Title:DOCKYARD TAKE-COVER; MALTA AIR RAIDS [Allocated Title]
Film Number:AYY 193/1-7
Other titles:BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
Summary: The Siege of Malta.
Description: AYY 193/1. 24-25 Feb and 2-12 March. Men on non-urgent work take cover in rock shelters when public sirens are sounded but the remainder work on until the Red Flag is hoisted on the Palace Tower, Fort St Angelo and the Castille. Naval ratings and RAF personnel spot enemy planes with field glasses. Schembri's Horse Bus. Officers in a donkey cart and garry. Bicycles, carts and pedestrians. Men at work in the dockyard. Ratings working on HMS Lance. Fire engine "Donald Duck" leaving its tunnel. Bomb damage.
AYY 193/2. Malta's Air Raids. General street scenes. Air raid wardens and troops in the street. Kingsway. Men running to shelters. Traffic on Valletta-Floriana road. Troops come out of Collie and Williams (English chemist shop). Children playing in Old Bakery Street during all clear. Wrecked buildings.
AYY 193/3. A naval rating hoists the danger flag after the alert. Stukas. Bombs falling on Valletta. Bofors gun. Woman hanging out washing in bombed street. Homeless family cooking in street. Army at demolition work. Florist looks at blitzed shop after the all clear and proceeds to set out flowers for sale again. Wall inscription "O.K. Bomb Rome". Fire engines rush out from fire station. Bombs falling on Luqa Aerodrome and Grand Harbour.
AYY 193/4. Homeless children playing cards in rock shelter. People enter shelter as the Alert sounds. The shelterers are led in prayer by Carmela Cassals, the lace seller. They pray for the victory of the islands' defenders over the German raiders. Their voices are drowned out by the sound of bombs and guns. Main street of Valletta, ruins of the Opera House. Demolition squads and rescue gang at work. Wreckage of Greek church, St Augustins. Fire fighters on burning ship. Hal Far Aerodrome. Ju 88 diving. Spitfire flying towards camera after successful interception.
AYY 193/5. Pilot gets into aircraft. Hurricane being serviced. Junkers, Stukas and flak, Spitfire and Hurricane. Demolition squad and police at work after raid.
AYY 193/6. Bombed Children's Hospital. Nurses and nuns take children from the ruined buildings. Child carried on a stretcher. Torpedo pushed out from shop and loaded onto albacore. Aircraft is taxied out and torpedo is loaded. The crew gets in and the aircraft takes off. Bombed church and burning lorry. Newspapers come off machine, editor checks copy. The "Times of Malta" announces the George Cross award. Newspaper boys run out with the papers. Bomb explosions at Takali. RAF cooks at work in blitzed kitchen; also coppersmiths and dock workers continuing work.
AYY 193/7. Governor of Malta William Dobbie, Sir Walter Monckton and other VIPs arrive for a conference at the Governors Palace. They inspect airmen and also civilians commended for bravery. They also inspect the Air Sea Rescue Launch and wrecked aerodrome buildings. They watch air crews loading trucks with rubble and rocks to fill bomb holes. They inspect Luqa Aerodrome then leave by car. Burning ship in Grand Harbour. New Governor Lord Gort visits Hal Far.
Turkish Chief of Air Staff and his staff arriving at Heliopolis on a visit to the Middle East, Guard of Honour, etc.
Alternative Title:BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
