Malta at War Vol 5 (Hardcover)

This volume records Malta's worst period under siege, the Spring of 1942 when the fortunes of the Allies were also at a low ebb, particularly the Mediterranean. At this time the Germans and Italians were planning to invade Malta and expecting the island to surrender after the most concentrated and prolonged aerial onslaught of the war. The Luftwaffe had again massed its strength in Sicily and the attacks increased in fury week by week until in March an all-out assult was mounted to extend into April that was meant to render the island impotent, destroying its offensive and defensive capabilities and thus ensuring a free hand to the Axis forces in North Africa to advanced into Egypt and on to India to join up with the advancing Japanese forces in the Far East. Not only was the island being pounded but with the loss of the Talabot convoy in March 1942 the population and garrison were facing starvation, Valletta was being pulverized, as were Floriana, Marsa, Sliema, Luqa and the Three Cities, along with many of the other towns and villages, with some 2000 alerts, some lasting round the clock, with well over 1000 civilians and service men killed and many more thousands injured.