Angrybk Posted November 18 Share Posted November 18 My recent research bender, would welcome more, especially about the air campaign and from German/Italian sources. It does seem like it's pretty under-written-about. Max Hastings' Operation Pedestal book Yes it's Max Hastings with his eternal obsession on proving (shocker) that the Allies often fucked up, but still a pretty good read and it's basically impossible to tarnish USS Ohio. Malta Spitfire Pilot by Denis Barnham Actually really liking this one because it's completely unvarnished; Barnham was a sensitive artist type (six kills though) and there's a lot of grim air combat scenes (where the Brits often end up getting the worst of it) accompanied by him rhapsodizing about the sun-dappled hills and why is man so cruel to man, etc. He ended up being transferred out as a nervous wreck after ten weeks, I think. The prologue is written by his wife and it's really good. George Buerling's book -- not bad although it seems like he showed up after the worst of it (and for two weeks vs. Barham's ten). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angrybk Posted November 19 Author Share Posted November 19 pm'd you too stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hurricane Posted November 19 Share Posted November 19 Hi Angrybk If you want a really good overview of the Malta based air war from both sides for the period 1940 - 43 I'd recommend Chris Shore's (and others) two classics: Malta - The Hurricane Years and Malta - The Spitfire Year. They have an incredible amount of detail (e.g. you want to know the names of all the pilots who flew Sptifires off HMS Furious during Operation Bellows?), but I found them very readible too. Been around since the 1990's (picked up my copy of Spitfire Year at the shop in the RAF Museum at Hendon in 1993!). Not cheap these days but still a very good source. https://www.amazon.com/Malta-Hurricane-Years-1940-41-Hardcover/dp/0897472071 https://www.amazon.com/Malta-Spitfire-Year-Christopher-Shores/dp/094881716X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perun Posted November 19 Share Posted November 19 If you are interested in online sources I found some good stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markus Becker Posted November 19 Share Posted November 19 1 hour ago, Captain Hurricane said: Hi Angrybk If you want a really good overview of the Malta based air war from both sides for the period 1940 - 43 I'd recommend Chris Shore's (and others) two classics: Malta - The Hurricane Years and Malta - The Spitfire Year. They have an incredible amount of detail (e.g. you want to know the names of all the pilots who flew Sptifires off HMS Furious during Operation Bellows?), but I found them very readible too. Been around since the 1990's (picked up my copy of Spitfire Year at the shop in the RAF Museum at Hendon in 1993!). Not cheap these days but still a very good source. https://www.amazon.com/Malta-Hurricane-Years-1940-41-Hardcover/dp/0897472071 https://www.amazon.com/Malta-Spitfire-Year-Christopher-Shores/dp/094881716X Seconded, the author(s) wrote a bunch of books about various air campings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted November 19 Share Posted November 19 There are some good books in the book section of this Grate Site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sardaukar Posted November 19 Share Posted November 19 Since RN submarines operating from Malta were quite important, I'd add this: https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Tenth-Submarine-Flotilla-Warfare/dp/1800553536 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angrybk Posted November 19 Author Share Posted November 19 Thanks everybody and now I have more stuff to dive into! By the way the Operation Pedestal literature from the US side is hilariously US-centric; "the Brits were about to give up but thank god there was an American to man the fourth machine gun on the Ohio!" etc. That's why I fucked up and called it "USS Ohio" on my first post.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickM Posted November 19 Share Posted November 19 12 hours ago, Captain Hurricane said: Hi Angrybk If you want a really good overview of the Malta based air war from both sides for the period 1940 - 43 I'd recommend Chris Shore's (and others) two classics: Malta - The Hurricane Years and Malta - The Spitfire Year. They have an incredible amount of detail (e.g. you want to know the names of all the pilots who flew Sptifires off HMS Furious during Operation Bellows?), but I found them very readible too. Been around since the 1990's (picked up my copy of Spitfire Year at the shop in the RAF Museum at Hendon in 1993!). Not cheap these days but still a very good source. https://www.amazon.com/Malta-Hurricane-Years-1940-41-Hardcover/dp/0897472071 https://www.amazon.com/Malta-Spitfire-Year-Christopher-Shores/dp/094881716X Ah you beat me to it! There's no historical aviation writer like Christopher Shores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Galbraith Posted November 20 Share Posted November 20 Well there is Charles Bowyer. Been reading his book on No2 Group, and its excellent. There was a series of books, of which I have only one called 'History of the Mediterranean air war', which I note Shores was one of the authors. Basically excellent, based on the sole volume I have. https://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Mediterranean-Air-War-Five/dp/1911621971/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2ETM84D8AHTD6&keywords=history+of+the+mediterranean+air+war&qid=1700467769&sprefix=history+of+the+mediterranean+ai%2Caps%2C849&sr=8-2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sardaukar Posted November 20 Share Posted November 20 One of the successful submarine commanders operating from Malta was Lieutenant Commander Malcolm David Wanklyn, VC, DSO & Two Bars. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wanklyn His submarine sunk 128,353 tons of enemy shipping, including rare achievement of sinking 3 Italian submarines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Galbraith Posted November 20 Share Posted November 20 Yes, the late lamented HMS Upholder. Im really hoping now the RN have a deep sea survey vessel, they might just find the time to go and find what happened to the poor bugger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Posted Wednesday at 02:53 PM Share Posted Wednesday at 02:53 PM There is some good online stuff available, I am particularly fond of this effort: https://maltagc70.wordpress.com/2020/06/11/welcome-to-maltagc70-com/ Here's what I have, but it is of course a hodge podge, and nowhere near as neatly organised as the other site: https://rommelsriposte.com/tag/malta/ All the best Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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