Evening star., 1942-07-02
EmbuttIed Malta

A Navy Department release has
disclosed that our 14,000-ton airplane
carrier Wasp, apparently on several
occasions, took a cargo of British
fighter planes through the Western
Mediterranean within flying range
of Malta. Taking off from the Wasp's
deck, those RAF fighters reached the
sorely-beset island at the height of
an Axis aerial offensive and aided
| notably in the defense.
These operations appear to have
been held several weeks ago. Un-
fortunately, the aerial reinforce
ments were not sufficient to pre-
vent the steady grinding down of
Malta by ceaseless Axis air raids
| which by now have almost immobi-
lized the island for offensive pur-
| poses. 1t is due to this fact that
Malta has been unable to serve
longer as a flrst-class British base
| for airplaneS and submarines, which
formerly took high toll of Axis
ships making the short run across
the Mediterranean from Southern
Italy and Sicily to Libya. That, in
turn, is why Marshal Rommel was
able to build up his strength for the
present drive into Egypt. This is
the military justification for the
seemingly reckless way in which the
Axis has been sacrificing planes
over Malta.
The aerial siege of Malta is unique
in the annals of warfare. 1t began
just over two years ago, when Italy
entered the war on Germany's side.
For the first year, attacks by Italian
planes were annoying but not danger
Gus. Then the German Luftwaffe
entered the picture, stepping up
the campaign until, during recent
months, it has become an internal
crescendo. To date, the island has
suffered nearly $500 air attacks, with
estimates of Axis losses which rise
to almost 5000 planes. Those figures
give some idea of the punishment
which Malta has undergone.
Malta is relatively small island,
some II miles long, with an area of
95 square miles. Together with two
lesser islets and some uninhabited
rocks, it lies in the narroWest part
of the Mediterranean, between Sicily
and African Tunis. Geologically, it
Is the remnant of land bridge be-
tween Europe and Africa which once
cut the Mediterranean basin in two.
Malta's strategic situation, to-
gether with the fine harbor of Va
letta, the island capital, has made 1t
a grand prize for sea powers since
the dawn of history. Phoenicians,
Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans,
Arabs, and Sicilian Normans, all held
it in turn. Those varied masters
have nodded the blood and culture of
its population, which prides itself
on It's distinctive makeup and
speaks a tongue that, while akin to
Italian, may be classed as a separate
language.
Down to its current ordeal, Malta's
most glorious page was its success
full defense against the Turks in the
Sixteenth Century by the Knights OF
st. John, who had moved there after
their expulsion by the Turks from
the Island of Rhodes. The knights
rule over Malta was extinguished by
Napoleon, who captured the island
on his way to Egypt in 1913. There
followed another memorable siege by
the British, who finally overcame the
French garrison and have held Malta
ever since.
The fate of Malta is bound up with
that of Egypt. If that country falls
to the Axis and British sea power is
broken in the Mediterranean, 1t is
hard to see how the island can hold
out Indefinitely. Recent convoy losses
show how difficult Is the task Of
supplying the island with reinforce
ments, munitions and foodstuffs, the
island not being wholly self-feeding.
Yet this key island, with its heroic
garrison and devoted people, already
has covered itself with imperish-
able glory. And it still stands, bat
tered but defiant to it's encircling
foes.