The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-06-30

OIL Wy ms hAOob vi Jul lSie1AAND Oll AAAN
ground. One day in mid-April when
I was OH readiness, we could put
only two Spltflres into the air
against raid by 100 attackers The
other pilot and l engaged and de-
Stroyed one each.
There seemed to be no stopping
the enemys determination to neu-
tralize Malta. We were too few. But
it had been decided shat the island
must be held at all cos, and we were
told that big movements were afoot
to reinforce us. Then on April 81,
the U. S. aircraft carrier Wasp
steamed up with so much needed
SpitfireS
Unfortunately, we never were able
TO use most of those planes. So
many we're destroyed on the ground
before we could get them rearmed
and refueled that when l flew on
April rs we could muster only six
SpittireS and four Hurricanes against
a force of 210 enemy planes-110
bomberS and 100 Messerschmitt
fighters.
Things began to look hopeless for
Malta. The people were very near
starvation. AS pilots, our ration for
day consisted of two thin slices of
bread, little bully beef, and the
balance made up of tomatoes and
green stuff grown on the island. BY
this time most of the Maltese were
living in caves in the rocky cliffs,
and they were becoming stupefied by
the bombing. All utilities were dis
rupted.
The courage of the people then
was something great. The children
were especially cheerful and always
would run after us shouting, Spit
fire pilot" Many of them, taking too
many chances to watch the air bat
ties, were killed by the bombs.
TIL early days of May were the
most crucial. Morale was going to
hell. Air Marshal Sir Hugh Lloyd
called the pilots together and told us
we would have to gain local air SUI
periority or abandon the island. We
were told that the Wasp, to use
Winston Churchill's words, was Ego
ing to sting again." bringing another
60 Spitfires.
This time, feverish preparations
were made. Sandbag pens, or re-
vertments, were built on Malta's |
three airdromes sufficient to hold all |
the aircraft we were expecting from
the Wasp. Enough coolant, ammu-
milton, petrol and oil were stored in
each pen to make that enclosure
self-supporting. A ground crew and
pilot were in charge.
NEW PLANES
Our precautions were effective.
Ten minutes after the planes land
ed, on May 9, most of them were in
the air again and engaging the
enemy.
The crucial battle came next day.
In the Grand Harbor was the Brit
lsh cruiser Welshman, mostly
anti-aircraft armament
and used for running the gauntlet
If the Sicilian narrows to bring ur-
gently needed supplies and ammu-
milton to Malta.
About IL a. M, the Hun sent IS
Stukas escorted by about so Mes
SerScnfnlttS TO attack the Welsh
man in the harbor. We were able to
put 48 Spitf1res into the air. The
barrage from the cruiser and the
land batteries was the most terrific
thing I ever have seen. The Stukas
dived through the barrage, and
those which survived were met by
the Spitfires about two miles off the
harbor.
I got on the tail of one of them,
and after siX-second burst he
started to go to pieces and crashed
about a mile offshore. Out of the
Is Stukas sent to get the Welsh
man, only two got back to Sicily. In
the afternoon came another attack,
using Junkers 88s. They met with no
easier fate. That night the Rome
radio claimed the destruction of At