The air battle for Malta : the diaries of a Spitfire pilot

This book provides an intriguing and realistic account of the struggle for the possession of Malta during World War II. The air battle raged for two and a half years during which time 14,000 tons of bombs were dropped on a defiant population. For both the Axis and the Allied Powers, Malta was a vital key to victory - not only in the Mediterranean, but in North Africa and the Middle East as well. In this new edition of his highly-praised book. The Air Battle For Malta, James Douglas Hamilton provides one of the most intriguing and realistic accounts of the struggle for possession of the island, a fight to the death which lasted two-and-a-half years, during which time 14,000 tons of bombs were dropped on a defiant population. This book is based largely on the diaries of Lord David Douglas-Hamilton, the author's uncle, who was sent out to Malta as a Spitfire Squadron Leader at a time when the island was sustaining heavier bombing than London at the height of the Blitz, and the Axis forces were preparing for invasion.

The author's scrupulous research, combined with his uncle's uniquely authoritative viewpoint, vividly recreates the period, the comradeship and the grimness of life on the beleaguered island. The air battle, which was the second largest of the entire war, involved some of the most famous fighter aces of World War II, including 'Screwball' Beurling and 'Laddie' Lucas. They played a vital part in what proved to be one of the greatest defensive and strategic operations of all time, and their exploits, along with those of many others, are recorded here, a reminder of their indomitable spirit in the face of appalling odds.

About the Author:
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton became President of the Oxford Union

The history is based on the diaries of Lord David Douglas-Hamilton, the author's uncle, who was the leader of a Spitfire squadron that defended the island during the worst of the crisis.