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 the least considered.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 night here.

Malta. Fighters over Malta, p.312.

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

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

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

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. the invasion of Sicily. knocking 2 down.21

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

10th nice landing.

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.

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

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

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/) 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

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.

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

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

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

‘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.

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)

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.

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

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

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

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

13th 14th 10:45 11:30

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

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 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 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. was made at 07.15 10.00 13.00 was on but were shot watched a Hurricane go into the A.A barrage 19.00. Night 12.30 a big 14.10.

1942, London: Grub Street Publishing, 2013.

‘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 clear 15.35

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

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.

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

19.45 5 Itis came over.

BJb.NWM.HMC

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

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

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.

1942

3rd didn’t go much on me after that. never thought I was so weak.

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

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

10th headache. some chocolate in. I think she was English.

8th 9th bombed.

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

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 this lot alive are faint.

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.

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

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

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

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

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 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

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/

11.30

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/

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 the night.

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.

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.