Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Nice older book in great condition. Pages in excellent condition. No notes or highlighting. Is actually an ex library but has very few stamps or markings and is in remarkable condition. Map is present. See images. Fantastic book.

About the book >.>.> The little island of Malta lies at the ‘crossroads of the Mediterranean Sea. Situated 60 miles (90 kilometres) South of Sicily it sits astride the main north-south route from Italy to Tripoli Benghazi and Tunisia and the west-east route from Gibraltar to Alexandria and the Suez Canal. Only half the size of the Isle of Man this little speck of rock was home to 220000 Maltese in 1940 and had until recently been the main base of the British Mediterranean Fleet. With the growing hospitality of Fascist Italy – previously a traditional ally of Britain during the thirties it had become abundantly clear that the security of the island as a major base could not be relied upon. A new home for the Mediterranean Fleet was therefore developed at Alexandria and Malta’s importance declined strategically. At the 1939 Committee of Imperial Defence meeting a long-term air defence programme was agreed upon as the Admiralty was anxious to retain the island as a staging post and reconnaissance base at least for light forces. The Air Ministry did not believe that it could adequately be defended but acquiesed in the planned build-up to include 170 anti-aircraft guns radar searchlights and four squadrons of fighters.