Malta is unfamiliar to most American travelers. And in my last blog post, I shared several reasons you might want to give it a look. But I’m willing to bet even fewer people know about this tiny Mediterranean island’s critical contribution to the Allied victory in WW2. Thankfully, many of Malta’s WW2 sites have been preserved in their original state— including underground bunkers, secret command centers, and a series of tunnels abruptly abandoned in 1943 and still strewn with artifacts of that time. In fact, many tourists visit the Maltese capital’s most popular attractions oblivious to the historical treasures hidden directly underfoot!
Even better— while touring the secret complex, I discovered a surprise connection to one of my readers! But first, some brief context…
Malta’s Precarious Situation During WW2
Malta was a British Crown Colony from 1814 to 1964 and sits just 60 miles south of Sicily. So when fascist Italy declared war against Britain in June 1940, the island was in a vulnerable spot. Then armed conflict between Italy and Britain erupted in North Africa— just 200 miles south of Malta. To raise the stakes even further, Nazi Germany in February 1941 sent the Afrika Korps to Libya to assist the Italians. Hostile forces surrounded Malta.
Malta’s Strategic Value During WW2
Malta’s strategic value became clear. As home to British naval and air bases, it offered the only real means to interrupt Axis supply lines between mainland Europe and Africa. The next closest British bases were in Gibraltar (1,100 miles) and Egypt (2,000 miles). As the war progressed and the United States joined the fight, Malta was key to keeping Mediterranean sea lanes open to Allied convoys.
The Most Bombed Country During WW2
Consequently, Axis powers tried to bomb Malta into surrender and relentlessly harassed British efforts to supply the island. From 1940 to 1942, Italy and Germany flew more than 3,000 bombing raids and dropped almost 7,000 tons of bombs over Grand Harbor alone— Malta’s main port in the capital city of Valletta. Those are astonishing figures when you consider that Malta occupies just 97 square miles and in 1940 had a population of only 250,000, concentrated around Grand Harbor. (Valletta is where you’ll still find the most extensive and interesting of Malta’s WW2 sites.)
But Britain stepped up efforts to keep the island under Allied control, and the Maltese— despite heavy losses and nearing starvation— refused to surrender. In November 1942, the “siege of Malta” ended when the Axis diverted resources to North Africa in a futile effort to stem its losses there. A month later, Malta went fully on the offensive— and soon played a key role in ending the war…
The Upper Barrakka Gardens
When I visited Malta earlier this month, I rented an apartment in Valletta overlooking Grand Harbor. The Upper Barrakka Gardens— now quiet and scenic— stood a stone’s throw away. At the popular overlook, thousands of people every day watched the time-cannons fire at the Saluting Battery, photographed the idyllic surroundings, and picnicked with loved ones. Many tracked the ebb and flow of boats, large and small, as they peacefully criss-crossed the water. Most people seemed blissfully unaware of the massive tunnel complex directly below them— several stories underground— and the role it played in winning WW2.
Malta’s Combined War Headquarters
In peacetime, Britain’s three military services had separate headquarters in Malta. But after Italy’s declaration of war in 1940, the British established a super-secret, combined War Headquarters (called the “Lascaris War Rooms”) in the tunnel complex 150 feet beneath the Upper Barrakka Gardens. The tunnels—originally built centuries earlier by the Knights of St. John— were then expanded to meet wartime needs.
Here, British commanders coordinated the defense of Malta and Mediterranean fleet operations. Radar stations— another closely guarded secret— communicated directly with the War Headquarters from positions across the archipelago. Information they supplied allowed military personnel to plot hostile inbound planes on a large board in one room. In a separate section, staff monitored the range and status of every anti-aircraft gun on the island. And the original rooms, equipment, charts, and maps are still there for visitors to see.
The Allied Invasion of Sicily
But most importantly— in the summer of 1943— General Dwight D. Eisenhower, as Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces, directed the invasion of Sicily from a suite of three small rooms in the tunnel complex. It’s a part of the complex called the “War HQ Tunnels”, and it’s arguably the most significant of Malta’s WW2 sites.
The invasion by air, land, and sea, known as Operation Husky, drove Axis forces from Sicily, fully reopened the Mediterranean to Allied ships, and hastened Mussolini’s downfall. Operation Husky also provided a launch pad for the further invasion of mainland Italy. And it forced Hitler to pull a substantial number of troops from the eastern front with Russia, paving the way for Germany’s defeat there.
Incredibly, I stood precisely where Eisenhower and other Allied commanders did 80 years ago. And I studied the very same wall map on which they plotted each unit’s initial assault on Italy. Then I saw it— the town of Licata, at the southern edge of Sicily. I recognized that town from Donald Blackey’s WW2 diary!
U.S. Army Private Donald Blackey
In case you missed it, Blackey’s niece several months ago saw my article about Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest and wrote to say her uncle went there during the war. She sent me a copy of Blackey’s WW2 diary, which included descriptions of his secret entry into Hitler’s bunker. But the diary also describes the 21-year-old’s role in Operation Husky:
At 1:30 am on July 10th we climbed up the ladder to get into the Higgin’s boat, and then the order “lower away” was given. We were lowered down to the water. We thought the landing might be called off the sea was so rough, but no soap… Sailed around in circles for a short time, and we could see searchlights shining from the shore at us and then we started in.
Navy was giving out with a barrage, and planes were dive bombing and striking at the shoreline. The shore loomed up and they started to lower the front down, and a second later we grounded. The minute this happened, we started leaping out; the water was not deep, and we started charging up the beach.”
Eyewitness Account of Operation Husky
“Suddenly machine gun bullets started rattling, and we hit the ground, crawling forward. They started to drop mortar shells, but we crawled up farther and missed them. Slowly they were pushed back, and as daylight came, we moved faster and the enemy took to the surrounding hills. We moved to the assembly point and after reorganizing in force, we moved in and took the city. We surrounded the town port of Licata (southern Sicily). British 8th army on our far right. We started moving inland. German and Italian planes bomb our ships and strafe every chance they get. The landing was over, and WAS I GLAD.”
And there in front of me, 150 feet below ground, was a black line on Eisenhower’s original map, showing the exact route he ordered Blackey and his unit to follow on that fateful night!
Malta’s WW2 Time Capsule
It wasn’t the only moment I felt a sense of time travel. Elsewhere in the complex is a series of tunnels (called the St. Peter’s Galleries) originally intended to enlarge the War Headquarters. But after the successful invasion of Italy, the British abruptly abandoned the expansion in late 1943. It’s as if the men working furiously to excavate the site suddenly evaporated, leaving only lifeless objects behind.
Shoes, war rations, and cans of paint. A discarded pack of cigarettes. Even an open oil drum— with the oil still inside. It’s as if time here froze in 1943. Touring this section of the complex is like entering a life-sized time capsule. NATO adopted other sections of the tunnel complex after the war— but this area remained untouched.
Malta’s WW2 Sites: One Ticket for 7 Museums
You can see all this and more with a discounted Heritage Pass (50 Euros) good for 7 days. Buy one in person at any of the sites, or purchase one here in advance. It covers entry to seven of Malta’s WW2 sites, including each one described above:
– Malta Time-Gun Museum (not as interesting as the others)
– Lascaris War Rooms (the combined War Headquarters and operations rooms)
– Saluting Battery (to witness the time cannons up close)
– Fort Rinella & Armstrong 100-Ton Gun
– Malta at War Museum
– WW2 St. Peter’s Galleries (the “time capsule”)
– War HQ Tunnels (Operation Husky and the “Eisenhower suite”)
I highly recommend the Lascaris War Rooms, Saluting Battery, WW2 St. Peter’s Galleries, and War HQ Tunnels. In my opinion, the Malta Time-Gun Museum pales in comparison. I didn’t have time for Fort Rinella or the Malta at War Museum, but the latter includes access to an actual WW2 air raid shelter.
Malta’s WW2 Sites: Hours of Operation
The Malta at War Museum, Lascaris War Rooms, and the Saluting Battery are all open from 10:00 to 16:30, daily except Sundays. Tours of the Lascaris War Rooms are offered throughout the day. Fort Rinella is open only on Saturdays from 10:00 to 16:30.
Tours of the War HQ tunnels are conducted Monday through Saturday at 10:30, 13:00, and 14:30. Guides lead groups through the St. Peter’s Galleries from Monday to Saturday at 14:30. Get more information here.
Final Thoughts
So, I know I’m a big history nerd, especially when it comes to WW2. And it’s hard for me to imagine overlooking Malta’s WW2 sites during a visit to the island. But maybe old bunkers, war maps, and time capsules just aren’t your thing. Even so, it is inspiring (and gratifying) to know the Maltese people resisted the enemy’s stranglehold and, against all odds, refused to surrender. Without them, WW2 would have ended much differently. We should know their story and, when visiting their homeland, acknowledge the hardship this tiny nation endured for our freedom.
