Download British Malta During World War Two

British Malta During
World War Two
DESMOND ZAMMIT MARMARA`
1st September, 1939
Germany invaded Poland and World War Two started.
At first, Italy did not enter the war.
10th June, 1940
With France on the verge of defeat, Mussolini
declared war on Great Britain and France.
The population of Malta during the Second World War was 270,000.
The garrison was made up of 30,000 personnel.
11th June, 1940
The first air raid and the first casualties.
A direct hit on Fort St Elmo led to Malta’s first military casualties, six members of the
Royal Malta Artillery: Bombardier Joseph Galea, Gunners Michael Saliba, Richard
Micallef, Carmel Cordina, Paul Debono, and Boy Soldier Philip Busuttil.
“Faith, Hope and Charity”: Gloster Gladiator biplanes.
In the early days of the war, these fought alone
against the attacking Italian Air Force.
December, 1940
The Germans arrived to bomb Malta. During the war,
the Maltese spent long hours in the shelters.
Between 11th June, 1940 and 28th August, 1944,
in Malta there were 3,343 air raid alerts.
1,493 Maltese civilians were killed in World War Two.
The Royal Malta Artillery and
the King’s Own Malta Regiment
February, 1941
Rommel and the Afrika Korps
arrived in Tripoli, Libya.
26th July, 1941
An Italian attack on the Grand Harbour
resulted in a total failure.
The Lascaris War Rooms
Located 150 feet under the Upper Barracca Gardens and the Saluting Battery in
Valletta, the Lascaris War Rooms were one of Malta’s best kept secrets from World
War Two. The War Rooms consisted of a network of underground tunnels and
chambers that housed Great Britain’s War Headquarters in Malta. The British had the
capability of reading both Italian codes as well as German messages encoded by the
Enigma machine. The information gained from intercepted enemy communications
provided useful information on enemy movements. This led to very significant results
when operations were launched against enemy convoys bound for North Africa.
British Attacks from Malta on
Enemy Convoys to North Africa
With the invasion of Russia on 22nd June, 1941, Hitler diverted pilots and
aircraft from the attack on Malta to the Russian Front. This gave the British
more freedom to attack Italian convoys to North Africa. In November, 1941
alone, 60% of enemy supplies to North Africa were destroyed.
Malta awarded the George Cross by King George VI
In December, 1941, with the strengthening of the German Air Force attacking Malta
after military operations came to a standstill on the Russian Front, the bombing of
Malta was intensified. 6,700 tons of bombs were dropped on Malta in April, 1942
alone. The island was awarded the George Cross by King George VI on 15th April,
1942. In May, 1942, Hitler again transferred units of the German Air Force attacking
Malta to the Russian Front.
The Victory Kitchens
The first Victory Kitchen was opened in Lija on 3rd January, 1942. Families were urged
to register voluntarily at the Victory Kitchens, bartering half of their ration in return.
The usual fare consisted of minestra (vegetable soup), balbuljata (an egg and
vegetable mixture), sardine and beans, pasta, and goat’s meat in sauce.
1st Battle of El Alamein
On 21st June, 1942, Tobruk in Libya fell and Rommel now invaded
Egypt. Although the enemy advance was stopped at the First Battle
of El Alamein, the Germans and Italians were still inside Egypt,
poised for one last decisive battle to capture Cairo and the Suez
Canal. The Invasion of Malta, Operation Herkules/Operazione C3, set
for 10th July, 1942 was postponed and then cancelled indefinitely.
Operation Pedestal: 15th August, 1942
The Santa Marija Convoy saved Malta.
Four merchant ships and the tanker “Ohio” reached Malta.
23rd October, 1942
2nd Battle of El Alamein (Egypt) started, ending in a
total defeat of the German and Italian forces.
Operation Torch – 8th November, 1942.
The Anglo-American Invasion of French North Africa.
The turn of the tide had begun and in December, 1942,
four convoys sailed to Malta without suffering losses.
13th May, 1943
End of the North African Campaign
with an Allied victory.
10th July, 1943 – Operation Husky
The Allied Invasion of Sicily
Carmelo Borg Pisani (1915-1942)
Executed as a traitor on 28th November, 1942.
Role of Malta in World War Two
1. Malta tied down German and Italian air and naval forces
which were badly needed on other fronts.
2. The islands served as a staging post for naval and air attacks
on enemy convoys (carrying troops and war materials) to
North Africa. These attacks drained Rommel’s Afrika Korps of
desperately needed human and material resources, contributing
to the German and Italian defeat in North Africa.
3. Malta was used as a stop for aircraft ferrying supplies to the
Allied forces in North Africa.
4. It was also the main springboard for the Allied invasion of
Sicily in July, 1943.
Bibliography
Boffa, Charles J., The Second Great Siege Of Malta 1940-1943,
Valletta: Progress Press, 1992.
Bradford, Ernle, Siege: Malta, 1940-1943, Middlesex: Penguin,
1987.
Mizzi, Laurence, The People’s War: Malta: 1940/43, Valletta:
Progress Press, 1998.
These books are easy to read and can all be found at the Public
Library.