I had started looking into the war service history of my father as my mother wanted to know more about what he had done while a member of the Royal Navy.

He never did say much about those years but the only story we were told was about a letter he had published in the Times of Malta.

My mother, unfortunately, passed away earlier this year but while on holiday in Malta last month we were directed from the Lascaris War Rooms where we understand he spent three months (he was a leading signaller) to the news-paper’s offices in Valletta thence to the National Library where the war issues of the paper are held.

My wife and I spent a couple of hours going through the microfiches and were pleased to actually find the letter we had been told about.

However, despite the very friendly and helpful staff at the Library, the state of the equipment to view the microfiches is very antiquated, cumbersome but obviously has been very well used.

It is also noticeable that it is damaging the microfiches to the extent that many pages are becoming unreadable. Could something be done to possibly renew the equipment, preventing further damage.