VALUE OF MALTA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 74, 6 July 1942, Page 3

VALUE OF MALTA

KEY BASE TO MEDITERRANEAN BULWARK OF BRITAIN Those avlio have the task of preparing to meet the last big Axis drive cannot have overlooked the significance of Malta. The Nazis have paid an astonishing price for meagre results in their long effort to knock out Britain's key base in the central Mediterranean. Over tiie last week-end they lost nearly 100 planes smashed or damaged, and. their total loss over the island is estimated at more than 1500 planes (says the Christian Science Monitor in an editorial article on May 13). This is some measure of their interest in the Mediterranean. Added to. the high losses of men and material sunk on the way to General Rommel, plus all the forces lost or tied up in Greece, Italy and North Africa the price of battering but not capturing Malta indicates that German straegy is not devoted wholly to Russia. The geopoliticians in Berlin may be trying to prove that the Mediterranean is only a lake or Hitler may feel that the value of threatening Egypt, forcing British supplies to go around Africa and pro-' tecting his Italian flank, is worth all the cost. Before the Avar, "experts" said the aeroplane had rendered Malta worthless. It lias, indeed, become a dangerous refuge or fuelling station for big ships, but the British submarines that sink about one out of lour of Rommel's supply ships still use it. Apparently air patrols are. nlso based there. The British have somehow run in food for the 270,000 inhabitants and just recenti3 r more Spitfires for their defence. Despite some 2500 homes, the people have carried on so gallantly that King George has decorated the whole island. One correspondent after visiting tliere attributed part of the "miracle of Malta" to its Bible-reading Governor, Lieutenant General Sir William Dobbie. Arriving in Lon- . don General Dobbie said- li J trusted God and followed him. I exhorted the Maltese to trust in God." Patriotic Parcels Received Mrs J. J. Butler, of Domain Read, has received a letter of thanks from Gunner J. W. Beaven of Christchurch who is now stationed in England with the "Bomber Command." He states that the parcel was in first class condition anil was ■warmly appreciated by his mess. He adds that he lias Hewn over prac-< tically all parts of England and alias participated in several of the recent bombing raids over Germany.