During World War II, soldiers and civilians whose lives were at risk were particularly affected by venereal diseases (VDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The most common VD was gonorrhea.

Faced with the threat of war and bombs, there was no difference between social classes. Everyone had to take refuge in shelters and this presented an opportunity for men and women to meet and maybe have a ‘good time’, which was not possible in pre-war years. Soldiers and civilians thought less about tomorrow because they thought they could be killed. Therefore, people sought every opportunity to forget the reality of war, including engaging in sexual activity, without thinking of tomorrow and the possibility of contracting a VD.

The majority of men in the armed forces were not career soldiers and, ultimately, their values were those of the civilian society to which they would one day return. A contemporary wartime phrase was that this was a ‘people’s war’, with those on the home front encouraged to feel as though they stood together with fighting men. This was a useful trope for the government to capitalise on so that leaders would need to convince, rather than order.

Citizenship, however, involves concepts of social difference, typically gendered and often class-based. British men were depicted as ‘temperate heroes’, in opposition to hyper-masculine enemy, while British ‘good-time girls’ were seen as out-of-control, irresponsible, selfish and pleasure-seeking.

According to newly discovered wartime documents, the local authorities were hugely concerned about VDs and the spreading of these infections, especially within the armed forces, for both Maltese and British. Members of the armed forces usually met Maltese women in bars and, on many occasions, they ended up having intimate encounters.

According to these documents, the women were mostly barmaids and prostitutes but there were occasions when single women frequented military areas to meet servicemen and have a good time.

As we shall see, the large majority of venereal disease cases involved the British and the authorities knew that some of the women were a danger to the servicemen and they encouraged them not only to be medicated but also not to frequent military areas.

Maltese servicemen 

Most of the Maltese cases found in the documents were from the Royal Malta Artillery and the King’s Own Malta Regiment.

A gunner of the 1st Coast Regiment, RMA, met a woman in a bar at Valletta and had what was described as “an exposure” (intimate encounter), which took place in public at Portes des Bombes, Floriana. He also stated that he could not give any details regarding the woman or the bar from where he picked her up as he was under the influence of drink at the time.

However, the police thought that the gunner was fully aware who the woman was but was not willing to give her away for some reason or another and that the information he gave was untrue. The police suspected the gunner had furnished misleading information to avoid possible complications between himself, his family and the husband and family of the woman concerned.

The exposure took place on September 10 and, six days later, the first symptoms appeared and, on September 17, he was admitted to the 45th General Hospital at St Patrick’s Barracks, Pembroke. After the medical examination, he was informed that he had “Gonorrhea Fresh”. The woman was described as short, Maltese, aged about 21, with dark hair.

An RMA gunner was said to have paid 5/-d and had intercourse on October 9 with a woman who lived in Cameron Street, Gżira. She was neither an artist nor a barmaid but was known to practise prostitution. The woman was said to have been undergoing a course of treatment at the VD clinic.

As a precaution against VD, the gunner was said to have taken “a pot perming wash” after the exposure. However, symptoms appeared on October 12 and he was admitted to the 45th General Hospital the next day. He was reported to have got “NYD VS” (no available meaning). The woman was described as short, Maltese, with dark hair.

Another gunner, this time of the 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RMA, was said to have contracted the disease when, five years earlier, as a civilian, he had met an ex-prostitute from Paola  who, however, had since died at Connaught Hospital (Vilhena Palace), Mdina. After he was admitted to hospital on October 20, he was diagnosed with “Chronic Gonorrhea” but, in early November, he stated to the police that he has been under treatment at various clinics ever since.

A soldier of the 8th Searchlight Battery, RMA had an encounter with a barmaid at the Rex Hotel, Valletta. After the appearance of the disease, he was admitted to hospital. After being shown photographs, the woman was identified as a licensed barmaid who lived at St Dominic Street, Valletta and employed at Charlie’s Bar, Strait Street. He had met her several times previously. However, sometime later, she changed her place of work and found a job at the New Life Bar in the same street.

As the woman had symptoms too, she was persuaded to attend the VD clinic for a medical examination. Having been found to be suffering from VD, she was said to be undergoing a course of treatment at the said clinic.

Another soldier stated that last intercourse was on January 2, 1941, at Alexandria, Egypt. The first symptoms appeared on February 18 and, five days later, he was admitted to No. 45th General Hospital and after medical tests was informed to have been diagnosed with Syphilis P (no meaning for P).

No. 45th General Hospital at St Patrick’s Barracks, Pembroke.

Types of venereal diseases (sexually transmitted infections)

Wartime sexual problems were officially viewed as an unavoidable consequence of the disturbance of normal social patterns due to the mobilisation for war work and service in the armed forces and due to the destructive effects of war, such as bombing, deaths and shortages.

Government propaganda associated the spread of venereal disease (sexually transmitted infections) with women rather than men, by casting disease carriers as female.

The most common venereal diseases were the NYDVS; soft sore (chancroid); venereal sore; venereal core; relapse of syphilis; gonorrhea fresh; gonorrhea release and chronic gonorrhoea.

Statistical information about the number of cases of venereal diseases from the general hospitals is not available. However, statistics were collated at the Central Hospital at Floriana (the building is nowadays the Malta police headquarters), which shows the number of persons infected and the type of venereal diseases.

A corporal of ‘A’ Company, 1st Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment, was reported to have had an exposure on June 10, 1941, during which he did not take any precautions. The first symptoms appeared four days later. He was admitted to No. 90 General Hospital at Mtarfa on June 15 and was subsequently diagnosed with “gonorrhoea fresh”.

He was shown several photographs of women but failed to identify any one of them as being the woman with whom he had intercourse. He was said to have met the woman, who was well built and had black curly hair, in King Edward VII Avenue, Floriana. The intercourse, for which he had paid nothing, took place “at the entrance to the railway tunnel shelter, at Floriana”. He could not give any further details as he said it was pitch dark at the time and he had never seen the woman before.

A private of HQ Company, 1st Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment, reported sick after a series of exposures with a woman, the last of which occurred on May 20, 1941. After symptoms appeared on June 16, he was seen by the company’s medical officer and then, on June 23, was readmitted to 90th General Hospital, where he was informed that he had NYD VS (no meaning).

He produced a photograph of the woman with whom he had the intercourse and from whom he had contracted the disease. She was found to be a woman who lived at No. 83, Stuart Street, Gżira. He had paid £1 for the intercourse, which took place at this address. The woman worked at OK Bar, Strait Street, Valletta. At that time, she was regularly attending the VD clinic at the Civil Hospital, for curative treatment.

A gunner of the 6/23rd Battery, 12th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery was stated to have met a woman at Bir id-Deheb Road in the vicinity of the crossroads and had intercourse with her, for which he paid nothing, in a nearby air raid shelter. No precautions were taken. Although symptoms appeared on July 29 and he was only admitted to No. 90 General Hospital, on February 8, 1942. He was diagnosed with “gonorrhoea release”. He described the woman as being Maltese, about 26 years old, five feet, six inches tall, with a dark complexion and wearing a black dress. He added that he had seen the woman some time back at Għaxaq. He was shown several photographs of women but failed to identify any one of them as being the woman with whom he had intercourse.

A little bit later, it was found that the woman resided at Żejtun and that she was neither an artiste nor a barmaid. It was reported that she was persuaded to attend the VD Clinic for medical examination and to undergo a course of treatment.

A sergeant of ‘C’ Company, 2nd Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment, was said to have met a woman on August 21, 1941,  outside Standard Bar, Birżebbuġa, and had intercourse with her in a field nearby, for which he paid nothing.

Symptoms appeared on September 8, 1941, while he was admitted to No. 45 General Hospital four days later. After some tests, he was informed that he had “gonorrhoea fresh”. He said that the precautions he had taken were to wash himself with soap and water.

A sergeant met a woman outside Standard Bar, Birżebbuġa, and had intercourse with her in a field nearby, for which he paid nothing

The sergeant described the woman as Maltese, aged about 27, about five feet, six inches tall and not very good looking. She lived at No. 10, Brittania Street, Żejtun, and was known to loiter at Birżebbuġa, frequenting a military area. The woman was called and informed of the matter. She admitted that she frequented Standard Bar at Birżebbuġa and was neither an artiste nor a barmaid. The woman agreed to start a course of treatment at the VD Clinic.

A leading aircraftman (LAC) of the RAF was reported to have had an exposure with a woman who he identified from photographs shown to him. A report from the hospital was not so clear and no details could be obtained about the particulars of the VD he had contracted.

The woman, who lived at Cameron Street, Gżira, was neither an artiste nor a barmaid but was known to be practising clandestine prostitution on a large scale. She was reported to have been undergoing a course of treatment at the VD Clinic for the previous two months but continued to practise prostitution. The authorities were reported as wanting to put a stop to this practice because the woman was known to have been spreading the disease rapidly.

A drummer of ‘A’ Company, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers, paid 10 shillings to have intercourse with a woman on September 10. Symptoms appeared four days later and he was admitted to No. 45 General Hospital on September 15. After some tests, he was informed that had contracted “gonorrhoea fresh”.

The woman he had exposure with lived at No. 122, Ponsomby Street, Gżira, and was employed as a barmaid at Brown Jug Bar, Sliema Wharf, Gżira. She was described as short, Maltese, aged 29, with blonde hair and fairly plump. She was persuaded to undergo a medical examination at the VD Clinic and was found to be infected with VD. She then started a course of treatment at the said clinic.

A private of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps was accosted by a woman on the street on September 8. He paid 10s/- to have intercourse with her in the garden at Gżira Wharf, Gżira. After symptoms appeared on September 17, he was admitted to No. 45 General Hospital and,  after tests, he was informed that he had “gonorrhoea fresh”.

From photographs shown to him, he identified the woman with whom he had intercourse. She was described as a small Maltese woman, aged about 35, fairly stout with dark hair, who lived in No. 125, Ponsomby Street, Gżira. She was neither an artiste nor a barmaid but was known to practise prostitution. The woman was already undergoing a course of treatment at the VD Clinic.

A gunner of the 4th Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery, paid five shillings to have intercourse with a woman employed as a barmaid at Cairo Bar, Tigné Wharf, Sliema, on September 13 at her residence – No. 129, Cameron Street, Gżira. After symptoms appeared five days later, he was admitted to No. 45 General Hospital on September 20 and was diagnosed with “gonorrhoea fresh”.

He identified the woman from photographs shown to him. She was described as short, Maltese, aged about 22, with dark bobbed hair. She had undergone a medical examination at the VD Clinic and was found to be suffering from VD. By this time, she was undergoing a course of treatment at the said clinic.

A fusilier of ‘B’ Company, 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, said he paid five shillings to have an exposure on October 4 with a woman who resided at No. 130, Cameron Street, Gżira. She was neither an artiste nor a barmaid but was known to practise clandestine prostitution. After symptoms appeared on October 9, he was admitted two days later to No. 45 General Hospital where he was found to have got a “soft sore (chancroid)”.

The woman was described as Maltese, aged between 22 and 25, about five feet, five inches tall, of medium build, with dark straight hair. The woman was persuaded to undergo a medical examination at the VD Clinic and she started a course of treatment at said clinic.

The Sliema police said the woman was using her house for the purpose of prostitution and that she was spreading VD among service personnel. They were also reported to have “taken steps to avoid her from acquainting herself with members of the services for the purpose of prostitution”.

A private of ‘E’ Company, 4th Battalion, The Buffs Regiment, was reported to have had an exposure in Rabat on September 18 with a woman who worked at the Lord Kitchener Bar, Saqqajja Hill, Rabat, and resided at No. 4, Steps Street, Rabat. After symptoms appeared on November 23, he was admitted a day later to hospital and was diagnosed with “gonorrhoea release”.

From enquiries made, it was established that the woman was a Maltese, aged 21, also the licencee of the Lord Kitchener Bar, and had already been investigated by the police. She was persuaded to attend the VD Clinic to be medically examined. She complied with this request and was found to be suffering from VD and afterwards started a course of treatment at the said clinic.

The woman, who lived at Cameron Street, Gżira, was neither an artiste nor a barmaid, but was known to be practising clandestine prostitution on a large scale

An aircraftman first class (AC1) from RAF Luqa met a woman on the street on September 11 and had an exposure with her. Symptoms appeared on October 11 and,  a day later, he was admitted to hospital and found to have a “venereal sore”. He said that as precautions he had worn “an ET outfit and afterwards washed off with soap and water”.

He said he remembered very little about the woman as he was under the influence of drink but described her as short, fat and aged about 30. Despite the scant information, it was established that the woman responsible for the infection lived at No. 49, Fountain Street, Valletta. She was an ex-prostitute and had never held a licence to work in bars. She was still undergoing a course of treatment at the VD Clinic.

A stoker petty officer from HMS Abington had an exposure “approximately on September 1” with a woman who resided at no. 130, Cameron Street, Gżira. After symptoms appeared on October 6, he was admitted to the 90th General Hospital on October 22 and was found to be suffering a “venereal sore”. He said that as precautions he had “washed off with gonys before and after the intercourse”.

The Sliema police reported that the woman was known to have been practising prostitution on a large scale and had been responsible for many cases of VD infection. The police added that they were taking the necessary action and that the woman had been undergoing a course of treatment at the VD Clinic for the previous two months.

According to a medical report, a rating from HMS Breconshire had an exposure on September 18, 1941, in Glasgow, Scotland. The first symptoms appeared on October 7 and he was admitted to the 90th General Hospital that same day. After tests, he was diagnosed with “syphilis fresh”. Contrary to the above-mentioned cases, as the disease was contracted abroad, no procedures were taken to investigate with whom he had sexual contact.

According to another medical report, a rating from submarine HMS P-34, had an exposure on September 20 at Burrow-in-Furness, England. Symptoms first appeared on October 8 and he was admitted to 90th General Hospital the next day where he was diagnosed with “syphilis primary”.

Charles Debono is curator, National War Museum.

The author wishes to thank Heritage Malta for its continuous support in his research about various and different aspects of wartime Malta and the Malta Police Force for their assistance during the research for this article.