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| The Red line |
| GENERAL LAVARACK decided to use the existing Italian outer fortifications as the allied perimeter. It was known as the red line and consisted of a zig-zag line of fortified posts. The perimeter was approximately 30 miles (40 km) in length described in a rough arc. Every 635 yards (594m) was a fortified post. Another post was sited between and behind
- by about 335 yards (457m) - each pair of perimeter posts. Posts were identified by a letter and a number. Odd numbered posts were on the perimeter; even numbers in the second row. Each post had a concrete roof, approximately three feet thick (90 cm), which provided protection not only from the fury of the enemy but also from the desert heat. A design deficiency of the posts was that the number of firing positions was usually limited to three circular weapons pits. This was eventually remedied by the Australians by building shallow interconnecting crawl trenches and additional fighting positions. The anti-tank ditch surrounding the perimeter was incomplete in many places. Where it was complete it was sometimes covered with boards. These boards were usually used as firewood by the troops; the desert was almost devoid of trees.
Both Morshead and Wavell favoured using the inner blue line as the outer perimeter. It appears that Lavarack made the right decision in defending the red line:
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Tobruk, Libya. April 1941. Members of the 2/13th Battalion on patrol along the anti-tank ditch at the El Adem Road to the south of Tobruk. A close watch is kept over this ditch night and day to counter enemy attempts to pierce the town's defences. Left to right: NX17704 Private (Pte) Genner MM; Pte Jackson ?; NX18421 Pte Gordon Grainger; Pte 'Wimpy' Connor.
TOBRUK, 1941. SECTION OF AN ANTI-TANK DITCH OUTSIDE TOBRUK. IT WAS INTENDED THAT THE DITCH BE THIS DEPTH RIGHT AROUND THE DEFENCES OF THE CITY BUT OWING TO THE ROCK FORMATION IN PARTS IT WAS ONLY POSSIBLE TO EXCAVATE TO A DEPTH OF ABOUT TWO FEET. |
