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(Sunday, June 21, 1942, 9:40 a.m. Central European Time; during the Axis capture of Tobruk, part of the Western Desert campaign of the Second World War) — German forces, led by Generaloberst (Colonel General) Erwin Rommel, today captured the North African city of Tobruk, Libya — a key port on the Mediterranean Sea — in an assault on British forces.

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Rommel entered the town at 5:00 a.m. Central European Time and established his headquarters at the Hotel Tobruk. Unable to resist any longer, South African General Henrik Klopper ordered the British-Allied garrison to surrender to the Germans early this morning. A meeting was arranged with Klopper, who surrendered to Rommel on the Via Balbia about 4 miles west of Tobruk at 9:40 a.m.

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Rommel took more than 30,000 prisoners, 2,000 vehicles, 2,000 tons of fuel, and 5,000 tons of rations.

Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler awarded Rommel the field marshal’s baton as a reward for his victory.