Ben Jinks Diary

THE WAR IN MALTA AS I SAW IT

THE WAR IN MALTA AS I SAW IT

Edited by Col (retd) David Vassallo

FRCSEd

MA L/RAMC

Coordination: Margaret Abdilla Cunningham, Godwin Vella

Transcribed by: David Vassallo and Fiona Vella for Heritage Malta

Design & Layout: Cherise Micallef

Photography: Pierre Balzia

Technical Support: George Agius, Charles Debono, Maria Fenech

Printing: Print It Printing Services

ISBN: 978-9918-619-36-8

Acknowledgements: Heritage Malta’s Board of Directors, CEO, COO, Services, and Projects Divisions

Produced by © 2023 Heritage Malta Publishing

Disclaimer:

when and where it was written.

A war-torn Floriana with St Publius Church in the background, NWM.HMC

ABBREVIATIONS:

BJb.NWM.HMC: Ben Jinks bequest, National War Museum, Heritage Malta Collection

NWM.HMC: National War Museum, Heritage Malta Collection

IWM, UK: Imperial War Museum, United Kingdom

FOREWORD A

North Africa. Indeed, the Siege of Malta was Algeria and Morocco in November 1942. the aim of setting the right conditions for a or damaged. Malta, nonetheless, did not and the central Mediterranean, and in due the resounding Allies success in North Africa,

gathered in devastated Senglea to witness the solemn return of the devotional statue in vain. It earned them and us, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the had it not been for their resilience.

been recounted over and over again. of this dark time. Publication was not on the intimate fears, frustrations and longings.

Mario Cutajar Chairman Heritage Malta

living in Malta and Gozo back then, never

PREFACE T

Also well documented is the courage of the Blenheim, Beaufort

Leading Aircraftman Bernard Jinks, known as Ben, was one of Married in 1938, it was his love and longing for his wife, Olive, back were no more.

Malta’s war.

BIOGRAPHY

GROUP CAPTAIN (RETD) PAUL MCDONALD OBE

Paul served as a Royal Air Force pilot for thirty-four years until in Malta and Tornados in Germany. His association with Malta and RAF Luqa dates back to 1975. During over three years on the island, he and his wife lived in Birkirkara and Balzan. Their son was born at the Royal Naval Hospital in Mtarfa and their daughter at St Catherine Hospital in Attard. Paul was decorated for gallantry in 1980 and appointed OBE in 1995. He has written three books: Winged Warriors (2012), Malta’s Greater Siege (2015), and Ladies of Lascaris (2018).

Gp Capt. Paul McDonald OBE

BY DAVID VASSALLO

cuttings, and additional related material from other Heritage Malta archives or elsewhere.

much he missed his wife Olive back home

1 NWMA Land Archives: Box 12, Ben Jinks bequest, Fort St Elmo, Valletta, Malta GC.

relatives of Ben Jinks and his wife Olive on behalf of Heritage Malta, so far without

Ben and his fellow groundcrew colleagues, all unsung heroes of the Battle for Malta, and in remembrance of all those who fought and

MALTA’S OFFENSIVE POTENTIAL

A THORN IN ROMMEL’S SIDE

Interdiction of Enemy Sea Transport Routes between Italy and North Africa

Station crests of RAF Luqa and RAF Ta Kali, Aviation Museum, Ta’ Qali

MALTA’S VULNERABILITY

IN WORLD WAR II

Maria was a 17-year old Maltese girl who worked in the Plotting Room at RAF War HQ, Lascaris Bastion. Her bequest contains a copy of her NWMA February 1981 interview, in Maltese, describing her work at the plotting table.

She recounts meeting Churchill on his 1943 visit, who shook her hand and said ‘Carry on the good work, you Maltesers!’

2 Air Historical Branch: RAF Draft Narrative ‘The Middle East Campaigns Vol XI Malta June 1940 – May 1945’ https:// www.raf.mod.uk/ourorganisation/units/ air-historical-branch/ second-world-warcampaign-narratives/ middle-east-campaignsvol-xi-malta-june-1940may-1945/

Ops Room Plot, as used in Lascaris War Rooms: Map showing closest distance between Malta and Sicily - 60 miles, some 15

- Maria Warren bequest, 1983, NWM.HMC

DEDICATION

To the groundcrews at Takali, indomitable in adversity, who sweated it out under a Mediterranean sun and kept

Theirs was the unsung glory of the island battle. The job which they did was unsurpassed (the temptation is to write ‘unequalled’) in any contest, in any theatre, of World War II.

Laddie Lucas3

69 Squadron crest to which Ben Jinks was attached as groundcrew member known as ‘erk’, at RAF Luqa until August 1942, Aviation Museum, Ta’ Qali

GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS

USED BY LAC JINKS

A.A., Ack Ack Anti-Aircraft guns

A/C, a/c Aircraft

A.G., AG

B.C. M.E

ME below

Blood wagon Slang word for Ambulance

C.O.

D.A, D.A.B

Drome

E. A., E/A

Erk

Fifth Columnists

Flt Lt

F.O.

G.C.

G.H. Grand Harbour

Glenn

Bristol Blenheim. See

into the sea

Hurricane Hawker Hurricane Mark II, British single seat Fighters over Malta

Iti Jerry Slang for German

Ju88 or JU88 Junkers 88, German twin-engine bomber

Ju87 Junkers 87, German Dive bomber, known as the Stuka

‘K’ gun defence units. Its ammunition was stored in round height of the blitz.

Kala

Malts How Ben Jinks refers to the Maltese

NCO

N.F. No 90

and Air Force Institute, a welfare organisation

NWMA Obs Ops Poorhouse

PR Recco Sgt Sqdn

Ta Kali, Takali, T.K.

W.C.

Flags at the Anglican St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Valletta: note the RAF wartime RAF Luqa ensign the wall, conserved in 2002 by the Malta Centre for Restoration – later absorbed by Heritage

‘A Junkers 88

I just about sh… my trousers when I took this photo. The bomb sailed over our slip-trench.

MALTA. APRIL 1942.’

BJb.NWM.HMC

900828. L.A.C JINKS B.

ROYAL AIR FORCE

LUQA

MALTA MY DIARY OF THE WAR IN MALTA. AS I SAW IT. FROM JANUARY 1ST 1942. TO DEC 31ST.

Jerry started the New Year in earnest.

A.A. During

advantage of the weather which was Wimpeys

5 recently returned to the Mediterranean in force, and bomber aircraft of the battle-hardened II Fliegerkorps, ominously re-deploying from the frozen Eastern Front to Sicily in early December 1941. They commenced operations against Malta with a a Ju88 on 3 December, and their all-out air assault commenced on 21 December. The during this new phase against Malta occurred on 22 December, when a Ju 88 was lost over the island. (Air Historical Branch RAF Narrative [First Draft]: The Middle East Campaigns Vol XI Malta June 1940 – May 1945)

rapidly increased in ferocity over the months from January to May 1942, aiming to neutralise Malta’s capabilities completely in anticipation of invasion in the early summer of 1942, on Operation Hercules. For more detail, see Fighters over Malta – Gladiators and Hurricanes 19401942 by Brian Cull and Frederick Galea, Fonthill: Stroud, 2018, hereafter referred to as Fighters over Malta.

3rd

Italian map of assault positions on Malta, 1942. NWM.HMC

‘Taken Jan 3rd 1942. Stan Jagger and I.’ [Ed: Stan is to the right] (Ben Jinks bequest, BJ07/42)

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

5th

4th 21.00 drome

6th

7th

8th

6 See Marylands over Malta by Brian Cull and Frederick Galea, Malta: Wise Owl Publications, for more detail of Glenns, known as Marylands by the RAF. A Glen 6

Poorhouse

The Christmas Fare 1941 Menu, time before such fare could be repeated

of on recco. At 15.30hrs siren went. A few

Reverse side of the Christmas Fare 1941 Menu, RAF Luqa, with the 69 Squadron colleagues’ signatures collected by Ben Jinks, BJb.NWM.HMC

‘Some of the lads of 69 Sqdn. Taken in January when things were fairly 7 ,BJb.NWM.HMC

‘A view of Valletta from our billet.’ BJb.NWM.HMC

the civilian Maltese who are left in the

7 Some of these lads would be killed a couple of days later, during the morning raid of 10 January 1942.

but the lads take no notice. I went down raid. After a few minutes I decided I would don’t come and see for

and served. Much food is wasted because of this.

Location marked in red of Ben’s Billet, in Ward St Vincent de Paul Hospital, NWM.HMC,

10th

bad. Several lads of 69 were killed in this morning’s raids.8 I am not

11th

09.10hrs Siren has just 09.15 A.A G.H direction.

after-noon. 15.00

with two slight raids. Marsa guns just about shook us out of bed.

Ta’ Kali. At night 21.30 we watched one

13th rest.

bombs. At 14.15hrs siren went. 15.30

ME

Several D.A drome last night. Several times I awoke to

8 No.69 Squadron RAF was formed in Malta on 10 January 1941 from No. 431 (General Reconnaissance) Flight. It carried out strategic photo-reconnaissance (PR) missions mainly using Martin Marylands (produced by the Glenn Martin Company in the USA, hence their also being known as ‘Glens’). These began to be replaced by PR

1942 onwards, the Harry Coldbeck on 8 March, see The Maltese by Harry Coldbeck, Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 1997, and Malta – The Epic Air Battles of 1942 by Brian Cull with Frederick Galea, London: Grub Street, 2005. From summer 1942 onwards 69 Squadron was also equipped with Baltimores and special duties Wellingtons. The Squadron was relocated to the UK in April 1944. See Marylands over Malta

came over at 10.15

I am comfortable in bed I don’t care a damn.

is not served as it ought to be.

9 Valletta has

bomber shot down.

9 The main targets were the three surviving merchantmen of Convoy MW8 - Ajax , Clan Ferguson and City of Calcutta - which arrived in the Grand Harbour on 19 January, bringing in 30,000 tons of supplies.

could do with a good meal.

(HMSO) sketch, NWM.HMC

Wg

John Noel Dowland GC, IMW, UK

Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Welcome panel at Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery, featuring Wg Cdr John Dowland GC, photo 9 January 2023 ©David Vassallo

CWGC Headstone on grave of Wg Cdr Dowland GC, together

Mackie whose story is poignantly recounted in the prologue ‘A Brief Engagement over Malta’ of James Holland’s Fortress Malta, photo ©David Vassallo

Cdr

out but the MEs machine-gunned him on the A.G F.O.

10 Wing Commander John Noel Dowland GC (33239), C.O. No. 69 Squadron RAF, died age 27, was awarded the George Cross in January 1941 for successfully removing two unexploded bombs from on board ship on separate occasions in 1940.

There is an unexplained discrepancy between the date of death recorded in Ben Jinks’ diary (23 January 1942) and other records. The date of death of both Wg Cdr

RV Gridley is recorded as 13 January 1942 in the Squadron Roll of Honour in Lest We Forget by John A Agius & Frederick R Galea, Malta Aviation Museum Foundation, 1999, p.27; similarly so in Philip Vella’s Malta: Blitzed but not Beaten, Progress Press, Malta, 1985, p.311 and Marylands over Malta, which both relied on the same research by John Agius MBE. Ben Jinks records that Wg Cdr Dowland’s body was recovered from the sea on 1 February, and that he participated

Cdr Dowland’s burial at Capuccini Naval Cemetery on 2 February. The ceremony was interrupted by a raid during which the group had to take cover in some vacant graves. Wg Cdr Dowland is buried in Protestant

Collective Grave 14. Air Gunner P.O. Bob Gridley is commemorated on the Malta Memorial. His Maltese wife Doris gave birth to a son the day after he died.

the least considered.

24th

Huns a few tricks.12

MEs attacked another Glen as it came in to land. One ME was shot 25th

26th Orders were again found in a shelter will

27th

on aircraft must go

28th

on recco. AA guns were

11 Laddie Lucas recounts the tragic outcome of an attempt on 25 January by 22 Hurricane IIs from Nos. 126, 185, 242 and 249 Squadrons scrambled to intercept an incoming raid.

bounced by the far superior Messerschmitt 109Fs. Seven were shot down while three returned early with mechanical trouble. Four pilots baled out, two crash-landed and one was shot down into the sea and the pilot killed. At a a quarter of the Hurricanes on the island had (Malta – The Thorn in Rommel’s Side, p.20). See also Air Historical Branch Draft Narrative, op cit.

12

31st

29th 30th in afternoon. Bombs were

the island. During the night Iti came over. Flares were were in constant action all

and into 1942 was inexcusable when compared to the number then available in the UK, and especially so considering that Hurricane IIs were no match for Me 109Fs. The Air Historical Branch Draft Narrative: Malta comments: ‘It is instructive to compare the situation in Malta with that in the United Kingdom, during this period. In December 1941 only 13 enemy aircraft were reported over the United Kingdom.

over the UK and a substantial proportion of

The men now openly ignore O.R o’s.

Malta, between February and April, the number consisted of 3 squadrons of Hurricanes (83 aircraft of which 26 were serviceable). [By comparison] Fighter Command [in UK] disposed of 102 squadrons, comprising 2,395 aircraft of which 58 squadrons or 1,370 aircraft were

13 The Air Historical Branch Draft Narrative defence in depth and could only operate from three bases which were frequently made unserviceable from the concentrated bombing, which resulted in the almost intolerable stresses under which air and groundcrews were working

as they cannot leave their pens from 0530 each morning until 2030 hours. They are fed in their pens. We must accept these long hours.’ Quoted in Malta – The Thorn in Rommel’s Side, p.30.

‘Bombs were dropped somewhere on

1942

3rd

the afternoon 12 Ju88s made an attack on Sqdn were killed.

She’s the loveliest girl a man could wish for. How great it would be

for some grub. A big raid was made on the G.H. area. Some bombs

at night.

10th midnight.

11th out at night for a walk. Got wet darling wife.

Malta during this period of inclement weather, touching boat in Kalafrana Bay at dawn on 16 February, in preparation

12th

13th to 20th. As above.14

February (sadly cancelled on the day due to faulty fuel tanks). Lucas recalls that Malta was experiencing exceptional rainfall when he arrived, and

of rain (double the normal average) fell on Malta during February 1942 alone. The rain and dispersal surfaces, and surrounding roads. Mud and slush abounded.’ Takali and Hal

14th in morning.15 In afternoon a big considerable.

21st

temporarily unusable, with their Hurricanes moving to Luqa as a result. Lucas gives unstinting praise to the groundcrews (such as LAC Ben Jinks), ‘whose job it was, in the face of privations and every known danger and discomfort, to keep such Theirs was the unsung glory of the island battle. The job which they did was unsurpassed (the temptation is to write ‘unequalled’) in any contest, in any theatre, of World War II.’, Malta – The Thorn in Rommel’s Side, p.29.

15 This lone reconnaissance Ju88 was intercepted and severely damaged by four Hurricanes

to Malta. It was recorded as a probable kill, last being seen

Malta. Fighters over Malta, p.312.

14 Laddie Lucas, Raoul Daddo-

‘A P.R.U. Hurricane (3223) destroyed during a heavy blitz on Luqa. Feb 21st 1942’, BJb.NWM.HMC

night here.

The human cost of war... Lest we forget, original photograph taken by Ben Jinks, 21 February 1942, NWM.HMC

16 The book Fighters over Malta (p.312) does not mention German losses during this heavy afternoon raid concentrating instead on the considerable by the RAF, alluded to by Ben Jinks: one Hurricane destroyed, another Hurricane blast damaged, in addition to damage to an irreplaceable streamroller (vital for runway repairs) and two petrol bowsers.

17 Copies of this unique photograph, showing the tragic human cost of war, are held in the NWMA photographic archives (as NWMA 406 and 517); the 517 copy bears a caption in pencil (not in Ben Jinks’ writing) indicating ‘mid 1942’. It is uncertain whether the original was donated with the others, or removed from the Ben Jinks Archive after donation (1994), lost; it was not in this archive when examined in 2022.

“The Ben Marle”. In the afternoon we went to the “Coliseum”. Half

We decided to stay and see the show, hoping Luqa would be the target. Soon the Harbour guns opened up. We remained until the making our way out when a stick of bombs came screaming down. We threw ourselves down and hoped for the best. There was a

to see the ‘Regent’ cinema had received a direct hit. People were screaming for help. It was packed with Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen. Stan and I gave a hand in getting them out. It was a terrible sight. I cannot recall to memory all the scenes I witnessed of people dying when help was almost at hand. One poor chap, (a sailor), injured very badly, ask for a cigarette. Someone put one in his mouth and then went to give him a light. His last breath lit the cigarette. All the time rescue work was in progress bombs were still screaming down on the G.H. By midnight most of the people were out. What were left we had no hopes for. I must have and tattered bodies from the ruins. Stan and I returned to the ‘Regina’, our clothes covered with blood and dust. We had a hot bath and got into bed. I was dead beat.

‘Stan Jagger and I helped in rescuing the trapped people.’

Ben’s handwritten script on reverse side of photograph

‘Another view of the ‘Regent’ cinema disaster. Dive-bombed by Jerry on 22nd February 1942.’ BJb.NWM.HMC [Ed: Ben has mistakenly inserted the wrong date in his caption and diary entry: the Regent cinema was bombed on 15th February, not the 22nd.]

‘Malta’s February Air Score’ Times of Malta cutting, dated 3 March 1942, BJb.NWM.HMC

‘View of Luqa drome taken from my kite. February 1942 MALTA’. BJb.NWM.HMC

Damage was slight. Just after tea we were cookhouse. I was in Sgts mess shelter. Our

24th

07:00 12 Ju88s attacked G.H.

09:15

12.30

15.00 Ju87

the dromes. Hal-Far was the target.

16.45 did good work.

26th

in car.

25th 10:00 Wimpey been attacked.

21.00 E.A were caught in the searchlights.

27th

went in at the bombers knocking 5 down. I watched these attacks

28th

2 Ju88s and 1 ME. In afternoon I went to Valletta to send a cable

During the night the G.H. area was blitzed. One bomber was

Ash Wednesday, 26 February 1942 –Times of Malta report, BJb.NWM.HMC

View of Mtarfa Military Barracks from No 90 General Hospital, Mtarfa, and not as Ben’s note written at the back, BJb.NWM.HMC

4th

I am getting used to nearly being killed.

09.00 aircraft. At 11.05 Church. All clear went 12.30. At 13.05 the time it was a small merchant vessel in the

During the night we sat on the Poorhouse realises that the Poorhouse is less than ½ a

‘A MV which had a near miss when the G.H was bombed by Stukas on March 4th 1942. Several Stukas were destroyed.’ BJb.NWM.HMC [Ed. The date on this caption may be wrong]

5th

Todays attacks have been on small scale. Only two and three E.A coming in at a time. Ta Kali and Hal-Far had some bombs. In evening an 88 dropped bombs on Valletta. ‘Blondie’ Johnson believed killed. Grub here is getting grim. Played cards until after mid-night. We watched our N.F shoot an enemy bomber down. (Paddy Hoey, Jimmy Bremner, Stan Jagger, Tink Taylor).

6th

the “National”. Sent a cable to Olive.

Flt Lt Williams, Hoare and Lamble were killed on the drome.18

on Hoare and Lamble. Gallacher and Shaw should have seen the machine taxied out, but they were on duty crew and went for an early tea. Hoare and Lamble said they would go and see the kite out. They were burnt to death.

18 There is a discrepancy between the date of death recorded by Ben Jinks (6 March 1942) for Flt Lt Williams, Hoare and Lamble and that in other records. The RAF Roll of Honour in Philip Vella’s Malta: Blitzed but not Beaten (pp.310-317) and the CWGC headstones at Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery give their date of death as 15 January 1942.

7th

Fifth Columnists

56 Eagle on Operation SPOTTER, 8 March

1942

Burdett, Green, Camilleri and trench

outside Britain, thanks to Churchill’s

HMS Eagle on 27/28 February, had been aborted at the last minute when their newly-designed long-range 90-gallon fuel tanks were found to be defective. On this second attempt on 8 March, cannons and four machine guns apiece, and with the fuel tank defects corrected, Argus and Eagle 650 miles from Malta for their four

night. No bombs near us.

from Gibraltar, under the watchful eyes of Hawker Hurricanes sent up to cover

the UK’s National Archives, Kew (ADM 223/544). (See further details in Chapter One, ‘In the Nick of Time’, in over Malta). News of their arrival spread

pilots reinforced the sadly depleted 249 enemy was on 10 March against a force of Ju88s escorted by Me109s, making a considerable impact on the attackers. (See

into Action’ March 1942, in Malta

Argus and Eagle, on Operations PICKET I and II. Between March and October 1942, 385 separate operations, with 367 reaching the island. by Leo McKinstry, London, John Murrary 2007, p.302. One can only postulate how the tide of war might have changed

bombing, and many less casualties.

20 Intriguingly, none of these four men are mentioned in the Rolls of Honour in Philip Vella’s Malta: Blitzed but not Beaten.

has caused us to do little work

the invasion of Sicily.

10th nice landing.

knocking 2 down.21

11th

Spits are doing marvellous work but we need more. Pilots are bringing back their kites when they should bale out. Screwball

Beurling got an 88 23,24

Paragraph highlighted in Blue is the blue script in Ben Jinks’ writing which he inserted later

reached 19,000 feet and were above the raiders as they approached Peter Jacobs’ Fortress Island Malta

22 Squadron, led at the time by the redoubtable Canadian Stan Turner, and their exploits during the rest of March 1942 are given in Brian Cull & Frederick Galea’s Fighters over Malta and (op cit), and in Fortress Island Malta (op cit).

Hurricanes had been destroyed, and at least 14 more damaged; only 21 aircraft were left available to the RAF by 10 March, many of them unserviceable on any one day. 23

lines of the main text of 11 March 1942 so were evidently added later, relying on memory. This reference to Beurling is mistakenly inserted on the wrong date, for Beurling actually arrived in Malta on 9 June, when Ben was recovering from bombing injuries in hospital (20 May–20

wrongly-dated inserts relating to Beurling occur in this diary, apart from the last one, correctly inserted on 25 July. Ben was not a historian trained to check dates, he had just been injured and probably had concussion, and memory can play tricks!

24 ‘Screwball’ George Frederick Beurling was a talented 20-year old Canadian pilot who had travelled to England by freighter to join the Eagle during Operation SALIENT on 9 June 1942, joining 249 Squadron, and quickly showed

after his arrival. Unlike many of his colleagues, he did not smoke or drink, and consciously tried not to swear, his prime expletive being ‘screwball’, hence his nickname. He spent an eventful (!) few months in Malta, amassing an unequalled record of 27 enemy aircraft destroyed in combat, eight others damaged, and three more scored as probably

scramble was on 14 October 1942, which ended with his being shot down over Kalafrana Bay, severely injured. After two weeks in 90 General Hospital, Mtarfa he was evacuated to Gibraltar on 1 November, narrowly escaping with his life from a crash landing there, before returning to Canada. He was awarded the DSO, DFM and DFC for his exploits. In 1943 he published a best-selling account of his experiences, , co-authored with Leslie Roberts, Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1943; re-published by Grub Street, London, 2011. See also: Brian Cull and Frederick Galea Screwball Beurling – Malta’s Top Scoring Fighter Ace, Malta: Wise Owl Publishing; Peter Jacobs Fortress Island Malta, Chapter 16, ‘Screwball’, and Nick Thomas Sniper of the Skies – The story of George Frederick ‘Screwball’ Beurling DSO DFC DFM, Pen & Sword, 2015.

16th

breakfast. At 07.35

17th

daring. Bofor and machine guns

knocked down. All crews were killed. At 09.15

All clear.

11:00 Just after dinner the warning went again. Half an hour later

BJb.NWM.HMC

the Beaus got a Heinkel III.

Newspaper cutting, 15 March 1942 ‘A tribute to Malta’s air defences ...’

19th

20th

14.30

got a direct hit. Five airmen and two soldiers were in bed in the billet. At 15.15 was hit. At 17.10 used.25

‘A Hurricane destroyed by 88s in a bombing attack on Luqa, March 19th 1942’, BJb.NWM.HMC

‘An attack on our drome. Taken from a slit trench. Luqa Malta 1942’ BJb.NWM.HMC

21st

on the ground.

machine’ coming over. Just after dinner

12.50

a raging inferno. Dust and smoke rose in huge columns.

25 Rocket-assisted armour-piercing bombs, of 500 and 1000kg weight, were during the Illustrious blitz of January 1941, and then again from New Year’s Day 1942 onwards. ‘First German rocket bomb on British territory’. Malta at War Magazine, Wise Owl Publications, Number 47, pp.1299-1300.

26 More than a thousand bombs fell on Malta in just two days, concentrated

devastating attacks on Ta Kali made it nearly operate from there.

27 arriving on 22 March

26 Grub here gets worse. Our bread ration has been cut. her for a few minutes. Sometimes I have a horrible feeling I’ll never see her again. I shall have to take more care in these raids.

Eagle on Operation reinforcements since arrived on 8 March on Operation SPOTTER. arrived from aboard Argus on 23 March on Operation PICKET I. Their arrival was timed to provide local air defence for convoy MW10 painfully approaching from Alexandria.

‘Screwball Beurling was outstanding in today’s raids. He’s got guts.’ 29

‘Ack

The Ju88 and Ju87 attacks on the Talabot, 26 March Times of Malta cutting, BJb.NWM.HMC

however paid dearly for Times of Malta cutting, BJb.NWM.HMC

28

(23 March) were sending a cable to his young wife and trying to relax after the strain of the previous day’s heavy bombing on Luqa. He arrived in Valletta too late to witness the dramatic arrival in Grand Harbour of two merchant vessels, the Norwegian Talabot and the Royal Mail Lines Pampas at 0915 and 0930hrs respectively, accompanied by two damaged destroyers HMS Havock and HMS Kingston, emerging into view through fountains of spray from near misses by enemy bombers at the end of a nerve-wracking and gale-ridden journey from Alexandria. They had left there for Malta on 20 March with two other merchantmen (Clan Campbell and the naval auxiliary Breconshire) on Convoy MW10. They were escorted en route by four cruisers and sixteen destroyers of the 22nd and 5th Destroyer Flotillas,

determined attacks by a powerful heavy cruisers, a light cruiser and eight destroyers) on 22 March, in what became known as the Second Battle of Sirte. HMS Kingston had been hit by a 15-inch shell from the Italian battleship Littorio. Persistent heavy air attacks by Italian torpedo bombers and German Ju88s resulted in the slower Clan Campbell being 23 March. The gallant Breconshire, now only eight miles from Malta but her engine room, was dragging her anchor in the stormy seas and drifting helplessly towards a

arrive from Grand Harbour to tow her into Marsaxlokk Harbour. The ordeal of the surviving three ships was not over yet...[Ed. See reference 30 in pg 69]

29 While the sentiment is correct, this Beurling, added later between the lines of the main text of 25 March, is against the wrong date. Beurling arrived in Malta on 9 June.

BJb.NWM.HMC

67

Ack barrage over the Grand Harbour during an attack by 50 to 70 Ju88 and Ju87 dive-bombers. The wooden building in photo is Sgts Mess which has since been ‘disposed of’. Billet in foreground was Sgts Billets.’

27th

rained down but never hit us. It was in this attack that the new

Screwball got shot up in this raid. 32

28th night.

Answered it at night.

29th cards at night.

30th

Pampas and the Talabot, which had entered harbour on 23 March but had to be moored in the middle of Grand Harbour because of the crippling damage to Malta’s dockyards, severely handicapping the Talabot, which was fully laden with a devil’s cauldron of shells, bombs endangering the whole of Grand Harbour should she explode. Flames were licking at the ammunition holds, and ammunition stored on deck was exploding around him, as

HMS Penelope led his team on board to lay scuttling charges over the side of the burning

to the full force of the charges he had laid. The Talabot was successfully scuttled. Dennis Copperwheat was subsequently awarded the George Cross for his extreme heroism in averting disaster, Fortress Island Malta, p.129. The ship settled on an even keel in shallow water with her bulwarks just showing, making it possible to unload some of her cargo at a later date. Of the other merchantmen, Pampas was sunk in the same attack, and Breconshire was sunk in Marsaxlokk Harbour on 27 March, though much of her oil was saved. Only 5,000 tons of the convoy’s total of 25,900 tons was unloaded, and despite the undoubted bravery by ships and crews, and Malta’s defenders, the convoy could only be counted as a disaster. Check in Other sources pg 286: Despatch on the Battle of Sirte 22 March 1942’ by Admiral Sir Henry H. Harwood and: Ed Gordon. HMS Pepperpot (London: Robert Hale, 1985, see also https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/tag/breconshire/)

31 The British 6-inch gun light cruiser, HMS Penelope, had escorted the recently arrived merchant vessels into harbour after participating in the gallant action by the Malta-based Penelope became the main target of the many dive bombing attacks on the Grand Harbour over the period 25th March to 8th April 1942, sustaining repeated damage from numerous near misses and well earning the nickname HMS Pepperpot. During this period she survived 2,000 sorties by Axis bombers which dropped 3,000 tons of bombs and 14 aerial torpedoes on the Grand Harbour. (Source: HMS Pepperpot seriously damaged by a bomb that squeezed into the narrow space between her port side and the jetty at Hamilton Wharf before exploding. The damage report after this and another near miss reads: 500 lbs near miss, burst under forecastle abreast ‘A’ turret, port side keel and adjoining strakes fractured and set up over a length of 40 ft. to maximum of 2 ft. Hull structure buckled and set inboard over a length of 65 ft. port and starboard. All decks lifted and most watertight doors strained.

unable to train due to buckled decks. 250 lbs. near miss abreast ’Y’ turret, port side. Severe blast damage to superstructure. Minor structural damage inboard. Most oil fuel tanks, all magazine and shell rooms with

SUNK BY ENEMY ACTION 3rd. SEPT. 1939 to 2nd. SEPT. 1945 (C.B. 4273 (52)); available online at https://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/hm-ships-enemy-actionwwii)

32 This reference to Screwball Beurling getting shot up has been inserted later against the better than 20 bullets through the fuselage and wings. An explosive bullet nicked my right up.’, Screwball Beurling – Malta’s Top Scoring Fighter Ace, p.55.

References from National War Museum Archives, NWM.HMC

88s attacked Sub Base at Sliema.33

33 The 10th Submarine Flotilla was based at Manoel Island, in Marsamxett Harbour between Sliema and Valletta. Accommodation ashore was in the disused Lazzaretto hospital, with deep shelters cut into the rock behind. Bombing became so intense by April 1942 that the submarines had to shelter on the seabed in harbour or

day rather than being moored alongside, only coming up to the surface at nighttime. The anti-aircraft defence barrage often caused the bombers to drop their bombs wide, usually on Sliema and Gzira.

2nd

19.00

4 bombers.

At 09.15 siren went. A few minutes later a big force of MEs came clear 10.30

gun from the stores.35

36 Now for a smack at these low09.00 Siren

this raid. At 10.15 and shot 4 Stukas down. From 10.30 MEs made constant attacks on all arming and refuelling our smacks at MEs with our ‘K’ gun

34 The submarine Pandora had arrived in Malta late on 31 March on a ‘magic carpet’ run and immediately discharged white oils at Marsamxett Harbour. At dawn on 1 April she moved round to Hamilton Wharf in Grand Harbour to land urgently required dry stores, carrying on unloading even as bombs dropped around her during this heavy air raid. Alongside her was the Greek submarine Glaukos, and in the adjacent dry dock the destroyer Lance. The German dive-bombers concentrated their attention on these ships, braving the A.A. barrage. A stick of bombs hit Senglea and then Pandora, which board. The other ships were also damaged, and another submarine P36 was simultaneously sunk in Marsamxett Harbour. Glaukos would be hit and sunk three days later, on 4 April. The destroyer Lance was further damaged on 4 and

bombing attack on 9 April. The escalating toll on submarines and the devastation to the dockyards under the increasingly heavy bombing in April soon made it impossible to carry on operating, such that the Admiralty was forced to order the Flotilla to evacuate to Alexandria on

aircraft operating against the Island. See: Richard Woodman. Malta Convoys 19401943, pp.318-319.

35 The ‘K’ gun was the Vickers K machine gun, of .303 inch calibre, originally developed and produced for use in aircraft by VickersArmstrong. It was also known as the Vickers Gas Operated (Vickers G.O.) gun. The Vickers G.O. No.2 Mk.1 Land Service variant was remanufactured from original Vickers G.O. No.1 such as at Luqa. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_K_ machine_gun

‘An ME 109 which was shot

drome April 2nd 1942.’

BJb.NWM.HMC

36 Hard lessons had been learned from the German airborne invasion of Crete in May 1941, pivotal to its success. With invasion of Malta now deemed imminent, machine gun posts were and at other key points around the island. Ben Jinks and Jock Spratt were not the only ones

defence on 3 April.

At 13.00

37 The Ju88 A-4 variant medium bomber reputedly had a maximum payload of 3,000 kilos, though in practice usually carried 2000 kilos.

about sh… my trousers when I took this photo. The bomb

APRIL 1942.’ 37 BJb.NWM.HMC

blood wagon

its own way’ over Malta. This M.E. had just dropped two bombs when I caught him in the camera. Luqa Malta, April 1942.’

BJb.NWM.HMC

gone. At 10.25 10.30

07.30 until 10.15 I have been

38 Valletta as usual

38 During one of this day’s raids (4 April) on the dockyards and Grand Harbour, HMS Penelope, which had moved into No.4 dry dock after the bombing of 26 March, sustained a near miss from a 500lbs direct action fuzed bomb, which actually hit the port after brow but exploded just below. Hundreds of small splinter holes were made above and below the waterline on port side aft. A minor store and in port after cabins. The port outer shaft was punctured by splinters and the propellers damaged. (Damage report from

11.05. rest

1952’, C.B. 4273 [52], op cit)

At 16.30 the warning went again. Anderson watched events. At 16.45

‘An attack on the dockyards by Ju88s on April 4th 1942.The barrage was

Ju 88 over Mediterranean,

German Ju 88 bomber over Valletta and Grand Harbour, April NWM.HMC

‘Malta’s Gunners defy Dive-Bomber Onslaught’ Sunday Times of Malta (Easter Sunday, describing events of Saturday 4 April BJb.NWM.HMC

15:20

going in just the same. Buildings are

are now after the Hurricane but he outmanoeuvred them. Bofor guns

came from nowhere and 2 MEs were home. All clear 16.10.

17:45

now overhead. And here come the bombers. It looks like it’s the G.H

The cost of war... a memorial plaque at Civilian War Graves Section at the Addolorata Cemetery, Malta, with inscription ‘Killed by bomb blast on Easter Sunday 5 April 1942’©David Vassallo who were his wife’s relatives, killed at a shelter in Cospicua

have some guts to go through

, and several billets. Four airmen

TODAY’S SCORES:

BOMBS ON TA KALI.

‘Malta at War – Record of Alerts’, Private Collection

7th

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE IN VALLETTA

DESTROYED BY DIRECT HIT;

2,000TH AIR RAID ALERT

TUESDAY 7 APRIL 1942

08.30 bombers, which attacked all three dromes and G.H at the same would not face it. Valletta got their bombs. I saw several bombers

M.T

16.30 sounded.

18.15 morning. MEs machine-gunned the rescuers, killing several.

09:30

which bombed Hal-Far. No MEs came near enough to us to get a bang at

09:45

her harrowing stay in Malta, HMS Penelope was undocking from No.4 dock when a direct hit on the starboard brow burst ten yards from the ship abreast the refrigerator compartment. This burst caused hundreds of splinter holes above and below the waterline on the starboard side forward. Later, when Penelope was undocked and lying alongside Canteen Wharf, sticks of bombs were dropped parallel to the port side port quarter. Further minor damage was caused by splinters to the plating above the waterline. Penelope put to sea later in the day en route for Gibraltar. Speed was restricted to 20 knots but was later worked up to 27 knots. She subsequently remained out of undergoing repairs in the United States. (Damage report from 1952, C.B. 4273 (52), op cit)

Another wave of bombers is on its on the G.H.39 Valletta was hit again.

‘The biggest bomb crater I have ever seen. Many people were killed when the bomb penetrated the shelter, which can be seen. This shelter was 60 ft below ground level. Hamrun, Malta 1942. Airman is Bob Wills.’ BJb.NWM.HMC

09:59

14:30

Mess. MEs are now coming in low machine gunning. ----10.15 All

15:00

but a stick of bombs fell smack across us. Once again fate over the wall when an ME machine-gunned us. He missed.

went down in the G.H.

In memory of all sailors who died on HMS Kingston and who fought for their ship with valour - Commander Philip Somerville, ship’s captain, is buried in Mtarfa Military Cemetery

At 15.50 another wave of bombers came in. A.A guns once again went into action. An 16.45

At 17.15

40 The severely damaged HMS Kingston had entered Grand Harbour on 23 March with merchant vessels Talabot and Pampas, and had been the focus attacks ever since. HMS Kingston was actually a destroyer, not a cruiser.

A cruiser in the harbour was dive-bombed

from an ME came in to land. He succeeded, and was now blazing. L.A.C

it not been for these two brave men. Meanwhile the battle was still Malts night. Just after dark warning went. A few minutes later an I saw the bodies. A grim sight.

19:20

THURSDAY 9 APRIL 1942 and waited for the usual blitz. At 11.30 it had

41 Twenty-three people lost their lives in this Luqa shelter on 9 April 1942, with two others being killed elsewhere in the village in the same raid. Their names are recorded in Michael Galea’s Malta Diary of a War 1940-1945, Malta: BDL Books, 3rd edition 2019, p.139. A monument commemorating the victims of this tragedy was erected in Luqa on the 50th anniversary. Another monument was erected alongside it on the 75th anniversary in memory of all Luqa parishioners who lost their lives in World War II. See detail in Anton Camilleri’s Monumenti u Busti Malta: Gutenberg Press, 2019, pp.178-179.

MOSTA CHURCH DOME PIERCED BY A BOMB THAT DOES NOT EXPLODE OR INJURE ANY OF THE 300 PEOPLE ATTENDING EVENING SERVICE; BOMB HITS AIR RAID SHELTER IN LUQA WITH GREAT LOSS OF LIFE

10th

17:15

17.20

the raid was in full swing. Bombers were coming in from all more 88s were added to our score. An M.E which attacked over and attacked them. Bren guns attacked the M.Es and More raids during the night.

09.00 Siren went 09.30

island. All clear 10.45

12.30 sirens went again.

After tea 17.15

over-shot, and came into the sights of the Hurricane which gave

1942’, BJb.NWM.HMC

‘An attack by Stukas on the Grand Harbour, Valletta, April 10th, 1942’, BJb.NWM.HMC

‘Screwball’ Beurling shot 2 MEs down in this raid’ 42

‘Total Bag for April 10th’ Senior report (Ben Jinks

07.45. Sirens are wailing their death song. In a few minutes the screaming of bombs, and barking guns. 07.48

42 This reference to ‘Screwball’ Beurling was obviously inserted later than the main caption (dated 10 April 1942), and was mistakenly added to the wrong photograph. Beurling arrived in Malta on 9 June.

07:50 Siren has just gone. 10.58 10:55

from the north. A.A guns are now engaging the bombers which can be

08.10 All is now 08.15 All clear. 08.30 Siren 08.40.

April 11th, 1942 Kalafrana Bay, Malta’, BJb.NWM.HMC

big raid this evening. He’ll be after the M.Vs.

Stukas have just dive-bombed the G.H area. One of the 19:45

13th 14th 10:45 11:30

April 12th 1942. Grand Harbour’ BJb.NWM.HMC

At 13.15 got 1 M.E.

14:00

17:15

Started to write letter to Olive but raid several down. 15.45. Another attack on G.H. 15.50

43 Ben Jinks was probably misled by the ‘rumour mill’. There was no convoy to Malta in April, though the submarine Clyde arrived on a ‘club run’ on 16 April with food and urgently required aviation fuel.

16.00

bombers. Is he attacking our gun

18.30

13 February 1942. See Malta’s Greater Siege and Marylands over Malta

HIS MAJESTY KING GEORGE VI AWARDS THE GEORGE CROSS TO MALTA:

“To honour her brave people I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion to duty that will long be famous in history.”

19th

just after 10.30

ordered to take cover. After a few minutes

screaming of hundreds of bombs. Several go down a shelter again. After what seemed

44 Providing a welcome distraction and immeasurable morale booster for the troops in Malta, the Whizz Bangs were a concert group set up in July 1940 in the style of ENSA (Entertaining National Service Association), coming under the auspices of the NAAFI. The Whizz Bangs (also known as the RAFFIANS) comprised four men and seven women, including mainly entertainers marooned on the island when Italy declared war on 10 June 1940,and were the only wartime performers on the island. They played every evening without a break in various locations in Malta throughout nearly three years of siege. Each night, despite the thunder of bombs, units of the garrison would settle down to enjoy a twenty-six-item programme. Detail from Nathan Morley’s Canteen Army: The

https://newsbook.com. mt/en/book-shines-

in-malta/ See also Paul McDonald’s Ladies of Lascaris, Pen & Sword, 2018

07.50 Siren went. No raid. All clear 07.55

night.

At 09.10 warning went and a few minutes

to tell me he was working on a target area I would of course take it

Luqa on 20 April from USS Wasp, the fast American aircraft carrier that had been assigned this task following a direct request from from Prime Minister Winston Churchill to President Roosevelt. They were greeted by a heavy air raid – the war of attrition had begun. Amongst the pilots was Flt Lt Denis Barnham, an avid diarist and talented artist, were destroyed or damaged in the morning raid on Ta’ Qali. Ben Jinks, at Luqa at the time, was not aware of this when he wrote

be destroyed by the end of April, with the defenders struggling to have even two or four of the surviving Spits serviceable and

on to write an eloquent and rightly popular account of his ten week tour of duty on

as One Man’s Window, London: William Kimber & Co. Now republished as: Malta

1942, London: Grub Street Publishing, 2013.

combat sortie in Malta. His plane was against 14-20 ME 109s, but he managed to injury. He would be shot down again on his second sortie.

into Luqa after dark on 21 April, with the intention of commencing nightly bombing attacks against the German planes on the Sicilian aerodromes. At this stage of the war, with the Axis preparing to invade Malta, the Immediately after landing and refuelling,

attack the Me109 bases in Sicily. The next day (22 April), despite being protected by special pens, six of them were destroyed in the bombing. The remaining four went out over Sicily again the night of the 22nd – two were shot down, the last two were sent back to Egypt.

terror April-June 1942, Op cit.

During the night there was the windows of the Poorhouse

in at them, and their bombs

various sources consulted]

the AG’s life out with a burst of named him killer was right. He has 25 Jerries to his credit so

was made at 07.15 10.00 13.00 was on

Times of Malta front page, 22 April 1942. Note the George Cross now proudly displayed, BJb.NWM.HMC

but were shot watched a Hurricane go into the A.A barrage 19.00. Night 12.30 a big 14.10.

‘Sunderland shot up by 109s 22nd April 1942. Crew of launch were all killed in rescue attempt when kite blew up’, BJb.NWM.HMC

15:15

23rd shot an 88 down over the G.H.

18:50

several bombers came down. 19.50. got a 4 engine bomber.

At 19.00 one raid during night.

USS Wasp already destroyed or damaged by 24 April, Churchill again appealed to Roosevelt in a personal telegram: ‘I am deeply anxious about Malta under the unceasing bombardment of

aircraft. If the island is to hold out till the June convoy, which is the earliest possible, it must

using Eagle to send in 15 or so at a time. I shall be grateful if you will allow Wasp to do a second trip ...’. Roosevelt responded positively, with the result that 64

Eagle and Wasp on 8-9 May.

‘An attack on the Poorhouse on April 25th, 1942 by Stukas. I was in bed when this occurred and only by a miracle I escaped. Photo taken by Ted Lord.’

BJb.NWM.HMC

19.30

the crew were caught and held in the searchlights.

I had another 27th

28th 12:30

work. All clear 09.15.

08.30

17:30

29th

at 15.00 a small raid was made on Hal-Far.

49

April consisted of 20 Ju88s, 18 Ju87s and a number of escorting Me109s.Despite the strong reinforcement

Wasp on 20 April, only handful of Hurricanes remained serviceable on 30 April, Fighters over Malta, p.389.

clear 15.35

17:30

Sgts’ billets were hit. 19.00. A raid

machines, from high level. 19.15 All clear. One raid during night.

30th

11.20

49 Several alerts followed this 17.45

bombed. Bombs whistled over our tent, but these raids that we get careless. I’m no hero,

would still be alive. BJb.NWM.HMC

hilltop, the view towards Valletta … a line of black pillared destruction sprang upwards … one Ju88, or a in mid-air, a

NWM.HMC

Takali was being bombed, bombs were also falling on Luqa, in the far distance, left.

The toll of war –10th Submarine Flotilla losses, Malta, April 1942Remembrance book and display, HM Submariners Memorial Chapel, Fort Blockhouse, ©David Vassallo

ROYAL NAVY CRESTS AT FORT ST ELMO

Heritage Malta Collection

back of it. high level. For some unknown reason our reduced. Much more of this and we shall be bread we do get is rotten. I’d like to write a letter home giving the inside information of whistled over our tent and landed on the

50 During April, ‘the cruellest month’, there had been 170 alerts by day (an estimated 3,547 bomber sorties) and a further 182 alerts at night. 339 civilians and 208 servicemen had been killed, and 550 civilians injured, while an estimated 6,727 tons of bombs had fallen on

and 16 Hurricanes had been lost in combat,

and 19 Hurricanes had been destroyed on the ground, Fighters over Malta, pp.389-390.

was one raid during the night. A.A in action.

4th 10.45

time. He was wounded.

‘One and only’ which survived after an all day attack on our drome by over 400 German aircraft. Taken May 1942 Luqa Malta’, BJb.NWM.HMC

6th

An attack was made on G.H. at 05.45. At 10.30 barrage and was killed. 13.30 5 Itis bombed

51 Denis Barnham records that Luqa aerodrome on 2 May was ‘a shocking mess, cratered like the moon, and not only craters, but crack – crackcrack, delayed action bombs kept sending columns of black smoke bursting sky-wards from runways, perimeter tracks, stone walls, we skirted clusters of bombs were waiting to was out of action’. Luqa aerodrome would remain out of action for several days; Denis had out of Ta Kali.

During the morning there were continual 7th

8th

10.00 some Stukas attached the G.H, an bless her.

9th

13:30

16.30

them. 5 E.A being shot down. At 18.00

Bombers came over at a few hundred feet. Fighters battled

19.45 5 Itis came over.

out of bed as a bomb came screaming down. Bomb wasn’t

BJb.NWM.HMC

‘This snap was in possession of Jerry pilot shot down over our drome. May 1942’

10th

THE RAF’S GLORIOUS TENTH OF MAY

10TH MAY 1942

HMS

18.30 made another attack

defences used a smoke

cheered

out’. Later on 5 Itis made Screwball Beurling got 2.52 during night little.

‘Johnny Pledges paid a glowing tribute to the R.A.F. ground many of Malta’s victories would never have been possible.’ BJb.NWM.HMC

themselves hoarse.’ Times of Malta cutting, BJb.NWM.HMC

11th

At 18.30

I was in the cookhouse and we scrambled under a table. During during night.

52 As before, this reference to Beurling was added later, and on the wrong date.

Sunday Times of Malta, 17 May 1942, BJb.NWM.HMC

14th

on drome during night.

13th 13.00 work of them all. It was glorious to see the b .. s coming down. A

At 18.00

‘An attack by Ju88s on Ta Kali ‘drome. May 12th 1942’, BJb.NWM.HMC

15th

16th

17th

18th

53 Referring to General Sir William Dobbie (Governor of Malta), and Air Vice Marshal Hugh Pughe Lloyd (Air during night.

Malta during the siege.] Some of these Yanks

Little activity. 3 Iti planes bombed Luqa. 4 JU88s bombed Ta Kali. Quiet during night.

19th + + + + + + + + 20th

Diary entry 23

May: ‘Jimmy was killed. Poor old Jimmy they got him at last.’

23rd

In a dusk attack on Luqa on the 20th, 4 JU88s dropped bombs on our slip-trench. Jimmy was killed. Poor old Jimmy they got him at last. I got away (God only know how) with minor injuries.54 Am now in M’tarfa hospital. I have had eight X rays. My chest is in a suit of plaster of paris. I feel like dying. But what of my darling wife?

54 Maybe not so minor after all. His chest did not get encased ‘in a suit of plaster of being bombed on 20 May is this sparse entry three days later, when he feels ‘like dying’ and his ‘only worry is headaches’. There is nothing further for a week. He headaches and weakness. He spends a month in hospital at Mtarfa (20 May –20 June) followed by sick leave. All this when ground crew were sorely needed were trying to return men to duty as soon Ben’s diary entries during his hospital and evidence of short term memory loss, into the record, such as the wrongly dated entries made this month regarding ‘Screwball’ Beurling. All this indicates injury, as well as chest injury. There is a pre-disposing him to depression in 1943, and it is worth noting that he apparently never realises the errors he made during this time. Two further examples will merchant vessels in Grand Harbour as being on 26 June, when they actually arrived on 16 June (when he was still in hospital). The most intriguing example though is his laconic entry a few weeks later, on 6 August, during preparations for Operation PEDESTAL: ‘At Luqa, we tested “forthcoming event”. Jimmy Bremner and I went up in our kite, “S” 4934 (See mention by Jinks in pg 162). We tested the cannons friend Jimmy had not been killed after all when Ben was blown up on 20 May, and that Ben’s head injury played serious tricks on his memory, then and for weeks afterwards. Jimmy Bremner is not buried in any CWGC cemetery in Malta. Ben never mentions when he discovered that Jimmy was still alive, he may even had forgotten what he’d written three days after his injury. However, Ben recovered the air over Malta until at least September 1943.

There are some Jerry prisoners in this ward. Some badly injured. I have had some very interesting conversations with some of them. I am feeling a lot better. My only worry is headaches.

1942

3rd

didn’t go much on me after that.

never thought I was so weak.

View of No 90 General Hospital where Ben was recovering, taken from the Military Barracks, Mtarfa, NWM.HMC

Map of Malta Medical Services [1942] by Sgt J A Critchley showing lines of evacuation.

90 General Hospital - the main military hospital on the island, with 1,200 beds, at Mtarfa - is clearly marked with a red cross on the left. TNA:WO 222/383 DDMS Malta, dated July 1942, available online at https://www.maltaramc. com/regsurg/rs1940_1949/ rmo1943.html

One

How good it is to have a good meal. I don’t relish going back to the 5th

which didn’t get back! Shot down on Luqa drome by Sqd Ldr Howe. June 1942 , BJb.NWM.HMC

6th but gave them back to them. A.A guns were 7th

10th

headache.

8th 9th bombed.

some chocolate in. I think she was English.

55 111999 War Service/ Captain (Temporary Major) George Bernstein MBE MB ChB RAMC, Medical Specialist at 90 General Hospital Mtarfa. https://www. maltaramc. bernsteinhgg.html

56 A 1939 American Savaard, a scientist who develops a procedure for bringing the dead back to life.

11th 12th had I not got her to look forward to.

13th 14th

15th a bit of a nuisance.

16th 17th

18th

Quiet day. Slept in afternoon. Went to hospital cinema in evening. Very good. “The Man they 56

19th

I heard I was leaving here tomorrow. Hope so.

20th

Was discharged was hospital today. Sleeping in a tent seems a big ‘come down’ after a nice hospital bed. On sick leave. Raid on Luqa during night. Hundreds of small bombs were dropped. The lads call them “Maconochie tins” 57

Went to hospital cinema in evening. Very good. “The Man they could not

(Image from Wikipedia)

The original Maconochie tin from where the bomb referred to by Ben Jinks gets its name because of it similar shape to the food tin, IWM, UK

21st

17.00

German WW2 anti-personnel

22nd

We learned the dis-heartening news that Tobruk had fallen.58 We shall have to tighten our belts even more now. A convoy from Gibraltar is expected in. If it gets here it should help things. Went swimming in afternoon. Had ‘big eats’ at the “Ben Marle”. Returned to camp. 17.30. Played cards. Won 35/4.

57 The small bombs Ben refers to were deadly Bombs’. The real Maconochie tins contained a beef and vegetable stew produced by the Aberdeen Maconochie Company. It was a widely used food ration for British Army soldiers during the Second Boer War, the First World War, and again in the Second World War in Malta.

58

disheartening news was that Operation HERCULES (the planned invasion of Malta) was cancelled two days later by Hitler, over-ruling Field Marshal Kesselring who had advocated invasion

was one of continuous raids. Hundreds of

Malta by May. The Germans and Italians did not have enough resources to mount simultaneous invasions of Malta and of Egypt. Rommel therefore proceeded with his land assault on Egypt instead his sea routes. By the end of June, the British 8th Army in North Africa had retreated to El Alamein, only sixty miles from Alexandria. Hitler was repeating the strategic error he committed when he abandoned Operation SEALION, the planned invasion of England after the Battle of Britain. This proved to be a strategic error of similar magnitude and was ultimately fatal to Rommel’s Afrika Korps.

this lot alive are faint.

and sunbathed. Sent Olive a cable.

BJb.NWM.HMC

Image and poster from ‘Test Pilot’ featuring Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy, and Clark Gable

Film Poster for ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame.’

59 Test Pilot’ is a 1938 Fleming, starring Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy, and featuring Lionel Barrymore. It tells the story of a daredevil test pilot (Gable), his wife (Loy), and his best friend (Tracy). Images of Wikipedia, creative commons licence.

60 This would have adaptation, produced in 1939, of Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel, ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’. The poster art copyright is believed to belong to the distributor Pictures, the publisher artist.

61 Almost certainly Flt Sgt Maurice Ernest Tomkins. See Roll of Honour in Malta, p.350.

62 Having been discharged from hospital on 20 June and still on sick leave, Ben appears to have inserted this paragraph on the wrong date: the two merchant vessels Orari and Troilus, the only survivors of the Operation Harpoon convoy, arrived from Gibraltar on 16th June, not the 26th.

29th

while we were at breakfast.

30th

crew managed to get out and were held in the lights.

Bombs dropped damaging buildings in other areas of Malta, BJb.NWM.HMC

1942

In afternoon a small formation of E.A were 18.55 far 4 bombers have been shot down. During in which the N.F. got another bomber.

2nd 10:15 5 Iti bombers came over with big 15.30 when another formation of bomber in half. 2 more were shot down at sea. In this raid 2 civilian and 3 airmen were watching the 19:50 Once again 5 more Iti bombers

09.00 5 Iti

62 A disused stone quarry near the end of the runway, was used for the disposal of crashed aircraft.

in the air. No 7 tent was in smoke. No 8 tent and L.A.C. Lonergan

Bloseham was on the scene and ordered the

At 12.30 re-erected our tent.

‘Fire caused by Iti bombers 4.7.42. Our tent was only

we managed to rescue most of the kit (which can escaped death this day by a hair’s breadth. This snap had died down. Luqa. July 1942’, BJb.NWM.HMC

At 16.40

now known that 3 of the 5 Iti bombers which came over at 09.00

Stand down until 19.00. Just after 08.00

their bombs. All clear 20.10. 20.35

raid being made, which was slight. Fleas were active.

At 07.45

08.20 All clear. Morning

12.00 when 3 Ju88s came over At 17.30 our old friends, the 5 Itis came over watching them, when the leading bomber

12 gun Hurricane, Luqa Malta, BJb.NWM.HMC

awful.

19.30 7 Ju88s

63 Thomas Keating’s Ltd London Insecticidal Veterinary Powder, developed in London in the early 19th century, containing pyrethrum. During World War II, the company moved into precision tools and since then has specialised in very high precision toolmaking

community, under the name ‘TK Instruments’. Instruments, access link [July 2023]: http://www. terahertz.co.uk/index. php?option=com_ content&view=article& id=132&Itemid=435

A

63 and it seems to

During afternoon a raid was made

World War II advert for Keating’s insecticidal powder

13th 07:25 Luqa was attacked by 15 to 20 Ju88s from high level. A.A but he landed O.K.

11:40 Another high level attack on Luqa by Ju88s. In this attack the bombs fell wide, hitting the Poorhouse and Leper Colony. Some airmen were killed. We had to make a dash from our tent when we heard the bombs coming down. I don’t like these high-level bombers. You can never tell when they have dropped their bombs. back 22.30. Got to bed 01.00. No raids during night.

14th 10:35 Ju88s raided Luqa. Bombs hit Siggiewi. A petrol bowzer was set ablaze. A shower of small dact [delayed action]bombs were dropped in this raid.

Rest of day – quiet. Went to Valletta in afternoon. Saw “Malta can take it” at the ‘Manoel’.64 I thought it was just a lot of bull- ----! Went over to Sliema and collected my photos. Had a good meal at “The Restaurant”. After today all cafes and restaurants are closing down. Went swimming at R.A.F. Gym. Met Rolyokes and went to Coliseum with him. Saw “Up the River”.65 Night was quiet.

‘Ferry from Valletta to Sliema. Building on right is R.A.F. gymnasium. It is now just a heap of rubble due to Jerry. Building in the background is one of the forts built by the Knights of St John.’ BJb.NWM.HMC

64 ‘Malta can take it’ – British Pathe newsreel, issued 5 May 1941. https://www. britishpathe.com/ video/malta-can-takeit/query/malta

‘A nice quiet spot where war seemed a long BJb.NWM.HMC

65 A 1930s American directed by John Ford and starred Spencer Tracy and Humphrey Bogart. The 1938 remake was directed by Alfred L. Werker and starred Preston Foster and Arthur Treacher, also featuring Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Up_the_ 147

At 15.30 was killed.

21th

14:10

shot a bomber down. One of the crew baled out and landed in sea.

At 17.10 several bombers came in and about and we could not see the bombers.

66 Jinks writes the word ‘Tajjeb’ phonetically ‘Tyab’ which means ‘Good’ in Maltese.

16.30 and no raid materialized.

In evening we cooked ourselves a good meal. Fried tomatoes, discontent among the men.

In this morning’s raid at 11.30, bombs hit the Poorhouse, killed 2 of 10.45 a small formation of Ju88s

23rd 09.30 10.45 clear 11.15

At 17.15

15.30

the tail of one bomber, giving him hell.

11.30

‘The 88 shot down by Spits during a raid on Luqa on July 24th 1942. One of the crew baled out. The rest were killed.’ BJb.NWM.HMC

‘A raid on Luqa by Ju88s on July 25th 1942’, BJb.NWM.HMC

the usual markers.

At 11.00

67 This is an intriguing allusion to Beurling, who actually shot down two Italian Macchi 202s during that morning’s raid, and two Me109s in the afternoon, thereby becoming Malta’s top-

At 14.10 engaged the bombers.

At 16.30 was shot through the stomach. He landed

escort.

At 12.15

09.30 7 Ju88s

29th

afternoon at 14.00

At 15.30

09.20. Last night some airmen

68 At the outbreak of war there was only one Air Sea Rescue High Speed Launch in Malta, HSL 107, based at Kalafrana. This famous rescue craft, broken up in 1945, performed invaluable service during the Battle of Malta when experienced aircrew were a priceless resource. From 194044 its crews rescued 67 Allied aircrew and 16 enemy aircrew. Throughout 1940-41, HSL 107, together with three seaplane tenders and twelve miscellaneous craft, did their best under the most hazardous conditions. Two new HSLs arrived in November 1941. One of these was destroyed in June 1942, but was replaced by another within weeks. Malta’s Air Sea Rescue Unit’s total for 1941 was 34 Allied and 12 enemy aircrew, but in 1942 the total was increased to 85 Allied and 40 enemy aircrew. Air Historical Branch: Air Publication 3232. The Second World War 1939-1945 Royal Air Force Air/Sea Rescue. (Air Ministry, 1952, pp.106-110)

https://www.raf.mod. uk/our-organisation/ units/air-historicalbranch/second-worldwar-thematic-studies/ ap-3232-air-searescue/

were all armed. and the Itis came on the stage. One of the

‘The Cant which was captured by the crew of a Beaufort operating from Luqa. Kalafrana Bay, July 1942’, BJb.NWM.HMC

11.30

‘Tre Stelle’ cigarette pack originally belonging to crew of Cant Seaplane, NWM.HMC

Commander] Stainforth

69 Further details are available online: ‘How an Times of Malta 8 September 2019 https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/italian-

70 Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park arrived in Malta on 8 July 1942 to replace Air Vice-Marshal Hugh Lloyd,

over 110 days of continual daily bombing, with as many as ten air raids a day, and Lloyd had done his best to defend Malta during the worst of this blitz with very few aircraft and pilots available to

could be better taken to the enemy, and bombers be intercepted before they arrived over the island.

hardened II Fliegerkorps in Sicily was Feldmarschall Albert Kesselring, his old adversary from the Battle of Britain.

71 The Schneider Trophy speed competition for biplanes and seaplanes (held twelve times between Britain and of Malta), as well as the North American P-51 Mustang and the Italian Macchi C.202 Folgore. https://www.schneidertrophy.fr/history/

72 Wing Commander George Hedley Stainforth

speed of 400 miles per hour, on 29 September 1931, shortly after helping win the Schneider Trophy for the RAF on 16 September. He was commanding 89

The Stainforth Trophy created in 1974 depicts in silver three supersonic aircraft and spiralling vapour trails soaring into the stratosphere, photo: Cpl Phil Major (view link in

September 1942 at Gharib, near the Gulf of Suez. He is buried at the British Cemetery Ismailia, Egypt. In 1974 the ‘Stainforth Trophy’ was created in his honour. It is awarded annually to the Station whose overall performance in the preceding calendar year operations, the development of its people, and its readiness to respond and adapt. The Station must also demonstrate that it has enhanced the RAF’s reputation and core values. https://www.raf.mod. uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-wittering/news/ raf-wittering-awarded-stainforth-trophy/

has been slight. No

on air test.71 He knows 72 He

crash it. A few nights ago we watched him

He was marvellous ----

The food this past week has been much better.

------- Our bread and sugar ration has been increased. ----- In a few days time we should see the “relief kites” of Malta coming in. -----During the night there was one slight raid. An enemy bomber was destroyed.

The month of July has passed. It has been a month of great work by the defences. The total number of Axis planes destroyed is 153. Making the total number of enemy machines since Italy entered the war to 886.

LAC Jinks’ Ration Card. July 1942, BJb.NWM.HMC

73 Guthrie of 185 Squadron was killed in action against Me109s on 2 August 1942. He had

HMS Eagle on 17 July, only two weeks before. During his time on Malta missions and one search mission. A photocopy of his Malta logbook entry, donated by his daughter Mary Cunningham in 1998, is held in the NWMA Air Archives, Box 20.

74 Operation PEDESTAL, a.k.a. the ‘Santa Marija’ convoy of August 1942, already en route from the Clyde.

75 The mention of Jimmy Bremner here is intriguing. See comment against diary entry for 23 May 1942 in pg 127.

down. A.A guns banged. It takes a lot to

from the R.A.F. crew, hence their name, NWM.HMC

the night.

11th

Glens, Beaus and Baltimores.76 Furious.]

76 Their arrival was associated with Operation PEDESTAL, commemorated in Malta to this day as the ‘Santa Marija’ convoy. The convoy had set sail from Scotland on 3 August, and passed through the Straits of Gibraltar during the night of 10th August. The

on 11 August, when the venerable HMS Eagle was sunk by four

the German submarine U-73, commanded by Kapitanleutnant Helmut Rosenbaum. The

Ben Jinks were actually carrier, HMS Furious, on Operation BELLOWS. The Royal Navy lost four warships battling this convoy through to Malta: aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, cruiser HMS Manchester, antiaircraft cruiser HMS Cairo, and destroyer HMS Foresight. Nine of the 14 merchant vessels in the convoy were also sunk: SS Almeria Lykes, SS Clan Ferguson, MV Deucalion, MV Dorset, MV Empire Hope, MV Glenorchy, SS Santa Elisa, MV Waimarama and MV Wairangi.

77 Ben Jinks was temporarily attached to 235 Squadron.

THE CONVOY ARRIVED

BJb.NWM.HMC

G.H.79

78 Rochester Castle, Melbourne Star and Port Chalmers, arriving safely at Grand Harbour between 06.00 –06.30hrs on 13 August.

79 MV Brisbane Star arrived on 14 August, a torpedo; the last surviving merchant vessel, the gallant tanker SS Ohio, actually arrived early on 15 August, rudderless and without power, slowly sinking with her decks almost awash after a torpedo hit and many near misses, towed into harbour strapped between HMS Penn and HMS Bramham. The captain of SS Ohio, Captain Dudley Mason, would be awarded the George Cross by King George VI on 4 September for bringing his ship through the ordeal. His medals, and memorabilia from SS Ohio, are now proudly displayed on board HQS Wellington, the headquarters of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners, on the River Thames. There is also a large display commemorating Operation PEDESTAL at the National War Museum, Fort St Elmo. See: The Heritage Malta

National War Museum, Heritage Malta, 2022.

was not until some time after that we realised how bad the situation was getting here.

Photograph of Captain Dudley Mason GC of SS Ohio the Operation, PEDESTAL display

Operation PEDESTAL display at the National War Museum, Fort St Elmo ©David Vassallo

During the morning a small formation of bombers tried to bomb the 15th

16th

17th

19th

In afternoon I went swimming at Sliema. Afterwards I went to 18th night.

20th

80 Twelve Beauforts from 39 Squadron with twelve

from 227 Squadron (newly formed at Luqa on 20 August) had carried out an unsuccessful torpedo attack against the Italian tanker Pozarica, escorted by destroyers,

coast of Italy (Ionian Sea). Two Beauforts and one

though the Beaufort crews were picked up by the destroyer escort. See: Ken Delve, Malta Strikes Back, Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2017, pp.211-212, and John Hamlin, Military Aviation in Malta GC 19151993, Peterborough: GMS Enterprises, 1994, p.95.

81

Donald Brisco, from navigator Sgt Douglas Paterson were shot down (Ben Jinks’ kite “S”) by Pozarica. Fortunately, they managed to swim to shore where they were taken prisoner, spending the rest of the war in prison camps. See http://www. aircrewremembered. com/brisco-donaldgilfrid.html

82 This second strike on 21 August against the tanker Pozarica, now nearing the coast of Greece, was successful. The tanker was hit by two torpedoes, and forced to beach herself. One Beaufort was downed, its crew being picked up by an escort destroyer. See: Malta Strikes Back, op cit.

them, and a battle went on. Several kites

Baltimore came in with engine-trouble.

‘One of our kites which returned from a raid on Sicily. Luqa. Aug 1942’, BJb.NWM.HMC

24th went.

night. I got out of bed 31 times to s__t.

25th

during night.

83 Probably the 1938 version of the original 1932 American auto-

84 69 Squadron had been much depleted during the January–May 1942

Maryland was withdrawn by the end of April, as the Squadron began re-equipping with newly arriving PR (photo-

It was reinforced with Baltimores in June and July. Adrian Warburton, now a Squadron Leader, took over as Commanding

and 69 Squadron was split into three Flights: ‘A’ Flight operating Baltimores, ‘B’ Flight

and ‘C’ Flight operating special duties Wellingtons. Simultaneously, on 20 August 1942 a detachment of

Squadron at Luqa was designated 227 Squadron and became operational immediately, escorting Beauforts in their attacks on enemy shipping. It was during this period of re-organisation that Ben Jinks was re-assigned from 69 to 235 and then 227 Squadron. See squadron histories in John Hamlin’s Military Aviation in Malta GC (op cit) (69 Squadron pp.83-86; 227 Squadron pp.95-96), and also

https://web.archive.org/ web/20150924123030/ http://www.raf.mod.uk/ history/227squadron.cfm.

Several warnings during the night, but no

Children’s enthusiasm on St Barbara Bastions, Valletta, greeting the arrival of what was left of the life-saving Operation PEDESTAL, locally aka ‘Sta Maria Convoy’, NWM.HMC

85 A 1939 American colonial Australia.

86 The serious interruption to Axis convoy supplies by Malta-based planes, refuelled and re-armed following the Operation PEDESTAL convoy of mid-August, materially

of the Battle of El Alamein in late October, and ultimately the outcome of the whole of the North African campaign.

87 A 1939 British thriller novel ‘The Four Just Men’ by Edgar Wallace. The Four Men are British World War I veterans who unite to work in secret against enemies of the country.

by Ben

slight injuries.

13th

During night there was two warnings. searchlights were in action. Some bombs

14th

engaged them, also A.A guns.

88 ‘Balalaika’ was a 1939 American musical on the 1936 London stage musical of the same name. It follows the romance of a Prince and a singer (a secret revolutionary) in Imperial Russia on the eve of World War I.

89 ‘At the Circus’ was a 1939 Metro-Goldwynstarring the Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo and Chico) in which they help save a circus from bankruptcy.

15th

90 ‘The Man in the Iron Mask’ is a 1939 on the 1850 novel by Alexandre Dumas, drawing on the French legend of the Man in the Iron Mask, and featuring D’Artagnan and the Three Musketeers.

little chance of leaving this cursed island this

91 Electrical storm during night.

26th

29th

20:00

but went out to sea. A.A guns were in action.

91 ‘Remember?’ was an American romantic comedy released on 19 December 1939, starring Robert Taylor, Greer Garson and Lew Ayres. It was rushed into production to capitalise on the publicity generated by Greer appearance earlier that year, in the deservedly still popular ‘Goodbye Mr Chips’.

92 ‘Bullets or Ballots’ is a 1936 gangster

Robinson, Joan Blondell, Barton MacLane, and Humphrey Bogart. Robinson plays a police a crime gang. This is featuring both Robinson and Bogart.

‘Beau Fighter’, Luqa, Malta BJb.NWM.HMC

after 22:00

3rd

good. the sea.

2nd night, but it was our machines that came in.

4th

10th

THE OCTOBER BLITZ

11th

Altogether we have had 7 warnings. A.A guns searchlights were in action.

07.30 the warning went. A few mins later 3 bombers and dozens of

93 The three surviving Wigmore, Crow and HSL 128. For more information about this and other rescues, see Call-Out - A wartime diary of air/sea rescue operations at Malta by Frederick Galea, Malta: Bieb Bieb, 2002.

according to the O.P. 3 E.A were shot down. At 10.50

Plans of German air attacks on Luqa 9-10 October 1942, NWM.HMC

At 12.00 another raid was engaged them and a bomber drome as a result of this action.

Soon after dark (18.00 lasted over an hour. The enemy bombers came in in twos and threes at intervals of about 5 mins. Many bombs hit the drome and dispersal

A.A guns were in action and several bombers were caught in the searchlights. Showers of explosive incendiaries were dropped. Reviewing the day’s attacks, it seems as if Jerry has returned to Sicily and has decided to give us a tough time. I only hope my nerves will stand up to it.

My stomach has given me much trouble today, and I am feeling ill. -. – During the night there were continuous raids. Hundreds of heavy bombs and incendiaries were dropped at scattered points. Flares were used and it seemed like day. a/c destroyed, 24 damaged.

This morning at 06.30 7 Ju88s attacked Luqa. Paddy, Miller, Dibden and myself did not have time to get to a shelter. We watched the bombs leave the kites, and knew they would fall close to us. They did! Shrapnel whistled

riddled. A few minutes later 5 more Ju88s

Luqa. All clear went 07.00. At 09.45 Luqa was again attacked. Bombs fell on Siggiewi dispersal. A few mins later 6 Ju88s bombed T.K. Spits were up and engaged them. An M.E and a Ju88 came screaming down, out of control. The pilot of the M.E baled out. At 11.30 warning went but no raid materialized.

During this afternoon several formations of bombers have approached the island. Each time Spits engaged them. Up to 16.00 hrs 15 E.A have been shot down.

At 18.00 warning went. It was just getting dark and a slight storm was over the island. Half an hour later the storm had passed over the island and in came the enemy bombers. A.A guns blazed away as the raiders dived on Luqa, dropping many bombs. Searchlights picked up several of the raiders and Bofor guns went into action. Beaus were airborne and succeeded in destroying one of the The rest of night was of continuous attacks which got so bad I took my bed in a shelter.

Over the past 24 hrs 24 E.A have been destroyed and 41 damaged.

13.10, when Ju88s with

At 16.50 another raid was made on the island. 7 Ju88s and M.Es came in from the

15th

21.15

a scattered area. After this raid the night was is 23 certs.

07.00

waiting for the fun to start. 07.50

with their noses down. Bombs have left, and

like little terriers.

07:40

Following this raid there was two warnings, but no bombers got in.

At 16.30 16th 07:00 At 07.15

07.45

After this raid there were two more warnings, but no bombers came in.

At 10.25 them. Could not see results. 16.30 6 Ju88s got over the island and bombed

best actions I have witnessed. 2 88s came During the night there was two slight raids. A.A guns were in action.

17th 07:10

we saw several bombers coming in their work. All clear 07.30 were two warnings following this raid but no raids materialized.

At 12.30

went. At the same time 4 B.C. M.Es bombed 13.15.

A warning went at 17.30, and several 18.00 18.30

bombs around the drome. A.A guns and lights were in action. A.A

19.00

‘The Last of the Barnwells.’ In memory of 19-year old Pilot

DFC RAF, killed in action over Malta in October 1942, and of his two brothers, also killed serving with the RAF, and their father, designer of the Blenheim and the Beaufort, killed while testing a new aircraft. ‘They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old’, BJb.NWM.HMC

06.45

hide and seek with the M.Es.

High clouds. Sunshine. 23rd

ops

Just after 07.00 24th

25th

buggered about with so much before.

10:30

drome when M.Es came in low 12.30

afternoon Dibden, Stan Evans and

You never know when a M.E will dive down.

Our bread ration has again been reduced.

moved into Poorhouse.

was one alert. No raid.

94 Probably ‘zejt’, Maltese word for cooking oil.

95 meaning goodbye.

some success.

31st

at all now. All our Beaus have gone to M.E

95 It has

‘A Wimpey which crashed at Luqa after a bombing trip over Tripoli. The crew were all killed.’ BJb.NWM.HMC

3rd

1942

14.00

our machines until 16.00. Stand down until 07.30 tommorrow. Grub 10th

Nothing doing in morning. In afternoon

13th

On returning 2 Beaus crashed. One Beau

14th

not returned. No lights in billet at night. Got

15th

island at one time. A N.F. Beau went out to crashed into sea. No lights in billet.

16th

in A.M 02.30. Got wet until 07.30 tommorrow.

made to locate the crews of the 3 Beaus.

24th

treat us like a lot of dogs.

this is not the beginning of another blitz. It started at this time last

25th

3 ½ miles.

26th

we got a billet after some messing about.

27th

good grub. Bought a lot of tea and

28th

to Mosta. took it to Air Vice Marshall Park.

29th

30th

was 1 sausage. However, this cook seems all out

Ben’s Troop Berthing Card, BJb.NWM.HMC

1942

Had a smashing meal. I feel grand after it.

A.A guns were in action.

and mending.

some trouble. Several big Merchant Vessels arrived in the Grand

8th

most of day. Won a bit. Rained slightly in afternoon. Left drome 16.30. Food today has not been much.

Had some bad news from Peterboro’. Win dangerously ill.

Stayed in billet at night and wrote to Milly. Turned in 20.00.

9th

dinner on the drome was disgusting. reason.

10th

Our Beaus have been out and made

I’m starving. I went out this evening

Airmen’s Trek in Africa BJb.NWM.HMC

caused it.

about waiting for the bus to come and bring us back to Mosta. Our NCO

96 The “dog” – severe gastroenteritis, either borne, and viral or bacterial in origin, causing debilitating vomiting and diarrhoea. Very common under siege conditions, hence the euphemism ‘Malta Dog’.

blue to go out in but a civilian lent us two suits. He said we could

25th

CHRISTMAS DAY IN ALGIERS

25TH DECEMBER 1942

Started work at dawn. Finished at dusk. In evening we had a drunk, but I was not sick. Don’t remember getting to bed.

97 Got a 26th

97 Canadian Flight Lieutenant Dallas Schmidt DFC.

Wishing you a Very Happy Christmas

George Cross Island, NWM.HMC

round to see how we were. He laughed like hell when he saw us in

98 Presumably taken at Naxxar immediately before Ben and Paddy left for Algiers on 22 December. 31st

Written by Ben Jinks at the back of the photograph illustrated overleaf:

‘The detachment of 227 Sqdn on the roof of our ‘Hotel’. Xmas 1942.98

Left to right:L.A.C Jinks, L.A.C Crouch, L.A.C Miller, L.A.C. Fuller, L.A.C. Robjohns. L.A.C Fitzjohn, L.A.C Hoey. L.A.C. Walton. Cpl Nottingham.

BJb.NWM.HMC

1st

being the last meal in Algiers we made the most of it.

2nd

tea at the new cookhouse on the drome.

winds. Breakfast was not too bad.

wish I could get a letter home to this joint.

First page of Ben

breakfast. I got a new machine this morning. In afternoon we were

On returning at 16.00

to tea 16.00

9th

All cinemas and bars are now closed cold.

99 An epidemic of Infantile Paralysis (Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis) struck Malta between 15 November 1942 and March 1943,

57 servicemen. 82% of the victims were Maltese children

mortality rate was high in the military (19.3%) and low among civilians (3.5%), the chief cause of death being respiratory paralysis. Residual disability among survivors was considerable.

bless

her.

16th night.

struck him and I told him he had accused me witnesses and agreed that the game was dismiss the case and did not want to hear of us gambling again.

for over three weeks. During the night there

17th night but there was no raid.

18th

23rd

moving to Castel Benito aerodrome. One

100 Castel Benito aerodrome was a Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) military in the southern outskirts of Italian Tripoli, in Libya. It was captured by the British 8th Army on 23 January 1943. Subsequently, it was renamed RAF Castel Benito and was used by several RAF squadrons in the desert war and in the battle for Tunisia.

He asked us how

101 Sir Charles Portal was highest post in the RAF, from 1941-1945.

night.

with pilots of No. 126 Squadron R.A.F. outside their crew room at Luqa during his visit to

28th

afternoon. night.

high for us to see them.

During the night there was one warning

I don’t like him. He has messed us about Castel Benito this evening.

‘

‘Some of the lads of 227 Squadron Ta Kali 1943’

6th

was main target.

me much discomfort.

8th

as from tomorrow.

7th of the station engineer, to give evidence on Brum. Case was remanded until tomorrow.

M.C. tried the case of A.C. Brum. L.A.C. Jones and I gave evidence.

15th

102 These six merchant ships brought in enough supplies to stock Malta with food to the end of July 1943. Malta’s siege had been well and truly lifted.

evening. Poor show.

16th

trick after the hard work we have done. Have

17th 18th

20th

19th night.

26th

Siren went at 05.50. All clear 06.10

nothing has come. I wish she would write long.

1943

Had a beautiful dream about Olive last night. weather is wonderful. well.

2nd the island. Did some reading at night. In bed

3rd

4th

15th

16th21st

Nothing worth recording has occurred during wet. More rumours are circulating about us get it.

22nd

23rd30th

too good. I did a little swimming but it was

very cold. On the whole things were not up to much. Arrived back in camp 09.45. Had an inoculation in afternoon. Went to camp cinema in evening. Not so hot.

Received letters from Mill and Win. Received sad news that poor little Keith was dead. We certainly have some bad luck in our family.

Well, the month has gone by very quickly. News is very good from Tunisia. Several army regiments have left the island. No news of us darling wife. God Bless her and keep her safe for me.

headaches and dizziness. I expect it is through being blown up at Luqa. Received some Sacarines from Mill today.

1943

2nd

3rd to cinema at night.

4th night.

5th now have a Balloon Barrage over the Grand and Fred.

6th little. I could just go one of Olive’s omelettes.

7th cinema at night.

8th

Endeavoured to write a letter to Olive, but couldn’t get an

25th27th

28th

God Bless Her.

Feeling more comfortable. Managed to get 29th

30th

all I look forward to.

1943

AXIS FORCES IN TUNISIA

SURRENDERED TO ALLIES

13TH MAY 1943

As above 4th

As above 5th

As above 6th

7th

8th

9th

Feeling much better. Pain almost gone.

Started work. Did a few light jobs. A.A guns

21.00. It is even heavier than during the blitz.

over G.H. now.

19th

103 The Axis Forces in Tunisia surrendered to the Allies on 13 May 1943, bringing to an end the North African campaign. 267,000 German and Italian soldiers became prisoners of war.

104 ‘Ambush’ is a 1939 American drama

20th

no raid materialized. During evening we swim after tea.

06.30 we had

21st

A.A guns gave them a warm welcome. I saw E/A was seen coming down. Several warnings

Neumann and written by Laura Perelman and S. J. Perelman. Its plot involves a daring daylight robbery and hostage taking, with a spice of romance. ‘Riders of the Purple Sage’ is a 1941 American Western by James Tinling.

105 Neutral Port’ is a 1940 directed by Marcel Varnel

Entertaining National Service Association

22nd

dinner hour and in evening. this morning, in which we had to take cover.

to cinema in evening.

Leslie Banks, Yvonne Arnaud, and Phyllis Calvert, with a supporting role for Wally Patch. A British merchant ship is torpedoed by a German U-boat and takes shelter in a neutral port. The Captain then strikes back at the German enemy.

106 Bahama Passage’ is a 1941 American drama

Madeleine Carroll and Sterling Hayden, set in the Bahamas (where else!).

26th

swimming.

107 ‘Hellzapoppin’ is a of Hellzapoppin, the humorous Broadway musical that ran from 1938 to 1941. It was produced by Universal Pictures and directed by H. C. Potter.

27th 05:30

28th 05:30 not do that.

07:30 hour, and again in evening. Never went to instead.

29th 05:30

30th 05:30 Swim. 10:30 bit scorched. before.

were in action. Bombs in sea.

31st 05:30 Swim. 07.00

now derationed. 07.15 ceased sweating once.

With supplies constantly running low, convoys entering the harbour attracted crowds, like this one at the bastion opposite a ravaged Sacra Infermeria in Valletta watching the remnants of Operation PEDESTAL limping into the Grand Harbour, NWM.HMC

1943

1st

Swim.

2nd Swim.

two occasions. A.A guns active. Swim.

3rd

4th bad.

Swim. Some invasion barges came

as if we shall be seeing some action

6th 7th

8th 9th

Pantelleria surrenders. 10th

11th

12th

interesting. She was in Gib when I was last there. No cinema at night.

13th

14th 15th

17th

God Bless Her.

18th

A.A guns in action.

20th

21st

27th

weather continues to be glorious.

and in afternoon. Did not do much work. Ack.

1943

1st

INVASION OF SICILY

10TH JULY 1943

good.

Olive has not wrote.

2nd night. 9 till 1 shift.

3rd 4th

108

Source: Air Historical Branch: RAF Narrative (First Draft) The Middle East Campaigns Volume XI Malta June 1940May 1945 (op cit)

wife.

Special Order of the Day by AVM Park announcing the invasion while soliciting the ground crews’ support, BJb.NWM.HMC

109 Operation HUSKY, the invasion of Sicily on 10 July 1943, was coordinated from the War Rooms beneath Lascaris Bastion, Valletta. The Lascaris War Rooms, and the adjacent War HQ for the Malta Defences in the siege of 1940-1943, have been restored and are under the care of Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna.

110 By the eve of the invasion of Sicily on 10 July, no fewer than were based in Malta and Gozo (where a temporary airstrip had been constructed to house three suadrons of USAAF reconnaissance units, in all totalling some 400

Frederick Galea. over Sicily – The crucial in the Battle of Sicily, January – August 1943, London: Grub Street, 2000.

111 feverish and debilitating illness, accompanied by headache, lasting around four days, transmitted in abundance in the rocky dusty conditions of summertime Malta.

112 The last bombs to fall on the Maltese Islands were on the night of 26-27 July

attempt to disrupt the invasion. They were too late, the tide of war had turned.

Not much news of the invasion. Aircraft from 12th13th

15th26th

Ops Room table at Lascaris War Rooms Valletta

Special Order of the Day, dated 17 July 1943: General Eisenhower’s message for a successful invasion, BJb.NWM.HMC

113 Extract from front page Times of Malta, 5 August, 1943

NWM.HMC

EISENHOWER TO GORT’S MALTA 113

The following historic statement was made in Malta on August 1, 1943, by General Eisenhower, the Allied Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, when he arrived here for talks with Field Marshal The Viscount Gort V.C., and Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham.

John Gunther’s exclusive story of the historic occasion upon which this statement was made appears on page 4 of this issue [Times of Malta, 5 August 1943].

Eisenhower’s Statement:

through the stages of woeful unpreparedness, tenacious endurance, intensive preparation, and the initiation of a of attack until the whole task is complete. For this inspiring Field Marshal Lord Gort, the Fighting Services under his much.

How I love her. She will never know how much.

RAF Air Sea Rescue Service Malta 1940-44, Aviation Museum, Ta’ Qali

5th

hangar.

Malta. 114

12th

and several more small craft have arrived. If 1942 we should have had to surrender.

leave. Swam and 13th

As above. 14th 15th

114 For detail, see Joseph Caruana, Destination Malta – The Surrender of the Italian Fleet

September 1943, Malta: Wise Owl Publications, and The Heritage Malta

National War Museum, Heritage Malta, 2022, pp.72-73.

With supplies constantly running low during the war, convoys entering the harbour always attracted crowds, like this one at the bastion opposite a ravaged Sacra Infermeria in Valletta watching the remnants of the iconic Operation PEDESTAL limping into the Grand Harbour, NWM.HMC

The original RAF Luqa ensign used between 1940St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Valletta

Donation record of Ben Jinks, 1994

EPILOGUE

‘Be pleased to inform their Lordships that the Italian fortress of Malta.’

Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean,

Signal to the Admiralty, 11 September 1943, on arrival of the

Quote from books by Philip Vella, Malta: Blitzed but not beaten, 1985, and by Winston Churchill The Second World War: Their Finest Hour 1949

Franklin Roosevelt scroll, dated 7 December 1943 – highly symbolic date as it falls exactly two years after Pearl Harbour – at the Malta National Library, Valletta

George Cross Island painting - Malta Maritime Museum, Heritage Malta, Birgu

Ben Jinks’ enrolment in Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Selected photographs taken in 1941, BJb.NWM.HMC

August 1941. Taken Aug 15th Luqa, Malta’, BJb.NWM.HMC

to join the Free French Forces, when he transitted through Malta.

cowing.html

Jim Mollison

MALTA. 1941’, BJb.NWM.HMC

‘Refuelling Glen Martin, 6 May 1941’, BJb.NWM. HMC

‘One of the many 4000 lb bombs which were dropped on Tripoli

‘Bill Hill, ‘Refuelling tanker’, September 1941, Luqa Malta’, BJb.NWM.HMC

‘Taken at Luqa Malta 1941. Some of the lads in our billet.’ BJb.NWM.HMC

‘Taken at Malta 1941. View of Sliema.’ BJb.NWM.HMC

‘Taken at Luqa Malta 1941. Holes in billet [on right of photo] made by Messerschmitt cannon shells’, BJb.NWM.HMC

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books referred to in footnotes to this Diary

Anton Camilleri.

Brian Cull, Frederick Galea.

Brian Cull, Frederick Galea.

Brian Cull, Frederick Galea.

Brian Cull, Frederick Galea.

Brian Cull, Frederick Galea.

Denis Barnham.

Ed Gordon.

Heritage Malta.

James Holland.

1943

Laddie Lucas.

Michael Galea.

Paul McDonald. Ladies of Lascaris

Peter Jacobs.

Malta: Blitzed but not Beaten

Wreath commemorating Commonweath Air Force personnel who lost their lives in Malta and the Mediterranean during World War II, George Cross Island Association

Other sources mentioned in footnotes to this Diary

machine_gun

Other recommended reading: Charles B Grech.

The Malta Memorial, Floriana, commemorating the 2,301 Commonwealth Air Force personnel who lost their lives in Malta and the Mediterranean during World War II and who have no known grave - the Memorial was unveiled by the late Queen Elizabeth II on 3 May 1954

It is only by a miracle and God’s will that I am able to continue this diary…I and several more airmen …were in bed. Time being 07.15. When we heard Jerry up above, Blake got up to see where they were heading…“Its O.K they’re bombing the G.H” so we turned over. A few minutes later we heard a kite diving, then the scream of bombs. Our ward (No4) was hit by three bombs. Doors and windows came in. Dust choked us. We were covered with stones. As the dust cleared we looked up. Where the roof was once, was a blue sky. Girders had fallen on top of us, and saved us. We were alive! Rescuers came, expecting to

In Ward 30 some R.W.Ks were not as lucky. 4 of them were killed. I shall never forget this day...

Bernard Jinks

25th April 1942