Changes

On 11 April, the 5th Panzer Regiment probed the Australian defences around stongpoints R59 and R63, losing five panzers in the process. Nevertheless, 700 supporting infantry got within 400 yards of the 2/13th Battalion's positions. Axis infantry also attacked the 2/17th Battalion's sector near strongpoint R33. Artillery fire stopped the attacking infantry, but 70 tanks got through and attempted to overrun Captain Baffe's D Company as the company commander recalls:  

On 11 April, the 5th Panzer Regiment probed the Australian defences around stongpoints R59 and R63, losing five panzers in the process. Nevertheless, 700 supporting infantry got within 400 yards of the 2/13th Battalion's positions. Axis infantry also attacked the 2/17th Battalion's sector near strongpoint R33. Artillery fire stopped the attacking infantry, but 70 tanks got through and attempted to overrun Captain Baffe's D Company as the company commander recalls:  

''"About 70 tanks came right up to the antitank ditch and opened fire on our forward posts. They advanced in three waves of about twenty and one of ten. Some of them were big German Mark IVs, mounting a 75-mm gun. Others were Italian M13s and there were a lot of Italian light tanks too. The ditch here wasn't any real obstacle to them, the minefield had only been hastily rearmed and we hadn't one antitank gun foward. We fired on them with antitank rifles, Brens, and rifles and they didn't attempt to come through, but blazed away at us and then sheered off east towards the 2/13th's front."''<ref>[usacac.army.mil/cac2/CGSC/.../9AustralianDivVsAfricaCorps_Miller.pdf The Australian 9th Division Versus the Afrika Corps by Colonel Ward A. Miller]</ref>

''"About 70 tanks came right up to the antitank ditch and opened fire on our forward posts. They advanced in three waves of about twenty and one of ten. Some of them were big German Mark IVs, mounting a 75-mm gun. Others were Italian M13s and there were a lot of Italian light tanks too. The ditch here wasn't any real obstacle to them, the minefield had only been hastily rearmed and we hadn't one antitank gun foward. We fired on them with antitank rifles, Brens, and rifles and they didn't attempt to come through, but blazed away at us and then sheered off east towards the 2/13th's front."''<ref>The Australian 9th Division Versus the Afrika Corps, Colonel Ward A. Miller, p. 21, Pickle Partners Publishing, 2014]</ref>

German infantry attacked again, in battalion strength as Baffe recalls:

German infantry attacked again, in battalion strength as Baffe recalls:

''"When the infantry were about 500 yards out we opened up, but in the posts that could reach them we had only two Brens, two antitank rifles and a couple of dozen ordinary rifles. The Jerries went to ground at first, but gradually moved forward in bounds under cover of their machine guns. It was nearly dusk by this time, and they managed to reach the antitank ditch. From there they mortared near-by posts heavily. We hadn't any mortars with which to reply, and our artillery couldn't shell the ditch without risk of hitting our own posts."''<ref>[usacac.army.mil/cac2/CGSC/.../9AustralianDivVsAfricaCorps_Miller.pdf The Australian 9th Division Versus the Afrika Corps by Colonel Ward A. Miller]</ref>

''"When the infantry were about 500 yards out we opened up, but in the posts that could reach them we had only two Brens, two antitank rifles and a couple of dozen ordinary rifles. The Jerries went to ground at first, but gradually moved forward in bounds under cover of their machine guns. It was nearly dusk by this time, and they managed to reach the antitank ditch. From there they mortared near-by posts heavily. We hadn't any mortars with which to reply, and our artillery couldn't shell the ditch without risk of hitting our own posts."''<ref>The Australian 9th Division Versus the Afrika Corps, Colonel Ward A. Miller, p. 21, Pickle Partners Publishing, 2014]</ref>

At the El Adem road, Axis tanks clashed with reinforcements from the [[1st Royal Tank Regiment]], and four Italian tanks and one German panzer were lost. Two British tanks were also lost, but the British forced the Axis force to withdraw. The 2/13th Battalion's mortar platoon, equipped with two Italian 47mm antitank guns, also knocked out two Italian tanks in the El Adem road action.

At the El Adem road, Axis tanks clashed with reinforcements from the [[1st Royal Tank Regiment]], and four Italian tanks and one German panzer were lost. Two British tanks were also lost, but the British forced the Axis force to withdraw. The 2/13th Battalion's mortar platoon, equipped with two Italian 47mm antitank guns, also knocked out two Italian tanks in the El Adem road action.

On 13 April, German aircraft dropped leaftlets over Tobruk, urging the Australian garrison to surrender:

On 13 April, German aircraft dropped leaftlets over Tobruk, urging the Australian garrison to surrender:

''"The general officer commanding the German forces in Libya hereby requests that the British troops occupying Tobruk surrender their arms. Single soldiers waving white handkerchiefs are not fired on. Strong German forces have already surrounded Tobrk, and it it useless to try and escape. Remember Mekili. Our dive-bombers and Stukas are awaiting your ships which are lying in Tobruk."''<ref>usacac.army.mil/cac2/CGSC/.../9AustralianDivVsAfricaCorps_Miller.pdf The Australian 9th Division Versus the Afrika Corps by Colonel Ward A. Miller]</ref>

''"The general officer commanding the German forces in Libya hereby requests that the British troops occupying Tobruk surrender their arms. Single soldiers waving white handkerchiefs are not fired on. Strong German forces have already surrounded Tobrk, and it it useless to try and escape. Remember Mekili. Our dive-bombers and Stukas are awaiting your ships which are lying in Tobruk."''<ref>The Australian 9th Division Versus the Afrika Corps, Colonel Ward A. Miller, p. 24, Pickle Partners Publishing, 2014]</ref>

That night, a strong German night-fighting patrol attempted to captured strongpoint R33, but the attack failed when Lieutenant-Colonel Mackell personally led a counterattackalong with six of his men. The Australians claim 12 Germans were killed and one captured, and Corporal Jack Edmondson was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his part in the action.

That night, a strong German night-fighting patrol attempted to captured strongpoint R33, but the attack failed when Lieutenant-Colonel Mackell personally led a counterattackalong with six of his men. The Australians claim 12 Germans were killed and one captured, and Corporal Jack Edmondson was posthumously awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] for his part in the action.