A wooden toy plane made by a Gunner for a Maltese child during World War II and a £1 banknote issued because of a shortage of coins will be on display at the Malta at War Museum in Vittoriosa over Christmas.

During the war Malta not only experienced a shortage of food and fuel but in 1941 it was also short of coinage. This prompted the Governor to authorise the issue of £1 in currency notes on December 23.

One of these notes forms part of Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna’s reserve collection and will be on display for the first time with other objects that give a glimpse of life in Malta at Christmas time during World War II.

The display will include a series of story boards documenting the way Christmas was celebrated in wartime Malta by Maltese and British servicemen.

For four years, Christmas traditions were curtailed. There was no midnight Mass or candle-lit procession with the statue of Baby Jesus in the streets. Carol singing and nativity pageants were confined to church buildings which had to have their apertures blacked out.

Mass and the traditional sermons were instead held on Christmas Eve at 4pm.

In a bid to boost morale during this festive season, a competition was held for members of the Royal Artillery to make toy aeroplanes to distribute as Christmas presents to children. One of these will be on display.

The suffering endured by the Maltese during the war is well known but by December 1942, the worst was over. A convoy had reached Malta in November and another one in December and as a result the authorities increased the ration scale for food, soap, matches and kerosene.

However, the only Christmas treat for that year was a bag of beans and candles “to brighten the proceedings during Christmas week”.

Also on display will be a series of coupons that had to be exchanged for food.

There will also be original copies of the Times of Malta newspapers published on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.

The exhibition is being set up at the museum at Couvre Porte, Vittoriosa, and will be open on weekdays between 10am and 5pm until January 13. It will be launched tomorrow and visitors will also have the opportunity to tour the revamped museum and air raid shelters.

For tomorrow only, children accompanied by adults can visit the exhibition free.

Research carried out by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna for the exhibition, including photographs of the artefacts, has been published in a booklet that will be on sale at the exhibition.