Malta - Diary of a War 1940-1945

This Diary provides a lasting tribute to the garrison and the civilian population of Malta who have either fallen victims during or survived the epic siege of World War Two. As a result of its geographical and strategical position, Malta played its role first as a most vital outpost of defence, and then as an advanced base for attack. From a besieged island, Malta became a besieging driving force, from a defensive base it became an offensive platform intercepting Axis convoys plying between Sicily and Africa. This Diary, endeavours to give a graphic day-to-day description of events of the wartime ordeal as experienced by the peoples of the Maltese islands. It gives the inside story of the war as the Maltese people lived and survived it.

This is the Malta Story; the war as seen from the Malta front. On the background of the population figures for the Maltese islands during the war years, it is generally believed that, with the exception of Germany, the Maltese islands had a much higher percentage rate of casualties/deaths through enemy action than Britain, and, therefore, probably greater than in any other country. Without the rock shelters the blitz in Malta would have had a more disastrous and catastrophic effect.