Wanted: wartime memories
A London-based production company that is coming to Malta to film a BBC documentary is looking for memories of life on the islands during World War II.
A five-person crew will fly over in September to shoot a one-hour documentary about the Siege of Malta and the company is seeking the help of readers who have footage, photographs, sound recordings and diaries dating back to the period between 1940 and 1942.
“The story of the Siege of Malta is a remarkable one, and as I’m sure everyone on the islands knows, the people of Malta were incredibly strong and resilient during that time,” Freya Eden-Ellis Maya, the production manager of Vision International, told The Times.
“We want to tell the tale of how they refused to have their morale broken even during the darkest hours when they were being bombed relentlessly day and night,” she said.
The Siege of Malta also brings to mind the historic 1565 battle to save the islands from the Turks.
The second Siege of Malta, 375 years later, was one of the most important and lengthy battles of World War II.
In the documentary, presenter James Holland argues that had Malta fallen, Britain would have lost its foothold in North Africa and quite possibly lost the whole Mediterranean and Middle East theatre altogether.
A British stronghold, Malta’s strategic position made it a vital refuelling point. The documentary looks at how, from the Axis perspective, Malta had to be neutralised at all costs.
This led to one of the biggest feats of endurance in modern history and the islands spent almost two years under siege, surrounded by Axis forces in Italy and North Africa.
Many claim that until the end of 1942, Malta was the most bombed place on earth, but people still went to church and washed their clothes outside the ruins of their homes.
Although Malta is smaller than the Isle of Wight, more bombs fell on the island than on London during the entire Blitz.
“We aim to focus the documentary on the story of the island and the people living on it between 1940 and 1942.
“Their courage and strength is the emotional heart of the film and we want to illustrate that with documents, films and memories,” Ms Eden-Ellis Maya pointed out. She added that getting first-hand accounts from people who lived in Malta during the war would be a huge asset for the documentary, which will be aired next year.
Maya Vision International is a London-based independent film and television production company founded 29 years ago.
It has managed the Short Film Completion Fund on behalf of the UK Film Council’s New Cinema Fund since 2002.
It has produced a number of similar one-hour documentaries about the war that were broadcast on BBC Two.
These include Dam Busters: The Race to Smash the German Dams, aired last year, and Battle of Britain: The Real Story, broadcast in 2010. The crew, led by Bafta-nominated producer and director Aaron Young, will be in Malta between September 19 and 29.
If anyone would like to get in touch, they can reach Ms Eden-Ellis on freya@mayavisionint.com. They can also phone 004420 7796 4842.
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John Spiteri Jones
Aug 18th 2012, 22:03
every time there is some wartime documntery about Malta we always hear the same thing, how Malta was the most bombed island on earth and how the people were close to starvation and how in the end operation pedestal saved Malta from capitulation . What you never hear that more then half of its defenders were maltese soldiers from the RMA and the KOMR. Also what should be mentioned in this documentry that a maltese named Wenzu Attard was the man who stirred"ohio" into the grand harbour ,with great risk to himself as an attack on ohio which was still full of gasoline was still very much on the cards, and while captain Mason leged it on a RN ship to the saftey of Malta, Wenzu was left on his own in full charge of ohio. yet captain Mason got his George cross while Wenzu Attard got nothing and nobody new anyhing about his act of heroisim! These things should also be mentioned in this documentry.
Terry COURTNADGE
Aug 18th 2012, 00:11
Brave, courageous Malta ; I hope those making the documentary realise that your island suffered every bit and probably more than London and several other British cities did so in the Blitz.
On November 2nd, this year it will be the 70th anniversary of the turning point in the Second World War when the Eighth Army routed Rommel's forces in North Africa and began the slow but sure ending of the Nazi attempt to dominate the world. And the victory in North Africa couldn't have happened without MALTA !
Victor Pulis
Aug 17th 2012, 14:15
my mother who is now 82 spent the whole war in Senglea as a girl of 10. If there was a hell it was Senglea during the blitz. The city was the most heavily bombed place on an island which was itself the most heavily bombed place on Earth! She still has vivid memories of life underground in the shelters and the daily life amidst the ruins of her city. She still lives in Senglea to this day.
Philip Mizzi
Aug 17th 2012, 14:03
I think that people like Lawrence Mizzi have compiled a huge knowledge of the life in Malta during WWII. He can be one of the best sources of information for this documentary. After all, we all owe our parents and our predecessors an obligation not to let their suffering be forgotten.
Go for it Mr Lawrence Mizzi, my parents who passed away, and other people who lived during those tough times will be grateful that you helped to make it more possible for the world to be better informed about their suffering and about their resilience not to despair, in the face of the enemy, even when nearly starving!
Pauline Peterson
Aug 17th 2012, 12:18
Looking forward to seeing the documentary. Thank you to this production Company and team involved in the making.
Nicholas Grech
Aug 17th 2012, 11:09
I simply can not wait to watch this program!!! :)
Francis Sammut
Aug 17th 2012, 10:33
Getting first hand accounts from people who lived in Malta during WWII is going to be a problem, don't you think?
I mean, those that are still alive, who can remember the war, are few and far between and they must be nearing their 80th birthday!
J.C. Borg
Aug 17th 2012, 11:28
Kemm taqta' qalbek Sur Sammut. Jiena ghandi 75 u li niftakar se nghdulhom. Hawn hafna akbar minni fl'eta u ma nahsibx li se jiddejqu jghidu taghhom.
Mr Tony Gatt
Aug 17th 2012, 17:33
@ Francis Sammut.
Being 80 doesn't mean you are senile. I'm 76 and can remember being bombed and losing my house and parents.
Astrid Vella
Aug 19th 2012, 02:09
Mr. Sammut, my aunt and uncle are 100 and still have vivid memories of the war!
VINCENT WILLIAMS
Aug 17th 2012, 10:26
Hope that many of those who experienced the terrible days during World War Two will take part in this BBC documentary.
Anthony Scicluna
Aug 18th 2012, 09:19
Very true. Together with the George Cross on our flag, it is a fitting memory for all of us who had relatives who died fighting for Malta's freedom from Nazi and Fascist oppression
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