Story of the Second Siege
‘It’s hard for any of us who weren’t there to imagine what is was like ... surviving all the relentless violence’
The nation awoke yesterday to the sad news that four planes despatched from Ħal Far to attack a merchant convoy west of Pantelleria had failed to return... exactly 70 years ago to the day.
The news of the lost planes was the opening entry in the online ‘Malta: War Diary – Story of a George Cross’ for November 12, 1941. The diary is updated daily with news from the exact same date 70 years ago, when Malta was suffering the horrors of the Second Great Siege under bombardment from Italian and German aircraft during World War II.
The website, www.MaltaGC70.com, was launched on November 1 in recognition of the forthcoming 70th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta.
It follows the day-to-day ordeal of the Maltese through the winter and spring of 1941/1942, when Malta was the most bombed place on earth as the Allied and Axis powers fought to control the supply routes to North Africa. Diary updates will also be available via Facebook and Twitter.
Information is taken from original war diaries, photographs and official documents, as well as journals and memories of those who were there. Even the correct time of events is logged where possible.
The website also includes background information starting from the onset of war in Malta in 1940, and underlining the importance of the island to the Allied war effort.
Website co-ordinator is British historian Susan Hudson, author of UXB Malta: Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal 1940-44. “As another decade passes, memories of Malta’s ordeal are at risk of fading away, leaving our younger generations to wonder what is the significance of this historic award,” she said.
Malta remains one of only two collective recipients of the George Cross, the highest civilian decoration and gallantry award of the UK. It was awarded to Malta by King George VI on April 15, 1942, “to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history”.
As a British colony and vital naval base, the island faced the constant threat of an air and sea invasion by the Axis powers, and it was brought to the brink of starvation by the Second Great Siege – butthe people endured against seemingly impossible odds.
To help readers connect with this important period in Malta’s history, Ms Hudson wants a key feature of the website to be personal stories of those who actually survived the siege.
“It’s hard for any of us who weren’t there to imagine what it was like, surviving day to day through such relentless violence and deprivation,” Ms Hudson said.
Contributions are being sought from anyone with memories of that time, or their families, whether Maltese civilians, military or civil defence personnel.
“It’s very important to have the human perspective. Whatever the official records can tell us, it’s individual experiences that will mean most to the website’s readers,” Ms Hudson added.
Readers can submit their personal or family stories by e-mail to bdmalta@btinternet.com.