On a fine afternoon in the last summer of the Second World War a 'Wellington' bomber droned down the east coast of Italy, turned to starboard as it passed the smoking bulk of Mount Etna in Sicily and soon commenced its descent towards Malta.
Those who know the characters of the Popeye cartoons would be aware that Wellingtons were always called 'Wimpies' and this one bore the roundel of the British Royal Air Force on its faded camouflage fabric that covered the unique geodic construction. No longer used on operations, the fuselage contained a few seats occupied by a mixed group of technicians and aircraft hands, replacements for the Malta garrison, who spilled over into the navigator’s position and co-pilot’s seat for neither were required on that familiar daylight journey by an experienced pilot.
Lying in the bomb aimer’s position in the nose of that elderly aircraft a young instrument technician watched through the optical flat as the Maltese Archipelago came into view looking, as many have observed, like a few leaves floating on a large calm pond. Nowadays the jet airliners of Air Malta circle the island and usually approach from the south but at that time there was only the shorter east west strip that had served throughout the War, short because of the quarries at its western end wherein lay the wreckage of several aircraft that in the jargon of the air had 'run out of runway'.
Pleased to be returning to the island where he had spent an idyllic childhood in the thirties, the technician in the nose position watched as the Wimpy crossed the east coast of Malta above Fort Ricasoli but was saddened to see the large block of the Married Quarters in ruins for that had been his home for nearly four years. Worse was to come as they flew low over Rinella Creek, wherein lay a badly damaged large tanker that he was later to find was the famous 'Ohio' hero of the Santa Marija Convoy of 1942 for the familar bulk of Calcara'’s Church was no more and as the bomber skirted above Cottonera the full extent of the wartime bombing became evident for many of the narrow roads were still closed by debris.
Very low now, the scenery passed so quickly but he was relieved to see his old school still standing on the ramparts above Cospicua, though Luqa village was devastated and little stood of its famous twin towered church. The pilot braked sharply as soon as the wheels screeched on to the bone dry runway and then turned off on to the perimeter track and parked on a hard standing as directed by the jeep with a large 'Follow Me' sign displayed on its back that met each aircraft.
Even before they tumbled out of the hatchways of the ‘plane the new arrivals could smell the wild thyme, so characteristic of most Mediterranean Islands, but their first concern was to move away from the notoriously inflammable fabric covered Wimpy and light up a cigarette - for there were very few non-smokers in those days.
Sitting on the sun-scorched stubby grass the young technician looked up at Mdina that from that distance looked substantially unharmed and to this day whenever he lands on Malta he recalls that first flight into that island.
