Surviving The Siege Of Malta | Battlefield Mysteries | Timeline
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 มิ.ย. 2020
- The Siege of Malta was supposed to secure the North African campaign for the Axis powers. So how did the people of this tiny island country hold out against the might of Hitler and Mussolini's forces?
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As a Maltese native and a History student focusing mainly on 20th century Malta, I am somewhat proud that Malta got featured in a Timeline documentary.
What are you talking about? There are at least a dozen documentaries on Malta.
Some of them even tell the whole truth.
@20:10,. Is a half truth combined with a lie.
The Spitfires were loaded on the USS Wasp, and launched within 400 miles of Malta while protected by an American Fighter CAP.
The first time thdcWasp brought in fighters, the external fuel tank arrangement installed in England leaked. It was supposed to allow the Spitfires to remain in air long enough to fight off the German 109s, but instead they were forced to land and refuel. But, because the British Governor on Malta had not set up protective pens, the first delivery of Spitfires were totally destroyed immediately after landing.
So the USS Wasp returned to Engkand and loaded another batch of Spitfires on board and once again returned to 400 miles of Malta.
While on the way, US Navy mechanics repaired the leaky external fuel tank problems, Britain fired the Malta Military Governor, and built protective pens for the Spitfires.
This time the Sputfires were able to remain in the air long enough to give combat to the 109s, and land, pulling straight into the protective pens, change pilots, and refuel. Taking off again under fighter protection so another could land, refuel, rearm, and change pilots.
By doing that, almost every Spitfire delivered in the second batch survived.
In your historical research, see;
Operation Calendar (the first delivery)
And, Operation Bowery (the second delivery)
The US Aircraft Carrier, and Spitfires to Malta; th-cam.com/video/33MyozhU6l8/w-d-xo.html
Here's something else that's important to consider for the serious historian.
Listen carefully @40:00,.
Now, if Britain was having a difficult time just surviving on Malta, and maintaining a defense of their meager bases on Malta, which I have no doubt they were, how exactly were they disrupting German supply convoys to N Africa?
(They weren't. They couldn't even protect their own resupply convoys, as the rest of this video is preparing to illustrate.)
All their presence on Malta was doing was subjecting the Maltese people to hardships. Unimaginable hardships, and for what?
Answer; A British misguided superiority complex, and a rediculous boastful pride.
If England were truly your ally, they would have left Malta, rather than subject it to this continuous destruction and unnecessary death.
The story of the Ohio. The convoy that saved Malta;
th-cam.com/video/yh63H6UaVHs/w-d-xo.html
Another;
th-cam.com/video/ZGJZJ6ldYMw/w-d-xo.html
The US Aurcraft Carrier and Spitfires to Malta;
th-cam.com/video/33MyozhU6l8/w-d-xo.html
well done malta for your sacrafice for the war effort
Malta is very evocative place for me, having visited twice as a lad in the seventies. As I recall there were still remnants of WWII damage at that time. A wonderful island and people who we owe a huge debt to, the suffering must have been immense. I also salute the humble Canadian pilot, a hero in the truest sense.
I am sitting here in Malta on my last night on Holiday, in a house that is a few hundred years old and survived the war.. Truly gutted I didn't watch this at the beginning of my holiday to more appreciate the history around me. Absolutely brilliant documentary and very moving.
It’s sad how people forget and ignore the siege of Malta in my opinion one of the most important battles of the war
The French are kept ignorant of it.
Can't have them seeing how people could fight with leadership
People must’ve forgot Churchill stressing it’s importance too, and probably remember the victory of the 8th army in North Africa instead, forgetting that victory would never have happened if it wasn’t for the Battle of Malta.
Had Malta fell, the Nazis would’ve taken Egypt and the oilfields in the Middle East, and probably pushed into Russia.
The war may’ve been lost if that came about.
There are many forgotten ww2 battles my friend.
totally agree with you.... im maltese and that same cemetery once a guy i know he said why they dont remove all of them from there waste of land.... i told him WTF !! thanks to them you and me are here !!!
Malta should be remembered as a brother campaign to the “Battle of Britain,” where the young men flying were Malta’s “Few,” performing the role of an unsinkable aircraft carrier, while the civilian population suffered an equally intense and lengthy “Blitz.”
Even the US Marines, who fought to the death on Guadalcanal, in stinking swamps against a fanatical enemy, would salute the valiant efforts of the Brits and the local Maltese, who persevered through years of hardship and death, and give them ultimate accolade, “Well done!”
🇬🇧⚔️😂🩸= triumph
Both my grandparents were born in 1933 in Malta. Its a miracle they both lived through this. They told me stories of running from bunker to bunker and being hungry. Thank you for showing a detailed account of what they survived.
Smell the cheese eat the bread that's what my dad always said
My mum was Maltese born 1923 and met my dad serving with the RAF in Malta, and she told me stories, of the Italians bombing from high altitudes, and when the Nazis joined the fray, they bombed so low you could see the lettering on their aircraft, and she said to me when I was a kid when I came home from whatever, and said to her “I’m starving” she’d always say to me, “your hungry, you don’t know what it’s like to starve’!!!
She also said that in Britain they were on rations, but nothing like in Malta.
I’ve read books of the Battle of Malta and one of the airmen said that they were always hungry, but the inhabitants had even less to eat.
The young people of today don’t know they were born, people back then went through two world wars and many hardships, not like the benefit system of today and national health service and a technological society like it is today!!
Yes my ma , her parents and siblings also
It's amazing nothing is said about the 3 Gloster Gladiator biplanes that at the start were the only british planes on the island but they still went up to meet the enemy and the islander nicknamed them Faith, Hope and Charity. I first found out about these 3 planes when i was 9 years old and have never forgot the tremendous respect and astonishment i have always had for the pilots of Faith, Hope and Charity.
That is on another documentary and I believe the Mosta Dome incident is on that documentary also
Hate to burst your bubble but the story of Faith, Hope, and Charity is a myth. It was a propaganda thing. There were in fact 6 Gladiators on the island although they almost never flew together because of a shortage of spares. The three names were given much later by a Maltese (I think) newspaper.
yes
@@yveaux500 Faith Hope Charity Desperation Inspiration and the other one. Mostly the bits fit together so on a good day more than one of the Sea Gladiators were available.
Then the bigger boys turned up and the baddies went away. ;)
@ABrit-bt6ce That's not quite how it worked but I love your explanation. 😂
The sadness and anguish visible both on his face and in his eyes along with the timber and tone of his speech makes it quite apparent that as the Malta fighter pilot recall his memories of his long ago fights in the skies over Malta are difficult and still quite emotional even after all these decades. I as a former combat veteran can attest to the fact that this is quite ordinary for all those who have endured difficult and contant combat, regardless of the type. Even if you survive as this man did it changes your basic character forever. To some it is a time during their life that becomes so horrible that for their own continued survival they are even after many decades they are unable to speak of that time. To this pilot and all others of similar circumstances; I salute them. They are collectively saviors of our various societies.
As a Brit I have huge respect for the stoic and loyal people of Malta. They collectively earned their GC, the highest civilian medal. I also had my honeymoon there in 1967. While on honeymoon I read The Great Siege of Malta about the Ottoman siege. Back then I spoke to many Maltese who fondly remembered the great days when the harbor would almost always have major capital ships of the RN visiting. Must have been a fine sight. Although I reside in Texas I receive some U.K. pension notices postmarked Malta. That is good.
An excellent documentary indeed. I as a Maltese am proud of what my ancestors went through and had to sacrifice to save North Africa. Thanks for some of the stories that I never knew or was thought at school. More people should watch this documentary.
I'm a grandson of Annie Linwood form Vittoriosa Malta , one of the three cities , my grandmother has passed away 2017 , i used to go to here house and always telling me stories of what they've been true in the war , she was just a girl in that days , it wasn't easy to survive a war more then 2 years with nothing 😔 thanks for this documentary
Thank you very much for this documentary. My Grandfather William Cyril Fish was a L/Cpl with the Royal Lancashire Fusiliers stationed on Malta for much of the war. He was a good man, I loved him and he never spoke about his experiences to anyone.
Bless em' all Willy...We love you Blighty...always.
Every member of my family served.
"Are you proud to have seved ? " the man (and all his co-combatants) were bloody heroes as were all the Maltese people.
My father served for 3 years on Malta. As with many he spoke little about it all. He mentioned the bombing and sheltering in the catacoombs, manning antiaircraft emplacements, about how friendly the Maltese were and how wonderful the seas were for swimming in periods of calm!
Hi. I am proud to say that I am Maltese but I am also very grateful to that old gentleman fighter pilot as thanks to him & his colleagues, i and we are alive & well today!! My Grandad was ex-R.A.F too maintaining RAF machinery & equipment.
Excellent documentary about Malta and the courage shown by the airmen to meet the almost insurmountable task of stopping a relentless German attack. Very moving account by the Canadian ace losing comrades in arms. Thanks Norm Christie for another stellar presentation.
The saddest thing is how people still watch this and still can not fathom the significance of how tragic every day to day life was.
I guess now you can understand why most war veterans don't want to talk about it; too emotionally upsetting for them.
Man tht older guy looks awesome halfway through the film,sure he was a badass and still is ,great hero's .... mad respect chap....
Thanks for this great documentary......very informative and interesting at the same time. My Great Grand father served with the Brits and died defending these Islands....he was a Gunner with the Royal Malta Artillery together with Major Morris Agius as seen in this video at 5:02 .....I salute all the People especially the Brits and Americans who helped our country to remain unoccupied by the Axis forces and thus thank them all for their sacrifices they made for our future generations.....lest we forget the souls who perished during the war and cherish all the bravery they gave for us and our future......
I think this is a great documentary. It has a particular significance to me not only as a Maltese. as it is a testimony to the hope, courage and perseverance of my country during the second world war which in all probability also had a pivotal role in the course of the war , but also because my late father Joseph is featured in it, narrating his firsthand experiences during the war which were also featured in his book The Battle of Malta.
Your dad brought tears to my eyes. He was so moved when recollecting his experiences. He wore his heart on his sleeve, especially when he spoke of the baby he saved from the rubble. Truly a hero.
@@RobertaBriffa Thanks for the comment Roberta :-) Yes he did, having lived through the war he had many experiences to relate which moved me. He and others too. My mother-in-law had a similar experience to that child, being the only survivor when the Hamrun house she was sleeping in took a bomb hit and came crashing down killing all the family who were in it. She was rescued from the rubble only after many hours.
@@krisattard3465 There are truly no adequate words to thank them for their bravery during such horrible times. What they endured is unimaginable.
I thought the footage was awful until I realised it was the tears in my eyes, thanks for the lesson!
Eh? What lesson?
@@dscrappygolani7981 every day is a day at school as they say. I learned something new...how about you?
@@emmawhite4418 I learned today that you have learned something today...
😇
@@emmawhite4418 I enjoy seeing "Timeline", I learn about the details which makes it interesting.
Great testament to courage.....thank you!
Those of us at a certain age will remember being eductaed and fascinated by the TV presenter Raymond Baxter. He to fought as a Spitfire pilot at Malta.
Great recounting of the siege of Malta. Thank you. Interviews with survivors were incredible.
just 114280 views,are you kidding me. This is an excellent documentary. We must work to spread the video by sharing it and more.
I shared a few minutes ago....you are correct.....the historian is amazing ....
Ian Mclennan.. what a legend and badass.. I salute you sir!
As do I.
Yes! And as is typical of his generation he conveys a sense of humble resignation about his extraordinary service. They weren't braggerts, they didn't advertise their personal history. No bumper stickers, T shirts, nor baseball caps and window decals on their autos as we see here in the States with more recent Veterans. Unless informed by a third party, one might never know they were WWII Heroes.
Thank you Ian
May God bless and Rest In Peace the allies that fought and died in WW2. RIP Prince Philip (Lt.-British Navy).
As a common visitor to Malta, 8 times in 3 years, I have much interest in the history and I have also visited Valletta, and the former Operahouse.. From our Danish Base/Park close to Mellieha Beach (On the former area of an English Military Ground), I still have to visit the underground shelter in nearby Mellieha town!
I was born in malta. My father was royal navy. I've been back and love the absolute beauty of it. The history of malta alone goes back a long way. The evidence of each period of occupation is still very clear to see. Beautiful people. The museum, the mosta dome with the patched roof after an unexploded bomb fell through and rolled on the floor with the congregation dumbfounded. Not sure if it's exactly true but great story. Still a lot of English influences which is to me nice.
The mosta church tale is 100% true.
yes the mosta dome was a miracle that it didnt explode
Yes, what happened at the Mosta church is true.
Excellent. A presenter with knowledge, who knows the diffrence bettween Shrapnel and Fragments. Empathy with his interviewies, one gentlle relevant question and allow them to tell the story. Complete lack of Ego, Oh I have to be on the camera! I will listen to this man with respect.
Polite Canadian
Thank you ALL for your service 🙏 God bless you 🙏
Ian McLennan was, like Beurling, Canadian. He went on to become an architect and passed in 2013, the year after this doc was made. I just finished reading 'Malta Spitfire Pilot' by Denis Barnham, an artist and a spiritual man who happened to be a keen pilot and found himself flying Spitfires out of Luqa April-June '42. It is a very personal account of his torment, derived from his diaries, so not the gung-ho play-by-play I would expect Beurling's book is .... anyone read it? Either way, unbelievable what these pilots faced, not to mention the merchant marine who I believe faced even worse odds. Utmost respect to them all.
The Gran Harbour in Valletta is not a tourist resort! Its a tourist attraction.
26:00 I'm fascinated by the human experience and this gentleman is a reminder that some experiences should be avoided and learned from....remembered.
Brave people doing their duty.
John
How Malta became the only country to be awarded the George Cross medal.
Tam: You beat me to it! The people of Malta were awarded the "George Cross", the highest civilian award there is in the United Kingdom. The narrator should have mentioned it. It is a very important point.
George Cross
@@redrabbit1875 "All us". You were there?
@@redrabbit1875 Ah! The courage to endure bombing and shortages.
I can't help admiring the tenacity of these people.
I got to Malta by the Malta express car/passenger ferry from Sicily. I learned a lot with 2 visits that way. My first time was August 1978 on the anniversary of Elvis Presleys death. His songs were being played everywhere. Omong many things I remember a bomb on display in the Mosta church that was said to have crashed through the roof when the church was filled with praying people and did not explode. I was also told of the 3 fighter aircraft "Faith, Hope, and Charity". My uncle Tom died in France September 15h, 1944, and uncle Stan was wounded the same day there but didn't die from shrapnel for a while after the war ended. They were U.S. Army.
My grandmother is from Malta, before she was born her siblings and family lived through the war, when they went back in the early 2000s they brought back photos and the one I remember most is the Mosta church bomb.
@@twiggehhh5667 There was a Pub very near to the Church that I remember stopping by in after visiting the church. A book located in the back said that possibly the bomb may have been deliberately made into a dud by slave labor of the Nazis who were forcing them to make bombs. The Mosta Church bomb may have been one of those. Even if that was the case for this incident, it's still quite a remarkable story.
I had the honour of befriending WC Robert "Bob" Middlemiss DFC who flew with Beurling with 249 Sqn, having flown in from HMS Eagle. His career during and after the war is worth a documentary of it's own. He is sorely missed.
Would really love to see a documentary on the history of the Knights of Malta ....and a further documentary on the Great Siege of Malta 1565....! x
Proud to have visited here with my grandfather when I was a teenager. He was 1st battalion cheshire Regiment tasked with defending the grand harbour from air attack. Originally a machine gun battalion fresh from fighting rommel in N Africa. He only got presented the Maltese medal from the uk government in the 1990s!.. It took that long to recognise what the British serving there did.
The siege of Malta really defined the bravery and courage of the Maltese people and the RAF defenders.
And thanks to the support of the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Wasp, Malta survived.🇲🇹
Thank god for our commonwealth colleages in this awful conflict.
Went to Malta once , delightful people .
It would have been better if it was mentioned that the king awarded Malta the george cross, and the 3 little planes that helped so much...Faith Hope and Charity.
@John Ashtone Aparantly there were more than 20 gladiators.At the start of the seige only 3 ever flew out together.Wasn't long before there was only one left it was an abandoned wreck and restored and given to the maltese as a gift in 1942. :}
It had been so many years since he was pulling that baby out of the rubble, yet you can feel the heartbreak the Maltese gentleman feels. He still remembers the pretty girl who, along with all the other adults, didn't survive. And he knows how close everyone on Malta came to being bombed, starved or occupied.
@Timeline I don't know how your business model actually works but thanks for all the documentaries!
Thanks for Churchill and God Malta 🇲🇹 survived God bless Malta and United Kingdom 🇬🇧
I went to Malta in 2007 with my wife for our Silver Wedding anniversary where we saw lots of feral cats being fed by local women, my wife, out of curiosity asked a Maltese lady why she fed the cats every day, she replied that the cats and the dogs had fed Malta during the seige and now it was right to return the favour. I`ve never forget it and never will those people went above and beyond their duty with much suffering too.
Fantastic work, really well put together.
My grandfather was out there in 42. Anti Aircraft Valletta harbour
Excellent documentary.
Wonderful account!
Great video quality graphics
👍👍
A very good and factual documentary- well done.
Breakthrough Entertainment and Norm Christie have produced many great documentaries, including the series "For King & Empire" (about Canada and WWI) and "For King & Country" (about Canada and WWII)...about 6 episodes each.
He is an exxcellent presnter. No Ego about always being on camera, knowledgable, great empathy with those he interviews, and the respect to let them tell thier stories.
...GREAT SHOW, AND GREAT WORK NORM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dan and all at your channel thank you for sharing such a well presented and interesting video.
I have recently had the pleasure of listening to 'One Man's Window ' by Dennis Barnham who was a spitfire pilot on Malta. This was courtesy of the We have ways of making you talk podcast. It really tells the story of the battle of Malta and I would highly recommend it. Also the classic 1953 film The Malta story starring Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins and Muriel Pavlow tells of the bravery and struggles for Malta very well.
Dennis Barnham taught me art and classical architecture at school in the late 1960s. He was always listening out for variations in the note of aero engines from the Heathrow stack overhead. If a propeller driven aircraft missed a beat, his heart would miss two; he would stop in mid sentence and resume after a nervous pause. He was irritable and all too easy to upset unintentionally. He was a very damaged man from his experiences, one we would now say had PTSD. Over 50 years I have read his book several times and I understand him better with each read.
@@donsmith4044 Thank you so much for sharing your experiences of a remarkable man.
this is an awesome/ being there documentry.
Check out "Guns For Malta" another good documentary on the subject.
Incredible story.
The Grumman F4F Wildcat saw action in the British Fleet Air Arm as the Martlet. An important early duty saw the Martlet used to escort crucial convoys in the Mediterranean, including several to Malta. American Wildcats of the U.S.S. Wasp took part in two attempts to reinforce the air defences of Malta by flying Spitfires off a carrier to the beleaguered island.
It's all amazing stuff WH.
Just starting a new dive into the Pacific campaign.
Right off the top... the F4F was the Hurricane of the Pacific, without Spits....the unsung..
Since I was always a 'history kid' reading everything... for me, I still shake my head at the 8th's daylight over Europe ... and the whole US Pacific campaign.. out side of the East..... she was second to none for Gutz.
Slain'te
@@rpm1796 I too am in awe of the incredible courage and sacrifice of the 8th air force in europe,far too many brave young Americans paid the ultimate price flying and fighting in a conflict so very far away from their homes,respect from Scotland.
my family is from Malta and all who would've been alive at the time would've lived through this... i honestly cannot even begin to fathom what they would've gone through.
you just earned a new subber
The moment at @11:50 is priceless.
No mention of the Kiwi Kieth Park who masterminded the ariel defence of Malta,same roll as in the battle of britian
Thank you.
Awesome!!
Great clip, but no mention of the Sea Gladiators which became an iconic part of the early battle?
Just as in the Battle of Britain, the presenter got it right - victory in Malta belongs to ALL who lived (and died) during that battle: be they civilian, Merchant Navy, Royal Navy, Army or Air Force - they all contributed to victory. Respect! 👍
Yes. My father was a Merchant Seaman during the war, and they never got the recognition here in the States that they deserved. In fact, Ronald Reagan cut the Seamen's rights and benefits in the 1980's.
@@celticman1909 Without the Merchant Navy bringing in the desperately needed supplies, there's no doubt Malta would've capitulated!! Epics such as the Ohio is but one example that Malta owed its' very survival to. Respect to your father - he fought just as gallantry as any in military uniform. 👍
@@idleonlooker1078 Thank you.
I fully agree
An outstanding video.
My father flew Blenheims in RAF 107 Squadron out of Luqa, Malta attacking the North Africa bound convoys. I've witnessed the same look and catch in the voice that Mr. Maclennan did at 27:10 when my father thought of those times.
This one of the best then&now docs I've seen in awhile. Well done!
How long have you been on TH-cam for? Keep the content coming btw 👀👀👀
A fascinating documentary about this heroic stand.
However, no mention of the legendary Gloster Gladiators - Faith, Hope and Charity. No mention either of the unique fact, that the people of Malta, collectively were awarded the George Cross.
Timeline. No 'award' from me. 🇲🇹 🇺🇦
My uncle served on the costal forces depot ship HMS Vienna in Valletta right through the siege the meagre ratios badly affected his health. Afterwards he could never face eating pasta for the rest of life .
Worse was to come though HMS Vienna was sent to Bari Italy where he was exposed to Mustard Gas in the Bari Air Raid Disaster.
It's strange 'cos my father never mentioned being hungry. He did catch malaria though.
brilliant vid
25:00 such a wonderful man…LEGEND!!
Super Documentary
thank you so much
Small island - Big balls.
For todays freedom,Thanks to all those men,❤🇨🇦
Thank you
Around Thanksgiving time in 1969 and '70 I had the honor to visit this monument of humanity. On my way to see the Roman ruins we traveled along roads in the countryside that looked like we were traveling on the moon. There was vegetation of sorts, but it looked so, beaten and torn apart that it left a vivid impression of it. The Paleolithic ruins helped me forget about. What an amazing Island it is.
Guts and endeavour to see this place stay in the fight
God bless them all ! Thanks
Nice to see you Norm
a big shame malta didn't have modern aircraft and radar sites to avoid being air raided by the italians, as well as giving enough vessels to ship supplies and personnel to protect the islands
In that time my uncle warks at ta qali airfield and he told me that there wos e Canadian pilot he drove e spitfire he was with one leg it was very good pilot
The veterans are reliving the terrors of those days even after 80 yr
Just watched Sir Alec Guinness in the film 'Malta Story'. Great film , which led me here, to find out more.
I'm looking for anyone who knows of Joseph Smith, a Maltese pub owner in Marsaxlokk. The Hurricane pilots in Hal Far knew him well as they were billeted in that village when their own quarters were bombed out in early '42.
A couple of things. Unsure why this should be called a Battlefield Mystery.
Some wonderful people interviewed in the film with some totally unconnected stock footage.
Malta GC.
Because it was a mystery how Malta survived the massive bombardments with a few anti aircraft guns and a few hurricanes against the might of the Italian and German air forces...
Christie, is it true what I heard when I was in Malta almost twenty-five years ago, the current Malta Int'l Airport's (which was RAF Luqa) main runway was extended to meet or merge with runway of RAF Ta'Kali?
No Luqa and ta Qali are still quite far from eachother
This was a very sad time for us Maltese
So much owed by so many to so few. I paraphrase the famous quote.
Amazin, now I believe how David beat Goliath. Malta is David.
My grand father fought for United Kingdom he was on the merchant navy were his ship on three occasions and survived Loreto Cauchi from Ghansilem were he told me stories of the war ,he used to say the English were great soldiers 👍
Royal fleet Air Arm Gladiators then RAF Hurricanes then the Spitfires. While few in number the Gladiators did score aerial victories over the Italian Air Force.
Funny how the Axis pilots respected George Beurling more than the allies. Canada called him “Buzz,” the British called him “Screwball.” The Germans called him “The Falcon of Malta.”
Those who flew with him, respected him. He himself used the term "Screwball" all the time, which is why it became his nickname, but Buzz was more commonly used by his mates.
Beurling was mentally ill. AFTER the war, all his friends said as much. He should have been grounded and given what treatment that was available back then. The Battle of Malta WAS NOT that close to have to resort to USING someone in his condition.
malta: General, they wont stop bombaring us... where are the airforce????
Switzerland: Damn look at those fireworks lol
Absolute genius giving the people of Malta the George Cross. I would have given them the Victoria Cross. Ostensibly for combatantants only. But weren't the heroic, determined people of Malta combatants? Everyone on Malta at that time showed total determination and valour.
The artilery are so good they could hunt seagulls.😂😂😂
In Geoffrey Wellums most excellent book -First Light- he tells the story of leading a group of Spitfires off an aircraft carrier and flying into Malta. To save weight for the short carrier deck takeoff, all ammunition was stripped from the aircraft and replaced with cigarettes. How very British.