During World War II, fishermen provided a much-needed source of food for Malta’s hungry population but the many restrictions in place during wartime made their life much harder. No fishing was allowed at night, boats had to return to their respective harbours every evening, and fishermen could not venture further than six miles offshore. To make things worse, fishing was totally prohibited in certain ports and areas. On top of that, the normal fishing regulations still applied during wartime.

The day Italy declared war, John Micallef, 40, Emmanuel Fenech, 30, John Fenech, 28, and Saviour Mifsud, 12, all of Strada Concezione, Msida, were found fishing illegally in the vicinity of the Grand Harbour breakwater. Then, in October 1940, Flight Sergeant Harris of RAF Kalafrana reported in writing that Saviour Caruana, 31, and his sister Catherine, 21, both of Marsaxlokk, had entered the chamber at Kalafrana in fishing boat No. 82 F without permission. Harris asked the Birżebbuġa police to “take what action you think necessary against these people, either a warning, or a report, and let me know what you have done”. Saviour and his sister were told not to repeat the offence.

Fishermen from Marsaxlokk were caught laying nets inside the Kalafrana breakwater. Photo: NAM Police Occurrences

When Francis Mallia and Lewis Delis of Żejtun were caught fishing off St Elmo Breakwater, they handed over this permit. Photo: NAM Police Occurrences

The police report on the incident when Salvu Caruana and his wife were caught fishing inside Kalafrana Chamber. Photo: NAM Police Occurrences

But when nine months later, Anthony Bugeja, 64, Żarenu Bugeja, 50, Carmel Bugeja, 17, and a relative, also named Carmel Bugeja, 16, approached the Kalafrana breakwater to cast a fishing net, a fine of 5/- was issued to the two adults, while the youths were let off with a reprimand.

In January 1941, the Protection Officer of St Paul’s Bay, Marquis Anthony Barbaro di San Giorgio, was informed by soldiers of the 8th Battalion Manchester Regiment that two small fishing boats (frejgatini) were seen leaving port. The soldiers complained that they had no prior notice that any boats were about to leave the harbour. It transpired that the fishermen, Joseph Azzopardi, 20, and Carmel Bezzina, 42, never sought permission to go out to sea.

In February 1941, the police were informed that fishing boats could only make use of certain harbours. For example, in Gozo, fishing craft could only depart from Mġarr, Xlendi, Marsalforn, Qbajjar and Xwejni. The boats also had to return back to the port they had departed from.

Even anglers and divers sometimes trespassed into military areas. Lt Commander Geddings, RN, Lazzaretto Base, caught sight of Carmel Frendo, 29, diving for clams in a prohibited area near the submarine base. In August 1941, Lt Holdsworth of the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment noted that Żaren Farrugia, Francis Briffa and Vincent Polidano, all of Birżebbuġa, were fishing illegally from the seashore of Wied ix-Xoqqa, which was strewn with anti-personnel mines. A horrible accident had occurred in that area only two months before when two civilians had lost their lives and three were grievously injured after they stumbled on the mines. The fishermen were prosecuted and two of them were fined 5/- each.

Fishermen out at sea had to make sure that they stayed within the six-mile zone permitted by law, which was not easy to do at a time when no GPS existed. For example, in September 1941, fishing boat no. 376 F, crewed by men from St Paul’s Bay, was reported for venturing out of the permitted area. The naval authorities called the police and said it may have been boat 298 F, crewed by men from Kalkara and Żabbar, which had broken the law, and not 376 F.

Staying within the six-mile zone permitted by law was not easy to do at a time when no GPS existed

Both crews denied the accusation and stated they had been fishing for dolphin fish (lampuki) within the six-mile limit. To prove their point, they said their motor boats did not exceed six miles an hour and they had been outbound for only one hour and 15 minutes. Since the military authorities could not decide which boat had broken the law, both crews were warned and had their particulars taken down.

Fishing at night was illegal but many still took the risk of being fired at in order to increase their catch. One case will suffice. In November 1941, the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment were conducting some military exercises when they switched on a searchlight and caught two fishing boats at sea in its beam. Enquiries by the police showed that the fishermen were Joseph Zerafa, 27, and Anthony Farrugia, 16, both of Marsaxlokk. They admitted to have been fishing with a shrimp dredge during curfew hours. Zerafa was fined 10/- while Farrugia was reprimanded and had his net confiscated.

As mentioned, all boats had to return to their respective harbour. On October 29, 1942, at 5.45pm, Magdalena Bugeja reported that her husband Nazzareno, 45, and their two sons Carmel, 17, and Joseph, 12, who had left Marsaxlokk at 6.30am in motor boat 701, had not yet returned home. On board the boat were also Nazzareno’s brother Joseph, 40, and his two sons Joseph, 14, and George, 12. Permission was granted for a small vessel to go out to sea and look for them but to no avail.

That evening, a small light was observed six miles northeast of Delimara Point. Then at 12.45am, the missing boat was spotted by soldiers of the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment. It finally entered Marsaxlokk harbour at 1.15am. The fishermen explained that the boat had developed engine trouble.

Inevitably during wartime, bombs, mines and navy vessels caused damage or destroyed fishermen’s gear. Cpl. McKay of RAF Kalafrana complained that three RAF motorboats caught a fishing net in their propellers while at Marsaxlokk Bay. The net had been laid just a few yards away from shore. McKay handed part of the damaged net to the police. The owner, Charles Caruana, 26, said the net had been laid further out to sea than McKay claimed and it was probably dragged close to shore when it got entangled in the propellers of the RAF craft. He had suffered £2.10 worth of damage to his fishing gear, which the RAF refused to pay.

Spiru Bonnici, 46, found his trammel net (parit), which was laid in Birżebbuġa Bay, cut into two pieces. He could only recover one part from the bottom of the sea; the other half was nowhere in sight. Enquiries by the police revealed that the net had been cut by airmen of RAF Kalafrana as it was obstructing the entrance to their base. The rest of Bonnici’s net was found locked up in a small room at Kalafrana. Bonnici claimed £3 compensation and the affair was settled between the parties concerned.

In October 1942, Joseph Zerafa, Giacondo Fenech, John Mary Bonnici, and Peter Bugeja of Marsaxlokk reported that a British minesweeper had cut and destroyed their lampuki floats (kannizzati) which were moored six miles off Marsaxlokk. The fishermen claimed £68, £38, £35 and £44 respectively in damages. Another minesweeper dragged from the sea the long fishing lines belonging to Joseph Gafa, 41, and his brother Generoso, 23, of Marsaxlokk, which were laid three miles off Delimara. The two brothers wanted £10 compensation.

In June 1942, Lewis Spiteri, 51, of Żabbar, found his fishing tackle entangled with two mines which were moored two fathoms below the surface of the sea three miles off Żonqor Point. He suffered £2.10/- in damages. A month later, Spiteri again managed to get his fishing gear snared in another two mines, this time four miles off Xagħra.

Marauding enemy fighters were another hazard. On April 7, 1942, Bf 109 Messerschmitt fighters machine-gunned fishing boat 132, killing John Grech, 28, and injuring his father Joseph. Then they strafed fishing boat 249, but although the boat was damaged, no one was hit. On May 2, 1942, a fishing boat was fired at by a Bf 109 fighter two miles off Wied iż-Żurrieq but the enemy aircraft missed its target.

Even friendly aircraft were a danger. In September 1941, Michael Fenech, his son Joseph and John Cutajar, all of Żurrieq, were fishing in boat no. 226 between Filfla and Wied iż-Żurrieq when they were narrowly missed by bullets fired by two British aircraft that were conducting exercises.

In July 1942, a Supermarine Spitfire machined-gunned a Maltese fishing boat with four occupants. Photo: James Payne

In July 1942, Anthony D’Amato, 40, of Żurrieq, had a similar encounter with aircraft. He was fishing with three other men in a boat off Wied iż-Żurrieq when five Spitfires passed overhead. One of the aircraft left the formation, swooped down and showered the boat with cannon and machinegun fire, luckily missing it.

A mysterious accident that was never solved occurred on September 15, 1942. Saviour Farrugia, 55, and Nicholas Psaila, 56, both of Qrendi, were fishing on boat no. 288 off il-Bassasa, Żurrieq, when there was an explosion and they were peppered with splinters. Farrugia suffered injuries to his left shoulder while Psaila was hit in the chest. No one could ascertain what had caused their injuries, as the fishermen could only say that before the explosion, they heard firing from an unknown direction. It is possible the two men were hit by a shell fired by bored gunners who decided to test their shooting skills on the boat.

Fishing is a hazardous occupation on its own, without adding the dangers of war. On August 15, 1940, a man was found grievously wounded on the cliffs near Qrendi. The police concluded that he had been fishing illegally with explosives when something went wrong. The man succumbed to his injuries a few days later in hospital.

Benedict Bugeja, 30, of Siġġiewi, was fishing from Rdum ta’ Xemmex when he lost his balance and fell in the sea. Anthony Delia, also of Siġġiewi, who was fishing close by, jumped in to render assistance but as he swam towards the struggling man, Bugeja disappeared under water and was never seen again.

In October 1942, Feliċ Zahra, 63, together with his son, Vincent, 13, were fishing on a narrow strip of rock in rough seas at il-Blata, limits of Rabat. Some distance away, three other men were fishing behind a huge rock that protected them from the high waves. Out of the blue, a mountainous wave crashed on the boulder, drenching the three fishermen. When they retreated inland to remove their wet clothes, they noted that Zahra and his son were no longer on the rocky ledge. The wave had washed them out to sea and it was there that they were spotted, fighting for their lives. The three men could only watch the drama unfold in front of them as the sea was too rough for them to do anything. Both father and son eventually lost their fight and vanished beneath the angry waves.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank Ruben Vella and the staff of the National Archives, without whose assistance this article would not have been possible.

This is the fourth of a series of articles adapted from the book Malta War Occurrences – The Police Logbooks 1940-1942, by Jeffrey Sammut, which is to be published soon by BDL Books. For more information, visit https://bdlbooks.com/ product/malta-war-occurrences-the-police-logbooks-1940-1942/.