ON 8 APRIL 1941, Generals Wavell and Lavarack flew to Tobruk, without fighter cover, and landed during a sand storm.
At a meeting with senior commanders, Wavell appointed General Lavarack to succeed General Neame in charge of all British forces in Cyrenaica. Wavell issued instructions to Lavarack on three sheets of notepaper:
1. You will take over command of all troops in Cyrenaica. Certain reinforcements have already been as being sent to you. You will be informed of any others which it is decided to send.
2. Your main task will be to hold the enemy's advance at Tobruk in order to give time for the assembly of reinforcements, especially of armoured troops, for the defence of Egypt.
3. To gain time for the assembly of the required reinforcements it may be necessary to hold Tobruk for about two months.
4. Should you consider after reviewing the situation and in light of the strength deployed by the enemy that it is not possible to maintain your position at Tobruk for this length of time, you will report your views when a decision will be taken by G.H.Q.
5. You will in any case prepare a plan for withdrawal from Tobruk by land, and by seas, should withdrawal become necessary.
6. Your defence will be as mobile as possible and you will take any opportunity of hindering the enemy's concentration by offensive action.
Based on these instructions Lavarack made several critical decisions during the coming days.
- Tobruk was to be defended. Most of the Australian troops were fed up with retreat and wanted a chance to fight. There was an attitude that the 9th Division didn't want to lose what the 6th Division had won.
- The existing Italian perimeter was to be used. Lavarack encountered opposition from both Wavell and Morshead, who both thought the inner blue line should be the perimeter.
- Defences were to be established in-depth.
- He refused to allow his forces to be dissipated.
- Despite opposition from Morshead, who thought his troops too tired, he brought the remaining 9th Division forces inside the perimeter.
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