For 94-year-old war veteran Major Henry Gatt, the day the SS Ohio tanker and its escort made it to Malta, August 15, 1942, reminds him of one thing – the widespread jubilation among the Maltese.

The arrival of merchant ship MV Port Chalmers on August 13, 1942, was welcomed by servicemen and civilians.

Speaking to this newspaper ahead of the 75th anniversary of Operation Pedestal, which brought to Malta the Santa Marija convoy and is being celebrated today, Mr Gatt recalled the sense of jubilation that quickly spread throughout the island when the convoy, barely making it, entered the Grand Harbour.

Although he was on duty working anti-aircraft searchlights that day and not present to watch the convoy arrive, Mr Gatt said he had vivid recollections of the sense of joy and relief that the vessels with supplies brought with them.

The convoy’s arrival is considered to be a pivotal moment in World War II. It saved Malta by delivering food and other essential supplies when the island was under heavy attack from the enemy.

“That was a big joy for everybody, with people from all walks of life celebrating.

The re-enactment was wonderful, but these events do not have the same effect on me as on others, since I lived through the real thing

“I was in the Rabat area at the time… but the news spread very quickly,” Mr Gatt explained.

He added that before the battered SS Ohio made it to Malta, morale was down and most people were hungry and afraid.

Food shortages had become a serious problem, and while people tried to get on with their daily lives, living off rations from the Victory Kitchen was no easy feat, Mr Gatt recalled.

“People were living off soup, with minestra being the order of the day on most days. Maybe there were times when spaghetti was available, but everything was rationed,” said the war veteran, who was 21 at the time.

Asked about the one memory from the war that has stuck with him, Mr Gatt said it was the way the people tried to continue leading normal lives despite the hardships they faced on a daily basis.

The merchant ship MV Dorset came under attack on August 13, 1942.

“People went to work every day and they tried to maintain a certain sense of normality despite what was going on around them.”

And while many rush to attend commemorations and other events to celebrate the anniversary, Mr Gatt said that while he enjoyed attending such events, they did not carry the same level of intrigue for him as they did for those who had not lived through those times.

“I attended a re-enactment on Saturday, and while it was a wonderful experience, these events do not have the same effect on me as they do on other people, since I lived through the real thing.

“I saw it first-hand and I know what it was really like,” he said.