JU88

Malta’s strategic location at the heart of the Central Mediterranean led to the islands playing a crucial role during the Second World War. The three main British bases in the Mediterranean were Gibraltar, Malta, and Alexandria. Suddenly, with the Italian declaration of war on Britain and France, Malta found itself on the frontline between Italy/Sicily and the Italian colony of Libya. During the North African Campaign (1940-43) the island’s strategic importance increased dramatically. With the intervention of the Luftwaffe in the Mediterranean, the Axis forces resolved to eliminate and neutralise Malta by starving its people and attacking military installations and British convoys transporting cargo to the island. This became known as the Second Siege of Malta , which eventually ended in victory for the Allies in September 1943. Throughout the campaign, many ships and aircraft on both sides were sunk or shot down and destroyed. Much of this has been preserved in the underwat