During the Santa Marija festive period, I believe that it is worthwhile to remember those who fell in the struggle to preserve democracy during the Second World War as well as Malta's contribution to the Allied cause and the sacrifices endured by the whole Maltese nation. Indeed, had it not been for the Santa Marija Convoy, Malta would undoubtedly have fallen to the armed forces of the totalitarian dictatorships and the course of history might have been somewhat different for Malta and the Maltese.
I feel that it is a pity that many Maltese youths today seem to show little interest in what the Maltese nation endured during the Second World War. As a socialist, I also believe that a more critical account of these important events should be written by future Maltese historians.
Malta became involved in the Second World War when the Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, declared war on Great Britain and France on 10th June, 1940. Malta at the time formed part of the British Empire and the Maltese found themselves embroiled in the war, whether they liked it or not, as they had no say in the matter.
Malta's role in the Second World War was very important because it lay astride the sea routes used by the Germans and Italians to supply and reinforce their military forces fighting in the North African Campaign. Attacking forces based on Malta wreaked havoc on the sea lanes used by enemy troopships, merchant ships and oil tankers. This meant that the German Afrika Korps and the Italian Army in North Africa were deprived of vital material resources as well as troop reinforcements.
The result of all this was that the Maltese had to endure the full brunt of aerial bombing attacks by units of the Italian and German Air Forces. The civilian population had to go through the purgatory of long periods of time spent in shelters, total disruption of everyday life, acute shortages of food and daily essentials, plus the threat of death at any moment. In April, 1942 alone, 6,700 tons of bombs were dropped on the Maltese Islands, making them the most bombed place on earth at the time.
As I mentioned above, I feel that historians should place more emphasis on the social and political aspects of the Second World War in Malta. How many Maltese today know that wartime Maltese soldiers were paid less than their British counterparts? How many Maltese today know that the female nurses who tended the wounded were not entitled to vote and that they voted for the first time in 1947 due to the efforts of the Labour Party? How many Maltese today know that, under the British, several people were reduced to the humiliation of having to eat "gaxin", the leftovers from the food plates of the British Services?
Yes, let us remember the sacrifices of the Maltese people in the Second World War but let us also put these events in their proper context. Let us not glorify the military events as if they were divorced from the political and social events which occurred simultaneously. Let us not celebrate the award of the George Cross in April, 1942 without also recollecting the injustice of having thousands of Maltese forced to emigrate in the post-1945 years because the British did little to ameliorate the socio-economic lot of the Maltese after all the sacrifices the latter had been forced to endure during the Second World War.
Let us remember the work of the first Labour Government of 1947-50 which ensured that the political and socio-economic situation of Malta during the Second World War would forever be a thing of the past.