20th Century
The Desert War – February 1941
The second month in 1941 was not up to the joys of January for the Allies. The Germans started arriving in North Africa and the push into Libya did not go much further. There was [more…]
Malta
20th Century
The Desert War – January 1941
The start of a new year and things are getting much warmer in the Mediterranean, North Africa and East Africa. The Luftwaffe arrived in Italy ready to bomb us at sea while Operation Compass continued [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – December 1940
At the start of the last month of 1940 the Italians had been pushed out of Greece and were now under the cosh in Albania, Il Duce’s ambitions were more than his forces could handle. [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – November 1940
More of the same is the best description of November. The Italians got their butts kicked both in and finally out of Greece resulting in the Duce eventually having to grovel to the Führer and [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – October 1940
80 years ago this month things were quiet in the actual desert. After the initial British skirmishing that was an attempt to convince the Italians we were much stronger than we really were and the [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – September 1940
80 years ago this month things started hotting up. The Italians invaded Egypt and there was a fair bit of action at sea. On the 5th 6 Blenheims and 6 Hurricanes arrived in crates at [more…]
20th Century
The Desert War – August 1940
We reach August 1940, eighty years ago. Things still looking bleak for the Brits and it doesn’t really improve this month and we moan about the lockdown, albeit with some justification. The Italians had been [more…]
16th Century
The Grand Siege of Malta 1565 – Part 4
Senglea and Birgu On the day St Elmo fell La Valette received news that a relief force had landed in the north of the island. Under pressure from the Order, the Viceroy had sent two [more…]
16th Century
The Grand Siege of Malta 1565 – Part 3
The Attack on Fort St Elmo The Grand Master assumed that the Turks would continue to attack the forts of St Angelo and St Michael, but two Christian renegades who had become Muslims to save [more…]