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“Rations have during the month been considerably reduced, and it is now a case of tightening belts until the next convoy comes in.” (1)
Kingsway, May 1942 (NWMA Malta)
MAY 1942: THE ARMY VIEW
At the beginning of this month it became obvious that the enemy were not maintaining as many aircraft on the Sicilian aerodromes. The attacks on this Island were on a reduced scale. On 9th the Island received large reinforcements of Spitfires. On 10th a minelaying cruiser brought supplies of Bofors ammunition to the Island and this ship was heavily bombed by JU 88s and JU 87s during its stay in the Dockyard.
The enemy was surprised to find over 60 Spitfires in the air waiting for him and also the heaviest Ack Ack barrage that has been seen over Malta for some months. The result was – on that day the enemy lost 63 aircraft destroyed or damaged.
Since that time we have had air superiority over the Island. Since this heavy defeat the enemy used mainly Italian aircraft and crews in his attacks and, although the raids have been on a much smaller scale, the percentage of enemy aircraft damaged or destroyed has been very high. Towards the end of the month bombing raids against Italian targets were resumed from this Island.
A feature of the month has been the increase of enemy E Boat activity around the Island. Undoubtedly some of these boats have been engaged in mine laying but this is probably not the only explanation of their activities. On 17th some of these E Boats were engaged by our coast defences and one was left abandoned. Rather than let this boat fall into our hands and reveal its secrets it was bombed and sunk by enemy aircraft. On 18th an Italian came ashore at post T4 and, from information given by this prisoner, it appeared that the enemy may possibly be testing our coast defences with a view to making a ‘Commando’ raid against the Island.
During the month nearly all the troops… who are not manning key positions have been engaged in construction work on aerodromes, and salvage work clearing up the damage caused by the heavy bombing in the previous month. The work on aerodromes has consisted of building pens to protect our aircraft and standing by to fill in craters and thus keep the aerodromes serviceable.
AIR COMMAND REPORTS ON STATE OF AIRFIELDS
By the beginning of May 236 pens had been completed in the aerodromes. This work had to be given priority over slit trenches, because of the delay in the dispersal programmes. The allowance of petrol to the RAF was 3000 gallons a week and was not to be exceeded. All airmen living within four miles of the aerodromes had to march to work. This limitation of petrol was a serious handicap to aerodrome work.
There was a grave shortage of miners owing to the shelter construction programme, and so any possibility of putting workshops underground had to be shelved, and we had to rely more upon dispersal than on underground workshops. Stores were distributed to 27 houses throughout the Island and 60 per cent of the work at Kalafrana in engine and airframes repairs was moved to Gzira, including instrument, armament, airscrew, coppersmith and petrol tank repairs.
As regards work on the aerodromes there was a very serious shortage of rollers. Rollers had to be used and manned during the whole of daylight hours with relief crews. Often during the whole 24 hours when bombing was heavy and aerodromes had to be made usable.
AIR RAIDS DAWN 31 MAY TO DAWN 1 JUNE 1942
Weather Wind southerly; clear.
0922 hrs Air raid alert: raid does not materialize.
1221-1259 hrs Four Spitfires 126 Squadron Luqa are scrambled to intercept enemy aircraft: no engagement.
1340 hrs Seven Spitfires 603 Squadron Ta Qali are scrambled to intercept an incoming formation of Italian and German fighters.
1345 hrs The air raid alert sounds as the fighters approach the coast. 603 Squadron Spitfires engage the Re 2001s and ME 109s as they attempt a sweep over the Island. The Spitfires attack but no strikes are seen. One Spitfire falls into a bomb-hole while taxiing and breaks its back: the pilot is unhurt.
1508-1610 hrs Four Spitfires 601 Squadron Luqa are despatched to search a position east north east of Grand Harbour. They sight debris: an overturned float and a raft.
1804-1843 hrs Three Spitfires 601 Squadron Luqa are despatched to intercept enemy aircraft: no combat.
1945 hrs The air raid alert sounds for incoming enemy fighters. Four Spitfires 126 Squadron and four of 601 Squadron Luqa are despatched to intercept enemy aircraft. They chase the ME 109s but do not engage.
2235 hrs; 2350 hrs Air raid alerts: raids do not materialise.
Military casualties Gunner William Chandler, 74th Light Ack Ack Regiment, Royal Artillery; Private Domenico Vella, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Malta Regiment.
OPERATIONS REPORTS 31 MAY 1942
ROYAL NAVY Trusty Star, Beryl, and ML 126 sent to Marsaxlokk to sweep the approaches to that Harbour. HM 235 sweeping off Grand Harbour. 17 tons of oil fuel recovered from Breconshire.
AIR HQ Arrivals One Lodestar from Heliopolis; four Hudsons, two Spitfires, five Wellingtons from Gibraltar. Departures Five Wellingtons, three Hudson to LG 222; one Blenheim, one Hurricane to Sidi Barrani; one Lodestar to Heliopolis.
LUQA 2055-0106 hrs Six Wellingtons 104 Squadron Luqa were despatched to attack the train ferry terminus at Messina. The raid was very successful: large fires are seen, believed to be commercial oil storage tanks. Explosions were seen on the jetty and railway lines.
4th BN THE BUFFS (ROYAL EAST KENT) REGIMENT Working parties Luqa aerodrome.
1st BN THE CHESHIRE REGIMENT 15 Malta Volunteer Defence Force fired on Pembroke Ranges. Shooting quite good. GOC present.
1st BN THE DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT 1300 hrs One unexploded anti-personnel grenade is reported at 526186. Strengths: Officers 36; Other Ranks 833; RAOC (attached) 5; RAMC 1.
1ST BN THE DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY Working parties on Luqa aerodrome continue. Strength of battalion: 33 Officers, 654 Other Ranks.
FORTRESS ROYAL ENGINEERS Spr Briffa, No 2 Works Company RE, was involved in a motor-car accident and admitted to hospital. Bomb Disposal UXB Reported nil; dealt with 8 (Italian Thermos). Strengths HQ Fortress RE 4 Officers, 18 Other Ranks; 24 Fortress Coy RE 5 Officers, 219 Other Ranks; 173 Tunnelling Company RE 6 Officers 204 Other Ranks; No 1 Works Company RE 5 Officers 225 Other Ranks; No 2 Works Company RE 6 Officers 229 Other Ranks; 127 Bomb Disposal Section 1 Officer 20 Other Ranks; 128 Bomb Disposal Section 1 Officer 16 Other Ranks.
1ST BN THE HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT 17 vehicles, 4 Officers, 130-150 Other Ranks at Safi strip widening and levelling runway.
8TH BN THE KINGS OWN ROYAL REGIMENT Day working parties building pens for aircraft 6 Officers 200 Other Ranks. A Company Jebel Ciantar 4 Officers 131 Other Ranks; B Coy Ta Karceppu 5 Officers 122 Other Ranks; C Coy Inquisitors Palace 5 Officers 133 Other Ranks; D Coy Villa Azzopardi, Zebbug 5 Officers 125 Other Ranks; HQ Coy Ta Salvator 15 Officers 261 Other Ranks. Chaplain and Medical Officer attached.
11TH BN THE LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS Luqa working party continued.
8TH BN THE MANCHESTER REGIMENT The unit has supplied several working parties during the month for Ta Qali aerodrome and the work has consisted of constructing aircraft pens, repairing runways, filling in bomb craters and salvage. Owing to the very heavy raids during the month this has been very arduous work.
(1) War Diary, 8th Bn The Manchester Regiment, May 1942
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