The first day of May 1943 was normal for Malta’s Spitfires, apart from the offensive operation being carried out by two aircraft of No. 126 Squadron, which encountered a goods train with six trucks near Marzamemi, Sicily. They attacked the trucks and the engine, which came to a stop, enveloped in steam.

Four sorties were flown by Photo Reconnaissance (PR) Spitfires covering the harbours of Naples, Taranto, Reggio, Messina, Palermo, Trapani, Augusta and Syracuse.

On May 3, a total of 19 Spitbombers (Spitfires carrying bombs) from Squadron No. 185. At 6.10pm, Squadrons Nos. 229 and 249, escorted by four fighters from the latter unit, took off to raid Lampedusa aerodrome.

Meanwhile, the Tunisian campaign was nearing its end when the British 7th Armoured Division entered Tunis on May 7, and American infantry from II Corps, which had continued its advance in the north, entered Bizerte.

On May 12, the Allied armies joined hands in Tunisia. While 663 officers and men escaped to Sicily, Colonel-General Hans-Jürgen von Arnim surrendered to the Allies with 275,000 prisoners of war on May 13, 1943.

The decision to reinforce North Africa was one of Adolf Hitler’s worst decisions because it placed some of Germany’s best troops in an indefensible position from which, like Stalingrad, there would be no escape.

With Tunisia completely in Allied hands, all remaining Axis air units had withdrawn to various bases across the Mediterranean, and all three Gruppen of JG53 were back in Sicily.

At the same time, US heavy bombers continued their offensive against the main airfields and other important targets in Sicily. However, there was limited employment for the Malta Spitbombers and routine defensive patrols continued for the remainder of the month.

Few enemy aircraft endeavoured over Malta, although the occasional blip on the radar screens caused Spitfires to be scrambled or patrols to be diverted, albeit without contact. However, on May 31, a 36+ raid approached from the northwest at 6.30pm. A few bombs were dropped by the raiders, most of which fell harmlessly into the sea, but one fell on Valletta, causing slight damage.

Following the surrender of Axis forces in Tunisia, the next stage of the Allies’ plan was being implemented by an aerial assault against Pantelleria

Meanwhile, the Aeronautica della Sicilia had at last received reinforcements, consisting of a number of the potent Messerschmitt Bf109Gs from its German ally. In mid-May 1943, the first Italian Messerschmitts had arrived. With the Italians now operating the Messerschmitt Bf109Gs, there were other changes afoot among Sicily’s air defenders and at the end of the month.

Following the surrender of Axis forces in Tunisia, the next stage of the Allies’ plan was being implemented by an aerial assault against Pantelleria. Malta’s squadrons were not directly involved. The main assault was being undertaken by heavy and medium bombers of the US Northwest African Air Forces (NWAAF) and North American A-36A Invader and Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter-bombers, while escorts to the bombers were provided by P-38Gs, P-40s and US Spitfires of the 31st and 52nd Fighter Groups.

Pantelleria was subjected to a naval and aerial bombardment. After the Allied invasion force was sighted, and having contacted Rome with the news that he was no longer able to withstand the assault, Admiral Gino Pavesi, who commanded the island’s garrison, radioed Malta and offered to surrender.

The 11,000-strong Italian garrison laid down arms on June 11, 1943, before Allied troops had disembarked from their assault craft. Showing a large white cross on the airfield, Ammiraglio Pavesi surrendered Pantelleria to the Allies.

Pantelleria had long been a thorn in Malta’s side. Neighbouring Italian-controlled islands of Lampedusa, Linosa and Lampione were soon to follow. The next to surrender to the Allies was Lampedusa.

Early on June 12, 1943, a Swordfish piloted by Sergeant Sydney Cohen of the ASR Flight successfully located a dinghy, and its occupant, a German airman, was rescued by an Air/Sea Rescue launch from Malta, but the Swordfish failed to return.

When Cohen returned to Malta, he had a remarkable story to tell: “The aircraft developed some fault and force-landed on a landing field. (We) saw a few burnt-out aircraft, but were not certain if it was Lampedusa. Then, we saw white objects being waved by figures on the edge of the field. Two Italian officers came up to our aircraft, followed by civilians… We gathered that the Italian was offering the island’s surrender.

“In view of the accidental nature of my mission, it was a bit of a shake-up, but I put on a bold heart, and asked to see the Commandant of the island… I tried to explain I was not an Allied emissary; but they asked me to return to Malta and inform the authorities of the offer to surrender.

“We decided to make for Tunis. We returned to our aircraft about to crank her up, when four or five of our fighter-bombers zoomed over at zero feet. Two more fighters sheered off when they spotted the markings of our plane.

“Twelve single-engined bombers (US P-40s or A-36A) next began bombing the harbour… We took off, reached Tunisia and landed, where I went to an American camp nearby and produced the Italian surrender chit. My crew now called me ‘The King of Lampedusa’.”

Naval vessels were despatched to Lampedusa to formally accept the surrender. Linosa followed the next day, its garrison of 140 Italians raising the white flag on the approach of HMS Nubian, and a third island, Lampione, was occupied soon thereafter.

With the Allies now in control of the islands, Wing Commander J. D. Bisdee was appointed Garrison Commander and Military Governor of Lampedusa. Brigadier-General A. C. Strickland, US Army Air Force (USAAF), was appointed to similar offices at Pantelleria, where American Spitfires from the 31st Fighter Group and squadrons of Curtiss P-40 Warhawks soon took up residence.

In Malta, Spitfires continued their normal daylight standing patrols, while Spitbombers continued their offensive strikes against targets in Sicily and southern Italy. However, Malta itself was still subjected to many intrusions, mainly by small formations of Messerschmitt Bf109Gs.

Meanwhile, the US Company E of the No.21 Engineer Aviation Regiment, with about 200 men, left Bone, Algeria, on June 1, 1943, with nine landing craft tanks (LCT) bound for Gozo. Their task was the construction of an airfield for US Spitfires.

On June 6, 1943, the regiment anchored at Marsalforn Bay in Gozo and was cordially welcomed by an RAF unit of 35 men and by many Gozitans. With them, the engineers brought tractors, trucks, mechanical shovels and almost all kind of modern earth-moving machinery.

On June 8, 1943, work started on the project with the full help and cooperation of many Gozitans who earnestly watched the construction of the airfield. It extended from the limits of Xagħra to Xewkija, crossed the main road to Mġarr and stretched to the limits of Għajnsielem and Nadur, in Qala Road.

Unfortunately, to make way for runway No.1, the historic Gourgion Tower in Xewkija, built in 1690, was demolished on June 16, 1943, never to be rebuilt.

Pantelleria was subjected to a naval and aerial bombardment. The 11,000-strong Italian garrison laid down arms on June 11, 1943, before Allied troops had disembarked from their assault craft

In all, about 300 Gozitans were employed on the construction of the airfield. Although construction on the first runway started immediately, a decision on the second one was taken on June 10. Work started on the latter on June 15 and three shifts of eight hours each, instead of two, were introduced on June 12 to speed up its construction. Each runway was about 4,000 feet long and 200 feet wide.

On June 20, 1943, both runways were completed, and on June 23, the first US Spitfires made use of both runways. On the morning of June 30, 1943, the three squadrons (No. 307, No. 308 and No. 309) of the 31st Fighter Group USAAF landed at the Gozo airfield, to be ready for Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily.

The three Spitfire squadrons, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Fred Dean, flew in to the Gozo airfield after they had been overhauled at Qrendi and Safi airstrips. Two American Spitfires crashed during their landing operation.

The airfield facilities provided accommodation for about 75 aircraft. It seems most of the US Spitfires were given a thorough overhaul at Safi and Qrendi airstrips before they went to Gozo.

King George VI had long wished to visit Malta. At 5am on June 20, 1943, the Rediffusion Relay System announced that His Majesty King George VI was arriving by sea on a brief visit to the island.

All vantage points around the Grand Harbour were crammed with people. The Maltese flag, alongside the Union flag, went up everywhere, while portraits of the King and the Royal Family appeared all over the Island.

As HMS Aurora, escorted by four destroyers, neared the beckoning arms of the breakwater, the people started cheering. The King, in his white naval uniform, stood on a specially-erected platform on the bridge saluting the people of Malta. He remained there until the ship dropped anchor in Dockyard Creek. For 12 hours on that beautiful, hot, summer day, the King and the Maltese shared joy and risk.

Covering the royal visit, which the King described as “the real gem of my tour”, was a small army of service and civilian reporters and photographers. They followed every move and nothing escaped their attention. When the King landed, he was greeted by Lord Gort. The Royal Malta Artillery band played the national anthem. Then the King stepped forward to inspect the guard of honour.

David Campbell bade His Majesty farewell: “You have made the people of Malta very happy today, Sir”, to which the King answered: “But I have been the happiest man in Malta today.”

Relevant artefacts and information can be seen at the National War Museum in Valletta.

Charles Debono is curator, National War Museum.