1942: Malta

On Dec. 31, 1942, the Island of Malta reached the twentieth day of its thirty-first month in the war. For 933 days of this time Malta had been bombed, by day and by night.

At first the island's chief defense was the anti-aircraft guns, and four British seaplanes. As time passed, a few Hurricanes were sent. With the arrival of the damaged British carrier Illustrious in Valetta harbor, a new phase began. German Stukas bombed her and the harbor mercilessly. The Hurricanes, greatly outnumbered, fought back, and the British and Maltese artillery undertook an anti-aircraft defense that dumfounded the Nazis. In May 1942, reinforcements of planes arrived from British carriers, and from the United States carrier Wasp.

The reasons for this terrific 30 months of onslaught are found in strategy and prestige. Malta lies just sixty miles due south of Italian Sicily (some twenty minutes by air), about 180 miles from the coast of North Africa, about 1,000 miles east of Gibraltar and the same distance from Alexandria. For nearly a century and a half (since 1800), the Island has been a harbor and fueling and repair station for British ships.

With Rommel in North Africa requiring men and supplies and Axis mouths in Europe needing the southern continent's food products, the Axis must silence Malta and then possess it. But the island has become more than a fact in grand strategy to Britain; her prestige falls with Malta. Malta must stand.

The British Government has had two capable and respected governors since 1939. The first was Lieut. General Sir William Dobbie; staunch, experienced right-hand man to Field Marshall Haig, 1914-18, beloved teacher of Bible classes. He was relieved ('entitled to release and repose,' said Churchill) after 23 months under constant bombardment, in May 1942 by Gen. John Viscount Gort. The old governor departed in an air raid; the new one arrived as the 2,300th air raid alarm sounded, and was welcomed by Chief Justice George Borg. Gort, with a World War Victoria Cross background, has headed the Staff College at Camberly; 'rejuvenated' the army, as military secretary to Hore-Belisha; fought at Dunkirk; been Commander of Gibraltar. Taking over Malta, he exemplified frugal living; rode his bicycle through the rubble-filled streets; increased the community kitchens' capacity from 8,000 in July to 100,000 by October.

In September, King George presented to the Maltese people a most unique award, the first time given to any territory. This was the George Cross, a medal established in the darkest days of Nazi raids on Britain, the civil equivalent of the Victoria Cross. Malta takes her place among the Powers, an honored island, vitally significant.

1939: Malta

Malta, a British Crown Colony in the Mediterranean, a supremely important port of call and naval base, is situated with its dependency, the island of Gozo, 58 miles south of Sicily in a strategic position between Italy and the northern coast of Africa. Over 17 mi. long, the colony has a total area of 122 sq. mi. which includes Malta, 95 sq. mi., Gozo, 26 sq. mi., and the island of Comino, 1 sq. mi. The total civil population in 1938 was estimated at 264,663 inhabitants, almost entirely native Maltese of Norman, Spanish, and Italian descent. The capital is Valetta, on Malta.

The principal products are barley, beans, wheat, figs, cotton, honey, grapes and green vegetables. Livestock and fishing are important occupations. Lace, beer, filigree, cigarettes, and wine are exported. The colony is administered by a Governor, under a new constitution which went into effect Feb. 26, 1939. The new constitution provides for an administrative council composed of twenty members.

During 1939, Malta was of special importance from a strategic viewpoint, owing to the repeated crises occurring in the Mediterranean region and to the outbreak of the European War. When Italy seized Albania on April 9, the British Government rushed reenforcements to the Malta naval base, fearing further aggressions by Italy in the Balkans and an attempt on Greece. At the outbreak of the European War in September, Malta was used as a base from which to patrol the Mediterranean and to supplement the Gibraltar patrol which searched ships passing through the Straits for contraband.