Malta: The Thorn in Rommel's Side

Between June 1940 and December 1942, Malta became one of the most bombed places on earth. The battle for this tiny island proved to be one of the most decisive turning points of World War II. In this book the author uses first-hand experience of the conflict to describe the pressures of combat. As the commanding officer of the island's top-scoring Spitfire squadron he gives an insight into the tactics that reversed the overwhelming odds stacked against Allied successes, as well as featuring miraculous escapes and the darker hours - the intense bombing campaign that destroyed 39 newly-arrived Spitfires, the hardships endured by the islanders and the enormous cost in human life. Laddie Lucas recounts individual stories of heroism and gives an insight into the behaviour of the pilots.