Siege of Malta (World War II)
In June 1940, the British Crown Colony of Malta held a population of around 250,000 people. Most lived within two miles of Grand Harbour, where density exceeded six times the island average. Valletta housed 23,000 souls in just one square mile. Across the water, the Three Cities packed another 28,000 residents into a similar footprint. These small zones became the primary targets for aerial bombardment throughout the war. The island sat as the only Allied base between Gibraltar and Alexandria, Egypt. Its location allowed air and sea forces to attack Axis shipping moving through the central Mediterranean. General Erwin Rommel recognized this threat immediately upon arriving in North Africa. He warned that without Malta, the Axis would lose control of North Africa by May 1941. Despite this strategic value, pre-war defenses were virtually nonexistent. The Admiralty had moved the Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet headquarters from Valletta to Alexandria in October 1939. Only a monitor ship and a few submarines remained on the island itself. When Maltese officials questioned this decision, they received assurances that defense could be maintained from Alexandria. This claim proved false when Mussolini declared war on the 10th of June 1940. By that date, only six obsolete Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes stood ready to defend the skies. Six more Gladiators waited in crates, never assembled before the first bombs fell.
On the first day of Italian attacks, fifty-five bombers and twenty-one fighters dropped one hundred forty-two bombs across three airfields at Luqa, Hal Far, and Ta Qali. No RAF force existed to intercept them. Ten Gladiators in crates became known as Faith, Hope, and Charity because no more than three flew at once. Pilots were mostly boat aircrew with zero fighter experience. One Gladiator went down while others shot down several Italian aircraft. Later raids brought thirty-eight bombers escorted by twelve fighters over the capital. Casualties were primarily civilian since dockyards suffered little damage. On June 11, an Italian reconnaissance flight lost its plane to ground fire. Twelve Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers escaped France to reach Hal Far base on June 19. They formed the nucleus of what would become 830 Naval Air Squadron. These planes raided Sicily within days, sinking one destroyer and damaging a cruiser. By July, Hawker Hurricanes began replacing the aging Gladiators. A squadron called No. 261 RAF organized defenses that month. Twelve Hurricanes arrived via carrier in August, marking the start of multiple supply batches. Another attempt to fly twelve more Hurricanes failed catastrophically on November 17. Eight aircraft crashed due to fuel exhaustion after taking off too far west. Two pilots died while another was rescued by a Short Sunderland flying boat. By year's end, the RAF claimed forty-five Italian aircraft destroyed. The Italians admitted losing twenty-three bombers and twelve fighters, plus hundreds damaged.
Fliegerkorps X under Hans Ferdinand Geisler arrived in Sicily on the 10th of January 1941 with ninety-five aircraft and fourteen thousand three hundred eighty-nine men. Their first target became the new aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. Ten Ju 87 dive-bombers attacked unopposed while six others scored direct hits. One bomb destroyed a gun, another hit near the bow, and two wrecked lifts below deck causing massive explosions. Six minutes of bombing killed one hundred twenty-six crew members and wounded ninety-one. Andrew Cunningham watched from the battleship Valiant as the carrier steered toward Grand Harbour for repairs. Over twelve days workers repaired the ship under constant air attack. On January 23 she left for Alexandria, eventually sailing to America for a year-long overhaul. The Luftwaffe lost only seven aircraft during these operations yet proved land-based air power could sink capital ships. In February, Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-7 fighters of Jagdgeschwader 26 arrived led by Oberleutnant Joachim Müncheberg. These experienced pilots claimed forty-two victories including twenty credited to Müncheberg alone. RAF Hurricanes deteriorated rapidly without spare parts or replacement engines. Five Hurricanes arrived early March but five more were lost immediately. Another six came on March 18 before losing five again. By March 1, all Wellington bombers brought in October had been destroyed. Over 107 Axis attacks occurred in February and 105 in March. Around fourteen thousand men volunteered for labor duties while rationing began reducing morale. All males aged sixteen to fifty-six joined the Royal Malta Artillery guarding Grand Harbour. Civilian casualties remained low despite heavy destruction. Nearly sixty thousand people fled cities by May 1941, with eleven thousand leaving Valletta alone. Seventy percent of churches lay reduced to rubble by December 1941.
August 1942 saw Operation Pedestal bring vital relief to the besieged island at enormous cost. One hundred forty-six Ju 88 bombers, seventy-two Bf 109 fighters, sixteen Ju 87s, two hundred thirty-two Italian fighters, and one hundred thirty-nine Italian bombers attacked the convoy. Fourteen merchant ships departed but only nine reached their destination safely. Nine were sunk including the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle along with one cruiser and three destroyers. British destroyers saved nine hundred fifty crew members from Eagle's sinking. Two freighters from the western convoy reached Malta delivering twenty-five thousand tons of supplies. This made them the sole survivors out of seventeen total ships attempting delivery. Sixteen additional pilots died during these operations. Food and water shortages threatened starvation across the population. Clothing became scarce as leather disappeared forcing people to use curtains and tires for shoe soles. Livestock had been slaughtered entirely. Poor nutrition spread disease among civilians. Soldiers' rations dropped from four thousand calories daily down to two thousand. The Royal Navy sent two separate convoys in June: Operation Harpoon from Gibraltar and Operation Vigorous from Haifa and Port Said. Both failed completely despite heavy losses inflicted on Axis forces. Only two freighters from the western group delivered any cargo while others sank or turned back. The eastern convoy retreated after naval engagements left insufficient ammunition to reach Malta.
On the 7th of March 1942, sixteen Spitfire Mk Vs flew to Malta from HMS Ark Royal under Operation Spotter. Another run by Eagle delivered nine more aircraft shortly thereafter. By April 13, Eagle dispatched forty-seven additional planes via Operation Calendar with only one lost. Despite matching Axis capabilities, many delivered Spitfires were destroyed on ground or air before reaching squadrons. For five days in April just one Spitfire remained available; for two days none existed at all. On May 9, Wasp and Eagle delivered sixty-four more Spitfires through Operation Bowery. Five full squadrons now defended the island including numbers 126, 185, 249, 601, and 603. On May 10, Axis forces lost sixty-five aircraft destroyed or damaged during large air battles. Hurricanes focused on lower-level bombers while Spitfires engaged enemy fighters higher above. From May 18 to June 9, Eagle made three runs carrying another seventy-six Spitfires. With such force established, RAF commanders could handle any Axis attack. Air superiority shifted decisively toward Allied forces by spring 1942. Kesselring reported his forces reduced to merely thirteen reconnaissance aircraft plus thirty-four bombers compared to several hundred months earlier. In July, Air Vice Marshal Keith Park replaced Hugh Lloyd as Air Officer Commanding. Park arrived by flying boat landing directly into an ongoing raid despite warnings from his predecessor. He implemented Forward Interception Plans officially issued the 25th of July 1942 forcing Axis daylight raids to cease within six days. Ju 87 dive-bombers withdrew entirely from operations over Malta.
By November 1942, Axis forces lost control of North Africa following the Second Battle of El Alamein. Allies landed troops in Morocco and Algeria under Operation Torch diverting German attention away from Malta. Attacks on the island decreased significantly allowing air and sea forces operating from there to go offensive again. December 1942 marked the beginning of sustained counterattacks against Axis shipping lanes. By May 1943, Allied forces had sunk two hundred thirty Axis ships across one hundred sixty-four days achieving the highest sinking rate of the entire war. This victory played a major role in eventual success throughout North Africa while serving as a base for invading Sicily. Submarines commanded by Ian McGeoch, Hugh Mackenzie, David Wanklyn, and Lennox Napier achieved ace status through constant patrols. One submarine alone sank seven thousand twenty tons of oil exports from Romania leading Hitler to complain directly to Karl Dönitz. Estimated tonnage sunk by British U-class submarines reached six hundred fifty thousand tons with another four hundred thousand damaged. HMS Talbot supplied seventeen hundred ninety torpedoes supporting these efforts. Surface fleets returned to central Mediterranean waters only after January 1942 when Kesselring intensified attacks against their bases. Two-thirds of Italian merchant fleet disappeared during 1942 operations. Twenty-five percent lost to British submarines and thirty-seven percent destroyed by aircraft denied half of all supplies needed by Rommel's army.
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Common questions
What was the population of Malta in June 1940?
The British Crown Colony of Malta held a population of around 250,000 people in June 1940. Most residents lived within two miles of Grand Harbour where density exceeded six times the island average.
When did Italy declare war on Malta during World War II?
Mussolini declared war on the 10th of June 1940 when only six obsolete Gloster Sea Gladiator biplanes stood ready to defend the skies. Six more Gladiators waited in crates and were never assembled before the first bombs fell.
How many Axis ships were sunk by Allied forces from May 1943?
Allied forces had sunk two hundred thirty Axis ships across one hundred sixty-four days by May 1943. This achievement represented the highest sinking rate of the entire war and played a major role in success throughout North Africa.
Which Operation brought vital relief to Malta in August 1942?
Operation Pedestal brought vital relief to the besieged island at enormous cost in August 1942. Fourteen merchant ships departed but only nine reached their destination safely including two freighters that delivered twenty-five thousand tons of supplies.
Who commanded the Luftwaffe unit that arrived in Sicily on January 10 1941?
Fliegerkorps X under Hans Ferdinand Geisler arrived in Sicily on the 10th of January 1941 with ninety-five aircraft and fourteen thousand three hundred eighty-nine men. Their first target became the new aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious which they attacked unopposed.