(12:40):
told the law to go fuck themselves when they enlisted.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Deserve Archibuldry School, Second third Field Ambulance. Driscool was an
original man of the mana Jari people from around the
Mount Tambourine area of southeast Queensland. He was born in
nineteen oh nine and enlisted in the second AIF on
the twentieth of October nineteen thirty nine. Giving his occupation
(13:04):
as cane cutter. Initially gave his father, Albert Driscoll as
his next of kin, though this was later altered to
Olive Driscoll. His sister Driscoll was immediately allocated to the
second third Field Ambulance, embarking from Sydney on the fourth
of May nineteen forty and arriving via Gunrock, Scotland, in
the Middle East in March nineteen forty one. Just a
(13:26):
quicker side here we went to Scotland and they have
a little section at their war memorial which is at
the castle and it harks a little bit about the
Australians serving with the Scottish during World War II in
the Middle East in March nineteen forty one and eventually
to Brook, Driscoll served with the Ninth Division's second third
(13:48):
Field Ambulance for the duration of the war, including in
their North African campaign at the first and second Battles
of l Alamen. He returned briefly to Australia before serving
in New Guinea, where he received a shrapwell wound took
his back. In late nineteen forty three, he returned to
duty and continued in Lebonn in North Borneo until his
(14:09):
discharge on the twenty sixth of November nineteen forty five.
Quote from The Black Rats of Tobrook Michael Bell first
in December twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
So not only was Driscoll at Tebrook, he was injured
helping people on the Kokoda trap. But it gets better.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Aside from his extensive service record, Driscoll has another highly
unusual claim to fame his role in the feature film
The Rats of Tobrook, directed by Charles Chavell. Driscoll took
part in the film's battle re enactments, and he appears
prominently in a stilk that was made into the poster
promoting the film. It was released in nineteen forty four
on the third anniversary of the end of the Brook Siege.
(14:49):
The prominent role Archibald played in the reenactment of the
Siege of Tobrook, and his selection by Chevelle for the
film's promotional imagery are open to interpretation to the hants
strong and imposing figure of the fighting Australian soldier best
suited the narrative of the film and the reputation of
the Rats of Brook. Quote from The Black Rats of
(15:10):
Brook Michael Bell, first of December twenty nineteen.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Well, the poster for the film The Fighting Rats of
Tobrook if you're overseas, just the Rats of Tobrook if
you're Australian, features Driscool walking ahead of three other men,
one supported by the other two. They actually have an
image in the notes for Matthew to look on, so.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
He has quoting quite a striking image there and in
that classic kind of a photo with a little bit
of artwork around the sides. Nineteen forties movie poster, Look
would you like to discuss would you like to discuss
movie poster law.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Only if you can see some kind of messaging in
there that the lay person wouldn't.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
I mean, you know, you're all about like what are
you all always kind of convey with a poster, and
the idea of a poster is that you are trying
to get across the spirit or the heart of the film.
You know. Recently we went and saw a Predator bad Lens,
which I'd recommend, by the way, filmed with our buddies
(16:16):
over in New Zealand, actually mostly a New Zealand production.
In that poster you see a large creature now tiny
little predator launching at it, right, because at the heart
of that film and all Predator films, is an overcoming
that adversity, you know, courage being small but fighting something big,
(16:37):
you know. So when I look at this poster, and
this is very interpretive, you know all film posters are,
but this is what I see. When I look at this,
I do see a very proud Indigenous soldier leading the
way with two other Australian soldiers. I don't know if
(17:01):
it's necessarily meant to be an Australian soldier in the middle,
but it's quite clear that the indigenous soldier is leading
them because of his stature compared to the other two.
It's almost a what would I call it, a sort
of almost and there's a dignity to it. There's a
(17:24):
representation of country. As Again I have said, this is
very interpretive. I have numerous movie poster books. I could
go through them all day with an actual artist or
art historian and they would probably tell me that all
my interpretations are incorrect, or they would do that thing
when you interpret something and they go, hm, hmmm, that's interesting.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Well you see, I was going to do that, but
I'm not gonna miss.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Okay, So Holly, what what's it? You know? Am I? Am?
I awful? Do you have something else?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
So this poster Archibald's involvement in the entire film itself
is interpretable. There are two ways to interpret the poster itself.
We're going to stick to the post. If you want
to google it while you're listening and you're not driving,
feel free you might be able to follow along with
what I'm about to say. The first interpretation is exactly
what Matthew said, the indigenous person leading the other three
(18:23):
to safety past the burned out shell of well, not
quite burnout shell of a German teak. The other interpretation
is that he is too good to help because he
is the one in front and he doesn't even have
his gun ready to shoot like the guys in the background.
(18:44):
Not my interpretation, by the way.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Yeah, yeah, I don't see that. I that's now out
of curiosity. Who postulated that second interpretation?
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I found that in a forumish interpretation. But it is
an interpretation.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Look, man, artist objective. Honestly, I think that when it
comes to interpreting, not here's a little secret for you
that that people with degrees are not going to tell you,
or maybe some of the good ones will. I know
a good friend of mine has an art degree. You
recently went to an art gallery with her, Yes, since.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
She tried to convince me that postmodern is art, and
I said, fuck, ell it is.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
Did she show you? Did she explain any of it
in a way that you could sort of be like, oh,
I understand this.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
She showed me some of her favorite pieces and tried
to explain to me why they were her favorite pieces.
And I did my best to keep an open mind.
But at the end of it, it's still someone putting
paint at the top of canvas and letting it run down.
There's absolutely no technique involved in it. If I can
do it, then it's not art, all.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Right, So let's sit there and let's have another discussion. No,
we're not going to do that. Look, you have a
very you have a very specific view on art, right
and for you, there needs to be a mechanical efficiency
(20:10):
attached for you to recognize that as art, which is fine. Like,
that's entirely your prerogative, as it is for everyone. You like,
what you like, you don't like, what you don't like.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
Art is meant to send you the message that the
artist is conveying. If you're interpreting the message out of
paint slots, that is not an interpretation of what is
my stance. And I will buy on that fucking heel.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
As mister Burns said when he saw his self portrait,
you know in the art gallery. I know what I like,
and I think I like this. So it's it's interesting
that someone would interpret the poster with a sort of
hoity toity.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Attitude, racist attitude. Well, dare I say.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
I mean, you can, dare say it, And maybe I
tend to agree with you a little bit here, because
to demonstrate cowardice or to demonstrate hompousness, there are much
different ways to do that. Does that make sense? Like
there would be a much easier way to convey that
(21:15):
messaging with this poster than that.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
Also, remember it was nineteen forty four.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Yeah, so I find that as very interesting. So yeah,
there we go. Matthew teaches you about what I don't
have an art degree. I'm probably talking out.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
The other thing about this particular poster is the fact
that it conveys a black rite one of the Indigenous
Australians at t Brook doing the fighting when that was
an illegal thing for him to do.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
That's right. So if you're not aware of World War
II or World War One history, Indigenous persons were not
allowed to enlist in the Australian Army. And then you'll say,
but Matthew, you just told me that there was an
Indigenous person enlisted in the Australian Army who had a
serial number, And I will go, that is absolutely true.
(22:09):
Because when you're fucking losing a war.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
You'll take anyone.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
You'll take anyone who can hold a fucking gun. Or
when you're trying to win a war, you'll take anyone
who can hold a fucking gun.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Princes only for those who are winning.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Right. The Americans at the moment have banned transgender people
from their army. I don't give a shit. Are you
wearing if you're wearing a dress or not wearing a dress,
are your pointing your gun at the person trying to
kill me? That's all I give a shit about.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
I mean, transgender people have been part of the army
for how long, Like one of them was a key
player in mash for how many seasons, for God's sake.
Speaker 1 (22:50):
Well he was trying to get out of the army.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
Yeah, but it was still obviously a known element to
that point.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
You know, look, there's there's always been tans people in
the army. There's always been gay people and lesbian people
in the army.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
It was surprisingly enough, what gena telle you have and
what you would identify it as has absolutely no bearing
on how well you can aim a fucking gout.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
That's right. It's as simple as that. And like a
you know, anyway we'll get we'll get sidetracked. But that's
basically why necessity, yep, race racism is put the side
when situation necessitates as many people working collaboratively as possible.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Race, gender and yep, and social class means shit or
when you're losing a war.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
The Russians had just as many female soldiers as male soldiers.
In fact, there was a Russian sniper. I believe they
called her the Black Widow. She was brutal, one of
the best snipers during World War Two. Again, the need
necessitated that everyone fought right. That that's just the way
it goes, and rules often get dropped and bent and
(24:00):
put to the side. So I always remember that. I've
often found that racism is a sign of comfortability, manipulation,
whether it be from the rich or the media, or
you're comfortable enough that you don't need everyone so you
can discriminate. You know. That's generally how I feel about it. Anyway,
(24:21):
we'll keep going push, but what an interesting discussion. This
poster is prompted.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
As of Anzac Day twenty twenty four, there are fifty
nine identified and named black rats of to Brook, and
work continues to uncover others. So if you happen to
know some that aren't only on a roll at the
War Memorial, now.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Yeah, just dreat them an email and if you have
the service number as well, that's really handy. Looking for
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one they won't soon forget. Now back to the show.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
By October, the garrison had settled into a multinational defensive
to Brook. The British seventieth Infantry Division took over the
southern sector, while the Polls and checks men the Eastern
and Western lines. Together, they prepared for the long awaited
break in. On the twenty first November nineteen forty one,
Operation Crusader begin English eighth Army's Grand Offensive to relief
(26:02):
to Brook and drive Rommel's forces back across Sirenica.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
The eighteenth Brigade was relieved at first, brought out by
sea at night. During August, they were replaced by a
Polish brigade, which included a Czechoslovakian battalion. The British seventieth
Division relieved the ninth Division during September and October. On
the final night of the relief, the convoys sailing to
Brook was attacked and turned back. The second thirteenth Battalion
(26:27):
had to remain into Brook until the siege was lifted.
The siege continued for another two months. In mid November,
the British launched a major offensive, Operation Crusader, to destroy
Rommel's forces and lift the siege. Crusader quickly became a
confusing series of tank in infantry battles As the offensive
staggered towards Brook. The garrison broke out and captured the
(26:48):
high ground at Iduda Ridge east of the fortress, only
to lose Parnavate. Later during the battle, the garrison linked
up with a British column spearheaded by the New Zealand
Division from the Great Siege Australian War Memorial.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
When the last Australians departed, they carried with them a
monica that could not be worn on their chest, but
on their hearts, the Rats of Tabruk. It was both
a farewell and a declaration of identity. The Siege of
Tarbruk had shown that ordinary soldiers, armed with determination and
a grim sense of humor, could hold back the might
of Pittler's war machine. In doing so, they earned a
(27:24):
place among the defining legends of Australian military history. I
would like to point out that it was the Australians
that stopped Rommel, and it was the Australians that stopped
the fucking Japanese.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Well, you know, this is the in my opinion, this
is the sort of confluence of all of these different factors.
You know, Australia has now become a nation, right, there's
this first sense of the you know, Australian identity from
(27:56):
people who had become who had been sent here ass
had become to associate with their country. You know, world
War One had happened, which is the baptism of fire trusting.
Historical individuals like Ned Kelly had declared, I am an Australian,
this is my home, this is where I lived. And
(28:17):
so you have, perhaps you know, the first or second
generation of a well maybe second, third generation, fourth generation
of Australians born in Australia who only knew Australia as home.
And they had also sort of gotten excitable from stories
(28:39):
from their parents, their fathers, their older brothers, their grandparents
who had fought during World War One. And though the
majority of those soldiers had said, please don't go, it
will be horrific, they still went. And all of those things,
I think come together to create this ragtag group of
(29:05):
scaly wags.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
And anti authoritarians, because anyone who tells us to do
something as a collected nation, generally we're going to tell
them to tuck themselves.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
It's the strange contradiction of the Australian people is that
we will will reject authority regardless of whether it's in
our best interest or not. Funnily enough, there's a lot
of people that talk about the complicity of Australians during
times when we need to be less complicit, and I
(29:39):
think in the same breath, we also reject authoritarians just
as quickly because we don't like being told what to do,
whether it's good for us or bad for us, which
is not Look, I would rather have that than a
population that's just like, I live in the best country
in the world, and I'm never going to say anything
real love, because if I did, then I want to
(30:01):
live in the best country of the world. And I've
been told since I was a little boy that I
lived in the best country in the world. I think
that mentality just fucks you up.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
It's so toxic.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
It slows your society down. People make bad decisions all
the time, and you know, the Australian disposition is, yeah,
you know, we really don't like being told what to do.
Sometimes that's great in the situation where you have an
authoritarian tries to kick you around, or when you go
to World War two to five Nazis. It's not so
great when you hold things like follow the road.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Rules, don't drink and drive, don't text and drive, stea
home so we don't spread a virus.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
You know, we're a bit so that being said, when Australians,
for the majority, I think Australians did stay home and
tried to stop the spread with COVID. Not to rehash
that old argument, but it was funny, like I watched
them American commentators talking about that. They're like, you know, oh,
they're taking their freedom away, and he's like, man, man,
look look, look, I've been to Australia a couple times.
(31:00):
They don't care about freedom. They just don't like to work.
So if they get to stay home and not work,
they're really actually quite happy.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
I'll agree with that.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
And I was like, yeah, actually, if Australia has one weakness,
and we have many, but if Australia had one explodable weakness,
if someone rocks up and says I'm King of Australia,
you get another day off on your weekend, most Australians
would happily be like, you're our king now, thanks mate.
(31:32):
What are we calling it? Well, it's no longer going
to be called Friday. It's going to be called Sausage Day,
Sausage and Beer Day. And we would be like, yeah,
oh yeah, that sounds all right. Bloody eighth true blue
lock that in Bunnings are still open. Right. With such
a contradiction, the Bunnings will remain open.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
I think Matthew's lying for office over there.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Well, it depends. Does of Australia have to sound oker
or do they have to be a little bit pompers.
I can do both.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
I think they'd end it with a neutral accent, just
our generalized Australian accent.
Speaker 1 (32:09):
My dear, Hello Australians, thank you all so much for
electing me king for life.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
You're beer day, you're an uptight wanker, or you're a
no good bogan. So you'd have to go the generalized accent.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Yeah, not the alban easy, which I think.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Is still a bit bogan.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
I think Anthony Albers has the next to Hawkey, has
the most Australian accent of any Australian Prime minister.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
The cost of the Siege of Tabrook was immense. Between
April and October nineteen forty one, the Ninth Division alone
suvaged seven hundred and forty nine killed, one thy, nine
hundred and ninety six wounded, six hundred and four taken prisoner.
The toll on the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian
Navy was equally severe. Yeah, the victory carried enormous symbolic weight.
(33:02):
To Brook had been the first time in the Second
World War that German forces had been decisively halted on
land on the other side of the planet. A few
months later, the Australians would also be the first to
halt the Japanese. The Siege of Brook became the legend
in Australian military history, spoken of in the same breath
as Gallipoli and Kakoda. The men who fought there took
(33:25):
pride in the nickname that had once been ment as
as an insult, and most of the rats of Tobrook
returned home as heroes. For months they had held out
against Rommel's best troops, forcing the Axis to divert men
and supplies, and building precious time for the defense of
Egypt and the Seuiz Canal. The town, itself, a barren
port on a featureless plateau ringed by rocky ridges and gullies,
(33:48):
had been turned into a fortress by sheer determination. There
was little vegetation, no real cover, and the sun beat
down mercilessly. Remember it's in North Africa, across the middle
of the Northern Summit. The Harbor was small and constantly
threatened by bombs, but it had held, and in doing so,
had become a symbol of stubborn defiance. When the Axis
(34:10):
finally retook to Brook in June nineteen forty two, the
victory was followed.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
It didn't really do much for Rommel, did it.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
It did not. He had lost all faced by that
point in time.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
And was prepping to kill Hitler.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Look, I'm not against killing Hitler.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
There are lots of people who's fine.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
I have no problem with him killing Hitler. But yeah,
it I think he had his guts kicked in by.
Any time a force was defeated by Australians, it wasn't
looked on very well, especially because the major dickhead what
was the General MacArthur. MacArthur had done a pretty good
(34:50):
job of slagging off Australian forces, and so when Australian
forces kicked your ass it was seen as a double
insult for Australians.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
The story of Tobrook was not just one survival, but
of character, the proof that once again, ordinary men under
extraordinary pressure could hold back the might of an empire.
Want to be empire, It had already invaded quite quite.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Poland doesn't took Poland.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
They took half of France. They were in the Netherlands.
I'm pretty sure they'd taken Denmark. They were working their
way through Finland or was that?
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Why did why did the Polish submarine sink?
Speaker 2 (35:24):
I don't know the institute that they.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Installed screen doors? And can you say that because I
have a Polish ancestor.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
That was going to be a joke, and I.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Think I told that joke, Paulie. Actually I can say it.
I'm part polar I can say that too.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
So Brook became a symbol of defliance against the Allied world.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
Just we only did my genealogy. It's just white. It's
different shades of white on white on.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
White lines all British white, but yours is European white.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
Yeah, you're like, we've joked about this quite often, but
my family has consistently kept up its history of being
white trash, whereas yours did to a certain point. Then
there was a massive drop off and then you end
up marrying white trash. So now I'm on the way up.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
The Brook became a symbol of defiance across the Allied world.
The Australian soldiers dirty, unshaven, and constantly under bombardment, wore
their exhaustion like armor. The garrison had been under siege
for months, surviving on supplies ferried in by the Royal
Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, under constant threat from
the Looftwiper. The so called to Brook Ferry Service, a
(36:42):
lifeline of destroyers, sloops and smaller vessels, rave night after
night of air raids to deliver ammunition, food, and reinforcements.
Many ships never returned. Twenty six vessels were lost to bombs, mines,
and torpedoes during the siege, their crew swallowed by the
same unfigiving sea that shimmered like glass under that is
its sun.
Speaker 1 (37:01):
Kind of cruel, isn't it to stick them in the
desert next to an ocean.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
You can't drink water, water everywhere, but not a drop
to drink.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Now. The thing about toabrook, and that's what we're going
to wrap this episode up with, is that it generated
a tremendous amount obviously a propaganda because it was a
good propaganda fodder for us, but a tremendous amount of
popular media at the time. So we're going to go
through a couple of examples like that, and the the
(37:31):
overall impact culturally of Toabrook. And I think, HULLI you
would like me to read this poem?
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Sure, give it, give it a go. But it's a
bit long.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Isn't there a special way to read poetry? I don't
know if I've ever been.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Good at Do you want me to do it?
Speaker 1 (37:45):
No, I'll give it a try and you tell me
how I go. Is it a rhyming poem or one
of those poems just read?
Speaker 2 (37:52):
There is a beat to it. That's why I asked
if you wanted.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Me to do it? Okay, Well how does the beat go?
Give me a couple of give me a proper Is
it like a bum bump?
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Or is it not a beet porm? Just it has
like I am Cama kind of beat. What I mean?
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Well, I'll give it a shot and you direct me.
How about that? They brought us from Australia for to
fight Nazi hun who were once more on the war path,
well equipped with tanks and guns. They shoved us into Libya,
where the guidebook says it's grand, but forgot to mention
little things like flies and fleas and sand. De Brook
(38:30):
was chosen as the place for us to start our stuff.
Old Jerry Seen besieged it and began to treat us rough.
He dropped a friendly hint or too, as how we
soon would pop it, advising us to turn it in,
forget the war and hop it now. Being mad Australians,
we just didn't take the drum. So we sent his
(38:51):
diving stuck us and made things damn well hum. A
few blokes took the final count. Some joints got knocked about,
but done. As Tommy says, was really bleeding out. He
keeps on raiding with his planes, drops bombs and bloody traps.
His soldiers sometimes make a move, and lads have frontline scraps,
(39:13):
but months have pasted, he must admit, and seems we're
here to stay till the spring Box come in and
join us. Much up from Buddy Away. Don't get the
wrong impression think we're players in a game. It sounds
nice and easy, but there's hardships just the same. First,
we live in dugouts, extra strong in roof and sides
(39:33):
a guard from bombs and trapnel to preserve our lousy
hides of all the plagues of Egypt. Well, the fly
must be the worst so blasted team and friendly oblivious
when they're cursed. No matter what we want to do
or where we want to go, the fly brings all
his tribe along as principles of the show. When evening falls,
(39:55):
the desert broods, the sun slips out of sight, retiring
to our little caves. We pray for tranquil night elong
the piece is shattered with all objective fleas. The Saints
accord to scour us from the damn vorocious fleas.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
I just want to break in adjective. Was because it
was censored in the newspaper, thank you. It was probably
fucking but.
Speaker 1 (40:18):
Yeah, then sharp on time. The cookies raw wafts over
the din of battle, or you can hear as much
and golf and mess gear's homely rattle, and when the
aif gets home, they won't get the sins of all
the cattle cockies who've been raising beef in tins. I
like that one. Actually, it's basically fuck you, bully beef.
(40:42):
Now you have read a poem by a bloke who
seems well versed where you're to travel to east of
sues to raise a man sized thirst. Sessions may be different,
but I'll bet five quid to one. The thirst raised
in to Brook just takes the blinking bun. And when
we're back at home again and all this strife is
some mug is sure to ask just what did you
(41:04):
do at the war? You'll look the cheese right in
the face and pat the baby's curls, say when you
defriended old to Brook where there wasn't any girls. Of
all the troops mixed up in here, there's one we
would like to toast. They're always up to something, but
you never hear them boast. It's good to hear them
working with reverberating crack. We dip our lids, sincerely to
(41:28):
the boys of the Antiac And that was published in
the Comera Free Press Tuesday, the seventh of COBAD nineteen
forty one, page four to Brook. And as you can tell,
I don't normally read poetry.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
That was it was unattributed. I don't know who wrote it, but.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
I like that dude as a bit tongue in cheek.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
Oh, it's fucking Australian run.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
Now. Of course, as we mentioned at the start of
the podcast, there would eventually be made. There were films
that were made about the Rats of Brook and for
the longer time, and I believe if a publican knows
their history, the Rats of Tobrook never brought another beer
in Australia. Monica digger is especially attributed to the Rats
(42:13):
of to Brook.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
It started in trenches in World War One. But the
Rats of to Brook were a special class of digger.
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Yeah, and so whenever you think of the Australian you know,
digging in the dirt in the desert, all of that
icnography comes from the Rats of Tabrook. And so yeah,
the African Front became this thing that generated a lot
of legend, a lot of culture, as you can see,
(42:41):
sort of had this massive effect where they you know,
they made film and they wrote poetry, and there were books,
and there was art, and there was this, you know,
this long running effort to continue that history, to make
sure it was there, it's available to people. And we
see that, you know in stories like Holly brought up
(43:04):
with the Black Rats, who they are still actively finding
members for to this day. So again, you do know
someone and you have their soldier number, their serial number,
I guess, for lack of a better term, make sure
you let the Australian War Memorial.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Know enlistment number.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
Enlistment numbers, thank you. I was like trying to think
of it. I kept thinking serial number because I played
too many dystopian cyberpunkish games and I kept thinking serial number.
Of course, yes, enlistment number. If you have their enlistment number,
you can send that through to the Australian War Memorial. Well, Holly,
I think you've covered everything. Is there anything else you'd
(43:40):
like to add before we wrap up the series?
Speaker 2 (43:43):
I don't think so. I do know that in two
twenty one Full of Judy Vanguard, I believe it was,
you could actually play as a as a Red of
brook Well.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
They covered every aspect of World War II in that
game series, So that doesn't prize me in the slightest, Holly,
you know who kicked off the Call of Judy series, No,
Steven Spielberg.
Speaker 2 (44:08):
At least you didn't see James Cameron.
Speaker 1 (44:12):
Yeah, lately it's been how we've been playing the Game
of Powers. James Cameron affected dot dot dot dot dot.
Speaker 2 (44:17):
Three degrees of separation of James Cameron on fucking anything,
horror and Hollywood at the moment.
Speaker 1 (44:23):
Absolutely, So what we're going to be doing next week
is we're going to take our little break in the
form of another film commentary. And I think, Holly, you
wanted to take a look at the Mel Gibson film Gallipoly.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Well, we keep saying we're gonna and we were gonna
do it for the the episode, and we never end
up doing it, so we better do it.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
So Yeah, to keep up with the theme, the next
movie commentary we're going to be doing is Gallipoli. Holly,
if you've got your phone, they you can tell everyone
where they can watch it. I believe Amazon Prime and.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
Stan Foxtel and Binge unforginally.
Speaker 1 (45:01):
Really mm hmm. You'll probably purchase it from YouTube.
Speaker 2 (45:04):
You can buy it from Amazon.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
You can buy it from Amazon Prime. I would highly
recommend you do rent it or buy it from Amazon Prime.
Have a what and we're going to do an audio
commentary over the top. So basically, you turn the film down,
you watch it, and we talk to you. You know,
it's as if we're in the room with you. It's
a wonderful experience. Gives Holly as cancer out to come
(45:28):
up with the next episodes. So yes, Gallipoli, starring a
very young Mel Gibson. I think it's an excellent look
into Australian culture at the time. It's a fantastic look
at soldiering in Australia and obviously the devastating impact of
fighting in the trenches. So please watch that film with
(45:50):
us as we record another audio commentary for you next
week and then back to our regularly schedule programming. Before
I let you go, just a couple of housekeeping items.
Don't forget if you want to reach out to us,
were crap in Australia. Gmail is at your first port
of call. Don't forget to submit your questions there for
our four hundredth episode. Just send that through. Make sure
(46:10):
you put into the subject line question for four hundredth
episode and just let it. And also if you can,
just let us know whether it's a written or audio question,
just so we can separate the two and organize that episode.
And if you have any suggestions for our four hundredth episodes,
so there's a story that you'd absolutely think is perfect
(46:31):
for such a big episode, please feel free to shoot
your suggestions through as well. You can also find us
on your social media of choice. Just open with Crapping
Astray into the search bar. You can also help out
the show. We have our Patreon, which everyone does these days,
but we actually give you something minisodes they're really really good,
(46:53):
and add.
Speaker 2 (46:53):
Free episodes because I know that I've been putting the
discount code into the free to listen two episodes.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
It adds up brutal these days when it comes to
Spotify algorithmic inserting these days. But yes, we do need ads.
Of course, like most programs that are running for free,
they are for free, so we have to do a
little bit advertising in order to generate some money so
we can buy research materials. I've posted up before. You've
(47:23):
seen our library. It's a decent sized library for a
small apartment for Australian material. You know, we buy research material.
We still go to books. There are active subscriptions to
new sites, to archives, all that sort of stuff so
that we can kind of make these as accurate as possible.
(47:43):
So if you can help us out friendly five dollars
USC a month, you get access to those bonus minisodes
as well as these episodes, uncut and add free. You
can also check out our book series We Cramp in Autralia.
Volume one to six are available now from our great
mats at Impact Comics dot com dot au. They make
fantastic Christmas giftsn't forget the Christmas holidays are fast approaching,
so if you have a friend or a family member
(48:07):
who likes their weird history, grab those from Impact Comics
dot com dot you. I do not believe they're doing
a restock before the end of the year, so once
they have run out, they will run out, so make
sure you grab them. And I believe there'll be a
Black Friday sale coming up as well towards the end
of the month, So keeping eye on Impact Comics dot
com dot you and grab your books. We'll do freek
(48:28):
signing all the way to the end of the year.
If you help our mates out, we're going to sign
those books for you, so just make sure you put
it in the email or send them an email just
saying them know that you'd like your book signed before
they get shipped out. We've done that for plenty of people,
so that's an incentive to buy some great books and
help out a small business. We'll absolutely do that for you.
(48:49):
And at last, but not at least, you can grab
yourself a week crap in an Australia T shirt or
a bunch of other merch from our red bubble and
tea public stores. Just typing, we craping Australia into the
search bar. And if you're like our great mate Stephen,
who sends us emails regularly about his new shirts, you
will look as cool as Steven does.
Speaker 2 (49:08):
Yes, that reminds me. Stephen bought our Sizzle the sand
Man shirt, which I'm very proud of because I came
up with that idea. That's our Christmas shir Stephen, that's
our Christmas shirt. If you want to Christmas, ignore Matthew
and by by Holly Sizzle the Same Man shirt.
Speaker 1 (49:23):
Stephen, have you done?
Speaker 2 (49:25):
Don't listen to him?
Speaker 1 (49:26):
What have you done?
Speaker 2 (49:27):
Don't listen to him? Buy more? Or everyone listened to this,
buy more. Don't listen to Matthew, listen to Holy Holly
loves you.
Speaker 1 (49:36):
Right, I'll do it. Do a little promo here for Holly,
just because I love her. This is what This is
the power of love. And you can also pick up
our Sizzle the sad Man. Of course here in Australia
we don't do frosty Christmas. What the fuck is with
that shit? You can grab yourself a Sizzle the Sandman.
Holly helped organize the design work for that. It is
the one and only week Crap in Australia Christmas T
(49:59):
shirt and it celebrates all the fun things about Australian Christmas,
of course, being building sand castles, being on the beach,
drinking a beer, drinking a beer. All of that is
on our Sizzle the Sandman T shirt. So if you'd
like to grab that for the firstive season, Red Bubble
and we and Tea Public and I believe just typing
(50:20):
Sizzle the Sandman into those search bars and it should
pop up otherwise use we Crab in Australia. Stephen, I
am so disappointed, inn't you? No? The war on Christmas
will continue. I know I am out numbered, but just
like the rats of de Brook and prepared to fight
this behemos still ow. We will defeat Christmas. We will
(50:46):
defeat the retail giants pushing Christmas all the way in September.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
Retail, yes, I will. I will admit that one needs
to be stepped in the gut. But Christmas itself.
Speaker 1 (50:56):
We will fight them at the mole Center displays them
at the checkouts. We will fight them at the checkouts.
We will fight with our relatives who we don't see
that often, who have very different political opinions than us,
and have to make it known and write in our
faces about it. Ah, Christmas, you can just hear the
fucking jingle vels a jing jing jiggling.
Speaker 2 (51:17):
Hopefully not yet at work, which is good for me.
I don't know about them.
Speaker 1 (51:21):
I think no, not yet. They've put up Christmas decorations,
which I expected, but I think retailers around Australia got
the message.
Speaker 2 (51:30):
That all an unusual torture is not open.
Speaker 1 (51:34):
I don't think it was good for retail workers, to
be honest. I think it's like enough complaints happened that
people like the big companies sort of stopped. Yep, you know.
So yeah, we won't expect to hear any Riah Kerry
won't shake the dust off her frozen tomb.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
Sixteen more days until we have to deal with it.
Speaker 1 (51:53):
And then it's all I want for Christmas. Man.
Speaker 2 (51:56):
Follow up for Christmas is the fucking New Year.
Speaker 1 (51:58):
All I want for Christmas is that song to just
get blasted into space, send it to the Aliens as
a weapon of war. Well, as is our custom, Holly,
We'll give you the final words.
Speaker 2 (52:10):
No, I'm pretty good today. That a fun have a
lot of stuff to your spiel. I think I derailed you.
Speaker 1 (52:15):
If you yes, let's leave that as the final words.
We said too many final words. Otherwise, ladies and gentlemen,
please stay safe, be kind to each other. One thing,
very very quickly, I'll shout out to it is kitten season.
A lot of the shelters around Australia absolutely brimming with kittens.
Please don't buy kittenens as Christmas presents unless you're an
(52:37):
adult and you have little children who would like a
new kitten for Christmas. While we decry the amount of
feral cats out in the Australian bush land destroying the
Australian bush one of the easiest ways to prevent that
is to adopt a kitten, get them d SXT so
they can't contribute, and then keep them indoors and love them.
(53:00):
It's a nice human way to take care of the problem,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (53:03):
Hold them hostage you know you want to hostage with
belly rubs.
Speaker 1 (53:08):
And we will see you all again next week. More
Weird crap in Australia. Until then, Bye for now. By
the weird crap in Australia. Podcast is produced by Holly
(53:32):
and Matthew Soul for the Modern Meltdown. If you've enjoyed
this podcast, please rate and review on your favorite podcatching app.
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