Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Krusher on March 18, 2003, 08:05:15 PM

Title: THE Desert Rats
Post by: Krusher on March 18, 2003, 08:05:15 PM

Two of the four battlegroups which make up the Rats are Scottish - the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the 1st Battalion Black Watch.

The Dragoon Guards recce troops will be among the first sent over the border.

Sergeant Frank Mack, of Leith, Edinburgh, said: "Generally, we are three to five kilometres in front of the battlegroup.

---------------------------------------------------


RAT Power !

Title: THE Desert Rats
Post by: Rasker on March 18, 2003, 08:07:17 PM

The Desert Rats were the 7th Armoured and constituent units, were they not?

Title: THE Desert Rats
Post by: Vulcan on March 18, 2003, 08:11:58 PM

I thought the rats were so called coz the Kiwis and Aussies had a nasty habit of firing their rubbish at the German positions in the evening.

Title: THE Desert Rats
Post by: Rasker on March 18, 2003, 08:15:07 PM

I vaguely recall they were called that when they were holed up like rats and surrounded at Tobruk?  Mebbe Rommel called them rats :)

Title: THE Desert Rats
Post by: -tronski- on March 18, 2003, 09:13:21 PM

Quote

Originally posted by Rasker
I vaguely recall they were called that when they were holed up like rats and surrounded at Tobruk?  Mebbe Rommel called them rats :)

Those were the rats of tobruk, 9th  Div AIF, 18/7th Div AIF

 Tronsky

Title: THE Desert Rats
Post by: Swoop on March 19, 2003, 07:40:29 AM

My Great Uncle, Sgt Arthur Adams, was a Desert Rat.  Served against Rommel in North Africa and then against the Japanese in Burma.  

And curiously I'm damn proud of that fact.

(http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/extern/640697.jpg)

Title: THE Desert Rats
Post by: Krusher on March 19, 2003, 08:12:19 AM

Quote

Originally posted by Swoop
And curiously I'm damn proud of that fact.

(http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/extern/640697.jpg)

hell yea, not too many can say they fought on both fronts.

Title: THE Desert Rats
Post by: -tronski- on March 19, 2003, 09:16:22 AM

Quote

Originally posted by Krusher
hell yea, not too many can say they fought on both fronts.

Most front line Australian units were transfered from Nth Africa to the Pacific.
This was a common occurrence with a number of commonwealth units especially towards the end of the war.

 Tronsky