At a time when bombs fell like rain and torpedoes sliced through the sea, there was nothing like a bottle of rum to fill the sailors with Dutch courage to help them get through the endless days.
Sporting a blue cap with the words Royal Navy printed across it, war veteran Jim Bates reminisced about those cruel years where each day was spent at the threshold of death and the little pleasures in life were balm to the soul.
The 92-year-old served as a gun supplier on the destroyer HMS Wilton during World War II and participated in a number of convoy operations, in various parts of the world, including the famous Operation Pedestal.
He was not there to witness the Maltese people’s elation when the stricken Ohio was towed into Grand Harbour on August 15, 1942 – 71 years ago to the day – as HMS Wilton had turned back to Gibraltar to escort HMS Nigeria and other damaged ships.
He visited Malta numerous times later, escorting convoys back and forth, and has fond memories of the island. His vessel would berth at harbour to refuel, leaving its sailors with four to six hours of leisure time.
“We’d have a litte paddle boat which we’d use to make our way to shore. Then we’d saunter to Strait Street [Valletta’s red light district] – that’s where we all went,” he grinned.
“It was lined with pubs offering basic drink – mostly wine. You’d have the women at the door calling: ‘Come in, Johnny’.”
His mischievous smile quickly faded away when he recalled the damage the war had inflicted on Malta.
I love Malta. I always get VIP treatment whenever I tell them I was part of Operation Pedestal
“I was very distressed to see how the war had ravished beautiful Malta. It was all rubble.
“It was really terrible to see the destruction. Valletta was demolished. I remember there was a great number of builders at the time. The bombs didn’t actually penetrate deep, so they were building on the original foundations.”
As a sailor serving on a destroyer, he had a couple of close shaves. One day, a bomb slashed through the upper deck, the ammunition room and through the ship’s side but, miraculously, it didn’t explode.
Another time, a merchant ship caught fire and exploded. Mr Bates was only a few metres away from it all.
“Every day was a close shave. During raids, we were constantly dodging bombs and missing them by inches. Torpedoes passed like waves under the ship.
“We were attacked the very first day we left Gibraltar and bombed and torpedoed all the way to Malta.”
What went through his mind during those chilling moments?
“We were so busy doing our job during a raid that, at least, it took our mind off it all,” he chuckled.
“Honestly though, we didn’t have much time to think. You just did what you had to do and got on with it. But we were young and fit at the time,” he added wistfully.
Even after retirement, Mr Bates has continued to be a frequent visitor to our shores.
“I love Malta. I always get VIP treatment whenever I tell them I was part of Operation Pedestal,” he smiled. “Yet, what I truly love is that the Maltese are so appreciative of what we did to help save their beautiful island.”