Valletta - is this correct

[Reece]

Hi, First patrol in the Meditteranean & noticed the following:

Is this correct, should it be marked as Allied (Red)? May 42.

[filefool]

Since Malta (with Valetta being its capital) was a british possession from 1814 to 1964 and never captured by the axis during WW2 (although there were plans to do so) it's correctly marked as allied

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta

[Reece]

That's amazing, maybe there was no strategic value in persuing to take it!
Thanks.

[Kaleu. Jochen Mohr]

thats probaly the reason why the ally's could enter Italy :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[Reece]

Seems odd stuck out there all on it's own surrounded by the Axis, maybe they didn't even know the British were their!

[Mush Martin]

Oh they knew they were there at one point malta was
the most heavily bombed place on earth.
the people suffered long and hard as a population
and were awarded the only George Cross in history
not given to an individual.
many sailors and airmen died on both sides.
even famous names were made there.

the most succesful Cdn Fighter pilot
was Buzz Beurling who did wholesale
buisness over Malta.

all that and its a beautiful harbour

[Stev1]

If you get the chance see the film called "THE MALTA STORY"

[Reece]

Wow ... Point taken, the things you learm, I have taken down the name of the film & will do a search for it!
Thanks.

[Canovaro]

Didn't the Germans even do a commando parachute landing there?
Indeed it looks odd on the map.

[Hitman]

at one point malta was
the most heavily bombed place on earth.
the people suffered long and hard as a population
and were awarded the only George Cross in history
not given to an individual.

Very true . Reading Churchill's account of WW2, he wrote that Malta was promised independence after the war, which apparently lifted the spirits of the local population, who had wanted that for long:hmm:

[TarJak]

Malta is also the only nation on earth to have been awarded the George Cross fro bravery (which now appears on the Matlese flag), by Britain for it's resilience during the war.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d...00/3530301.stm

[Mush Martin]

Originally Posted by Canovaro

Didn't the Germans even do a commando parachute landing there?
Indeed it looks odd on the map.

That was Crete not malta and it was slightly more than a commando
raid it was the only complete invasion in history to have used exclusively
airborne forces, however there were a few regiments of mountain troops
along as well that were taken over in transport aircraft after they captured
an airfield. Falschirmjaeger (airborne) losses were so High that the Luftaffe's
airborne division never again operated as a Unit in an airborne operation.
although they were heard from again in the defense of Italy. the evacuation
of crete rates as notable along with the evacuations of Norway Dunkirk and
Greece itself whereby the troops on Crete came to be there in the main.

MM

[Mush Martin]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ns/Folio48.jpg

an image of Valetta highlighting a favorite sparring partner.

[filefool]

Originally Posted by Mush Martin

[...] the Luftaffe's
airborne division [...]

Imagine sitting on crete and watching thousands of little, armed apes coming down on their parachutes...:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

(affe means ape in german, sorry couldn't resist)

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Stev1

If you get the chance see the film called "THE MALTA STORY"

I've seen it. It's a fun movie; especially the guys pushing the Spitfire all over the island.:rotfl: