The Malta Independent on Sunday
Malta at Second World War diaries
It is quite a rare occurrence to come across personal war diaries which give so much attention to detail in both graphical and statistical form. Thankfully, there are persons who possess such diaries in their private collections and are kind enough to mak
These diaries are from the estate of the late Professor Victor Griffiths. Professor Griffiths passed away in 2013 aged 93 and is remembered as one of Malta’s leading surgeons. He also taught at the University of Malta’s Anatomy Department. Victor was the son of William Edward Griffiths and Liberata Jessie Chapman.
The diaries carry the signature of William Edward Griffiths and are presented in tabular form with four columns, respectively giving the
number of the raid, the date, the time of the alert, the time of the raiders passed and lastly remarks. A total of 3,330 raids are recorded in the two small diaries with the last raid being registered on 28 April 1944 starting at 10.25pm and ending at 10.50pm.
Both diaries and the graph register contain meticulous detail of statistics revealing that the author had access to records.
It would take great length and space to present all the contents of these diaries. Highlighting some notable events which took place during 1940 and detailed in the registers would put the reader in a better per
spective to fully grasp the context during the time they were written. Many firsts took place during that year:
10/6/40
Italy declared war at midnight 1011 June.
11/6/40
First Air Raid at 7am. The only damage to Dockyard was at boathouse. Houses damaged at Pieta’ with loss of life. Water Works workshop at Portes-des-Bombes with loss of life. During the day eight raids took place. Houses damaged at Cospicua, Gzira and Pawla with loss of life.
17/6/40
Houses damaged at Pawla.
19/6/40
First day without raids.
20-21/6/40
Floating Dock sunk.
29/6/40
His Grace the Archbishop issued circular dispensing all the faithful from the laws of fasting and abstinence.
3/7/40
An order was issued prohibiting the sale of tinned milk and tinned meat until further notice. Since repealed.
4/7/40
Malta Chronicle founded in 1887 suspended publication owing to difficulties of production. ( Author’s Note: So much may a man mean to a people at war. Scarcely less may a
woman mean. One such woman was the Honourable Mabel Strickland. “Miss Mable” as she was known to thousands, had been called “her father’s ‘right-hand’ man”. All the fire and energy which characterised Lord Strickland was present in his daughter. No little part of the final victory in Malta had been due to her ‘grit’, her resolute refusal to be beaten. She was ironically just the controller of the Times of Malta and Il-Berka. The Times was the only English paper on the island and beside Il-Berka, there was only one other daily in Maltese ( Leħen isSewwa). These plucky papers had shrunk in size, but had played an immense part in keeping up the people’s morale.
A good part of the credit must of course be given to the staff, but Miss Strickland’s example had certainly helped in ensuring that even after nights of continuous air-raids and nights during which the city of Valletta was blitzed, the Times of Malta readers had been able to read their paper as usual at breakfast, even though at times the paper itself had to be printed on charred and burnt newsprint.
10/7/40
Bomb fell near Tal Vgura Church limits of Tarxien – miracle hoax by sexton who said that the statue of Ecce Homo was struck by a bomb and its head miraculously stuck in the hole on the wall made by bomb.
29/7/40
The one-hundredth alert sounded at 10am.
It was on 15 August 1940 when ice-cream was lastly manufactured by reasons of economy. On 22 August 1940, Lord Strickland died at 8.35 a.m.
2/9/40
First convoy with essential commodities arrived at 6.00 a.m.
3/9/40
Shore batteries fired on an Italian motor boat which retired at high speed.
7/9/40
Bombs fell in the Yard, Senglea, (Elementary School and house in Crane Street had a bomb unexploded)
29/9/40
Summer time adopted on May 21st ended today.
11/10/40
A convoy consisting of four large merchant ships arrived today. HMS Ajax sunk two Italian destroyers and damaged a third.
13/10/40 HMS York
sunk Italian destroyer previously damaged by HMS Ajax.
30/10/40
To avoid hoarding of kerosene and for fair distribution, carts will in future be accompanied by a policeman.
4/11/40
An RAF bomber with its load of bombs crashed at Qormi.
7/11/40
Mr Eden passed through Malta on his way to England ( Author’s Note: Sir Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon served as Foreign Secretary three times during important periods in the Second World War and the Cold War)
9/11/40
A convoy consisting of five merchants ships arrived today.
30/11/40
The thousandth raid sounded today. ( Author’s Note: It is noted that as the number of raids halted or deceased during October and November 1940, as shown on the graphical representation of air raids. In likewise fashion more convoys reached the island.
13/12/40
Ration cards for paraffin, laundry soap and matches issued.
14/12/40
School at Misida bit by a bomb. School children who were taking cover received no injury.
12/12/40
A convoy consisting of six merchant ships arrived today. HMS Warspite put into harbour.
21/12/40
Admiral Cunningham C visited Dockyard. Scenes of wild enthusiasm took place.
24/12/40
Christmas night mass was held in all churches at 4 p.m. by special dispensation of His Holiness the Pope.
Feature material: Courtesy of the Cusens Collection