MALTA "TAKES IT"

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 257, 13 January 1941, Page 6

MALTA "TAKES IT"

PEOPLE'S GREAT SPIRIT RAIDS FROM ITALIANS "After London, Malta mxisjt hold the record for the hammering it has taken from the air, but Valelta (the capital) has surprisingly little to show in the way of wreeked build ings (reports a war correspondent from Alexandria) . The spirit of the population is amazing. As xxnits of the Mediterranean Fleet went slowly into tlio harbour one sunny xnorning recently, cheers rang from the heights* round the porr,, while on a single point hundreds of childreix had gathered, waving Hags and singing an uncomplimentary song about Mus solini to the tunc of the stirring old naval song, "Row Oxxt The Dinghy." I was told that it was this children's reception that the Fleet looked forward to. Most certainly the children make a tlumdcroxis tin. While I was ashore, an air raid alarm was sounded. The soft rock j of islaixd is catacombed with pas- j sages and shelters, and everyone went to earth. Victory Rol^ After half an hour the "all clear" soxxnded. A few minutes later, two Hurricanes came roaring over the harbour doing a ''victory roll.'" They had bagged a bomber each. i The appearance of the planes was the signal for. more terrific roaring, especially roxxnd the docks, where the Maltese downed tools to wave. Normal business life goes on in Valetta. It js here more than any■where. else in the Mediterranean that one realises that Italy's number is up. It will be a great day, for the children and sailors when the Fleet sails in, finally victorious. The magnificent job which Australian destroyers have been doing in the Mediterranean is probably not appreciated to the full in Australia. Of seven submarines destroyed for certain by their flotilla, Australian ships put an end to four, and assisted in destroying the other three. They have steamed more than 5000 miles a month for nearly a year, with the shortest possible intervals in port.