Malta, Operation Bowery, May 9, 1942

[FTM127]

My father, passed on. He delivered a Spitfire MK VC off HMS Eagle on May 9, 1942 and another in June. I will be visiting Malta to honor Dad's adventure and to research some flight details that have otherwise escaped me. I only have one day as part of a cruise. If it were possible, might there be a daily log for that day that showed the actual painted numbers on the sides of the rondel? Does anyone know who to contact? What airfields and museums would you visit? I do not think a standard tour would be in any way adequate. I also want to present a print of a painting I commissioned displaying the fly off from Eagle with Wasp and the convoy in the background to the local museum.

I am guessing that pilots with a WWII interest might know a lot more than I do about where detail records might be found? Were they kept local or removed to somewhere like the Imperial War Museum?

Fred
Amherst, NH

[chevvron]

The main museum in Valletta has some aviation relics; you might try there.
Essentially there are only 2 airfields still identifiable as such: Luqa (the main airport) and Hal Far, which is built on although satellite photos show what looks like a dragstrip on the old main runway. Ta Qali has also been built on and houses the main football (soccer type) stadium.
There was another airfield at Safi, between Luqa and Hal Far but this was swallowed up when they extended the main runway of Luqa. Qrendi, west along the south coast from Hal Far is barely recognisable although a public road now runs along what was one of the runways.
During the war, the racecourse just north of Luqa was also used to 'disperse' aircraft although, unlike Safi and Hal Far it was not connected with Luqa by a taxiway.

[FTM127]

Thank you. I hope to collect lot's of pointers to help out trip in following Dad's Spitfire footsteps be productive.

[megan]

"Against All Odds - RAAF pilots in the Battle for Malta 1942" by Lex McAulay gives a very good insight into what went on. As the title says, deals with the RAAF in the main, but naturally RAF get a mention, "Screwball" for example.

Could you post your Fathers name and squadron? May be able to give readers here something to work with.

[FantomZorbin]

FTM127
May I recommend "Malta Spitfire Pilot - a personal account of 10 weeks of war April-June 1942" by Denis Barnham, a gentleman who still bore, in the late '60s, the legacy of his time in Malta.

[Planemike]

This might be worth a contact:- Malta Aviation Museum-Ta' Qali-Malta (http://www.maltaaviationmuseum.com/)


You would have time to visit. Less than an hours taxi ride from Valetta.

[FTM127]

I am looking for the letters and numbers painted on both sides of the rondel. This flight was from HMS Eagle and was a complete flight from 611 Squadron. My theory is that these letters and numbers would have been recorded at Luca upon arrival. I do not know if these numbers were ever changed? It is possible the field logs stayed in Malta or more likely that they were eventually sent to England? The military always recorded everything. Any records on Eagle would have gone to the bottom with her. Still, copies might have been unloaded? Multipart carbon forms tracked much, but daily log books might be the best source if we could find where they might be now?

[FTM127]

Yes that sounds like a good suggestion. Thank You.

[Planemike]

Fred.............


Suggest you put your query on this forum: Historic Aviation (http://forum.keypublishing.com/forumdisplay.php?4-Historic-Aviation)


There are two or there Spitfire aficionados on that site who may be able to help you.

[FTM127]

That is an excellent idea. I shall try that at once.

Thank you,

Fred

[Innominate]

There was no requirement for units to record the third letter (on the other side of the roundel from the 2-letter squadron code) allocated to an aircraft - they are very difficult to pair up with aircraft serial numbers.

Squadrons and stations kept Operations Record Books, which are held in the National Archives Royal Air Force operations record books 1939-1945 - The National Archives (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/raf-operations-record-books-1939-1945/). ORBs for squadrons can be downloaded for a fee. The information recorded depends very much on the person compiling the record (if he was overworked or disinterested you may get very scant information) and the type of unit (bomber operations were planned, so you usually get crew lists, aircraft serial number and letter etc. but fighter squadrons may simply say "Red Section scrambled").

611's ORB may give you a list of aircraft and pilots, but it is something of a lottery. Good luck!

[FTM127]

That is something to be tracked down. Excellent lead. Thank you. Fred

[FTM127]

I am in contact with the museum now. Thank you. Fred

[FTM127]

As soon as the waiting period is complete, I will post. Thank you. Fred

[Chefbob]

"Against All Odds - RAAF pilots in the Battle for Malta 1942" by Lex McAulay gives a very good insight into what went on. As the title says, deals with the RAAF in the main, but naturally RAF get a mention, "Screwball" for example.

Could you post your Fathers name and squadron? May be able to give readers here something to work with.
My father was Robert MacDermid, 616 Squadron, and he flew off he Eagle on 3Jun. He always said that the planes were assembled encounters, and that some had wooden props. The briefing officer said that "it was so easy that his wife could do it!" One pilot offered to give up his plane. They flew into Takali, that's all I know.

[Warmtoast]

FTM127

Flight Global has a photo of what look like Hurricanes on the deck of a carrier supporting Malta here. Not sure whether it's relevant, but passed on FWIW:
https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1942/1942%20-%202307.html

[chevvron]

Many years ago, 'After the Battle' magazine did a dedicated Malta in WW2 issue which had many photographs of aircraft on the variuous airfields. Back issues are normally available; I think the parent company is Plaistow Publications.

[FTM127]

My father was Robert MacDermid, 616 Squadron, and he flew off he Eagle on 3Jun. He always said that the planes were assembled encounters, and that some had wooden props. The briefing officer said that "it was so easy that his wife could do it!" One pilot offered to give up his plane. They flew into Takali, that's all I know.

Our Dad's must have known each other. Dad was held over from Operation Bowery (611 Squadron) in Gib. Perhaps to fill in if there was a pilot shortage? On June 3, he flew BR 315 landing Halfar. That is neat!

GREAT NEWS: The painting I commissioned from Jim Laurier, "TO MALTA FOR FREEDOM",will be included in Jim's new book, FIGHTER, to be released on Amazon world wide 11/1/16. You can find out about the painting or the book by searching on To Malta For Freedom or Fighter and Jim Laurier. I do not benefit in ant way from the sales of either, but I am terribly proud of both because they tell a part of Dad's story.

DISAPPOINTING NEWS:

My contact with the Malta Museum went bust in a very strange way that I do not comprehend. After a promising introduction and exchange with the Director, I decided to offer the original 37x60 oil painting as a gift to the museum provided a display could be put together honoring the pilots and sailors who delivered the planes at Malta' s greatest hour of need. I would have traveled there from the US to present the painting. They never replied or answered additional emails. TO MALTA FOR FREEDOM is an original artwork of the fly off from Eagle and Wasp on May 9, 1942. Jim Laurier is one of the foremost artists in this genre. Completely confused by Malta Museum politics and issues. Very strange to me. This painting cost a bundle. Any thoughts?

[megan]

The history of BR169 is as follows

2650 EA FF 7-3-42 8MU 15-3 82MU 25-3 Emp Hth 29-3 Tak 4-4 Malta 8-6 603S CA ops 17-5 FACE 18-8 SOC FH68.25

The Emp Hth would be the ship "Empire Heath". "Tak" would be Takali, Malta. Others may be able to help deciphering, as I'm not familiar. The squadron code for 603 was XT. 603 only existed on Malta for four months, for the remaining crews and aircraft were incorporated into 229, Code HB or X, which itself reformed as 603 in Jan 45.

[Innominate]

The date for arrival in "Tak" is given as 4 April but then the date for Malta is 8 June - a long time between the two dates. "Tak" might be Takoradi - a port in Ghana and the start of a reinforcement route which saw hundreds of aircraft reassembled and flown to North Africa - and presumably on to Malta.

The other data indicates that it sustained Category A [slight] damage on operations on 17 May, then Category E [write-off] in a flying accident on 18 August. Total Flying Hours 68.25.

[chevvron]

The history of BR169 is as follows

2650 EA FF 7-3-42 8MU 15-3 82MU 25-3 Emp Hth 29-3 Tak 4-4 Malta 8-6 603S CA ops 17-5 FACE 18-8 SOC FH68.25

The Emp Hth would be the ship "Empire Heath". "Tak" would be Takali, Malta. Others may be able to help deciphering, as I'm not familiar. The squadron code for 603 was XT. 603 only existed on Malta for four months, for the remaining crews and aircraft were incorporated into 229, Code HB or X, which itself reformed as 603 in Jan 45.
'Takali' or more correctly 'Taqali' is not a port; it's inland right in the middle of Malta.

[A30yoyo]

A simple Google 'Empire Heath Takoradi' suggests TAK was indeed Takoradi....the trans-Africa route was the standard way of supplying aircraft to Egypt and Malta, the batches flown off carriers in the Med by ferry pilots were emergency reinforcements.

[Haraka]

I think the squadron codes identification may not be the full story in Malta . Apparently fictitious codes were ,at least occasionally, applied ( and codes sometimes obliterated) as a deception device. This from an ex-member of 126 Squadron, sadly now deceased.

[A30yoyo]

611 Squadron - News: Joe Morsheimer's Story (http://www.611squadronrauxaf.co.uk/news/080101/080101.html)

FTM127....I had come across your father's name in connection with the BOAC Curtiss CW-20 St Louis which carried him back to Gibraltar after the first ferry...did he leave any description of the flights back? I got the chance to read the BOAC movement charts for May42 and the St Louis left Gibraltar 1502 ( 16 May), arr. Malta 2045 (flight MG?3) .....dep. Malta 23.15, arr.Gibraltar 0603 (17May)(flight MG5) ....St Louis made subsequent flights back from Malta to Gibraltar on the nights of 29/30 May, 2/3 June and 7/8 June, the latter I guess in parallel with your father's Lodestar transport.
I'm guessing the top general link may be relevant for other readers

[b1lanc]

If you can get a copy of the movie The Malta Story (Briefed to Attack was I believe one of the sources for the film), you may want to have a look. Though much of the movie shows the square-tip bubble canopy Spits and fake models most of the time over Malta, there appears to be some original film of Spit Vbs taking off from an aircraft carrier (allegedly the Wasp but I'm not sure of that) and used a fair amount of archival footage . Alec Guinness had the lead and his character was allegedly loosely based on WingCo Adrian Warburton. Which is an interesting story on it's own.

A couple of other book selections to check out might be "Malta Spitfire: The Diary of an Ace Fighter Pilot" by George Beurling and "The Maltese Spitfire: 1942" by Harry Coldbeck if you can find copies. There are also a number of youtube videos on George Beurling.

[Stefano3]

Hi all,
I'm new in the forum and I'm very honoured to be part of it.
I've been involved in a research concerning Operation Bowery and particularly concerning the italian bomber attack against Malta in the morning of 1942, May 9.
I've a question: has someone evidences, or just rumours, of a participation of a limited, could be even very limited, number of Curtis P40 among the british defence?
Has been employed any Curitis P40 and one of them after the attack to a Cant Z 1007 Bis has been hit by an italian Macchi 202 and fall to the ground?
Any information concerning this issue is most welcome.
Cheers,
Stefano