At the beginning of 1942, more than two years after the start of the Second World War, much of mainland Europe and North Africa was under the control of Nazi Germany. Despite this great damage had been inflicted on German and Italian (Axis) shipping from the island of Malta, a vital British base in the Mediterranean. Malta had suffered massive bombing since June 1940 and was running out of food, fuel and ammunition. By 1942 the siege seemed to be bringing Malta to the verge of surrender, a potentially decisive blow to the British Empire's prestige.
In a desperate attempt to save the...
At the beginning of 1942, more than two years after the start of the Second World War, much of mainland Europe and North Africa was under the contr...