Social aspects in War Museum

The War Museum mainly consists of exhibits connected with the armed forces - the Navy and Merchant Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force. Perhaps one might consider these aspects as the "romantic and sentimental" element of the Second World War.

The social aspects should have a much greater and important share of the contents or exhibits... The main argument for this submission lies in the following statistics: between 1940 and 1944 there were 3,340 air raid alerts totalling 2,357 hours and six minutes. The first air raid hit Fort St Elmo at 6.55 a.m. on June 11, 1940. The final "all clear" was sounded on the sirens at 9 p.m. on August 28, 1944.

All this explains why the horrific bombardment by the Italian air force, the Regia Aeronautica, aand the German Luftwaffe earned the people of Malta the highest civilian award for bravery by King George VI and a distinguished citation by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Bravery and patriotism

On April 15, 1942 the King wrote: "To honour her brave people I award the George Cross to the Island fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history."

President Roosevelt enthused on a parchment scroll: "In the name of the people of the United States I salute the island of Malta, its people and defenders, who in the cause of freedom and justice and decency throughout the world, have rendered a valorous service far above and beyond the call of duty."

The bravery and patriotism of the people of the Maltese Islands as acknowledged by those two world leaders prove how right one is to expect the War Museum to establish a balance between the effort and the sacrifices of the people and the armed forces.

It is expected that many of the social and folkloristic points of view and conditions be amply and adequately exhibited in the War Museum. The mention of adequacy brings to mind two considerations. The Gladiator fighter's rightful place is in the War Museum, not in the Aviation Museum. Obviously in such a case there should be a plaque recording the grand professional reconstruction by the members of the Aviation Museum.

Similarly, the Jeep 'Husky' that carried President Roosevelt round the beleaguered island in 1943 should find its honoured place in the War Museum, not in the planned Military Vehicles Museum.

Civilians' share in defence

This submission further strengthens the plea for bigger and better premises for the War Museum. There would be so many items to be found a place there. Let's mention some: the Police, ARP, Emergency Special Constabulary, Victory Kitchens, Rationing and ration books, shelters. But, above all, the people's lifestyle such as clothing, cookery, entertainment, novel means of transport, schooling, disease and medical care, hospitals, shortage of foodstuffs, agricultural produce and the "inventions" of mothers in order to cope.

With the inclusion of the suggested items there would have to be more than three times the space at present in use. Besides, only then could it be truly said to be a War Museum with as much of the folk story as possible. The provision of as near a complete picture as one would muster is the only possible solution to the problem. Moreover all the suggested items besides those already available require ample space to have a proper exhibition on professional lines.

Necessity mother of invention

It is worth showing how, for example, housewives managed to provide food for the family in spite of the severe shortage.The Government Experimental Farm provided rabbits, chickens, and cocks together with a weekly ration of animal feed. All this provided a good and wholesome supply of meat and eggs.

Those who did not have enough space, which was at a premium in any case because of the destroyed building by aerial bombing, or who were not prepared to be breeders, had recourse to Victory Kitchens.

Government provided a type of Meals on Wheels with a limited variety of menus supplied on a ration basis according to the number of members in any family. There were also persons who could stomach buying swill or gaxin., the leftovers of services messes, especially of the naval establishments or warships.

There was a shortage of kerosene for cooking stoves. There were no gas or electric stoves or ovens. The inventive housewife cooked on stone stoves using wood from demolished buildings for fuel. The fire was kept alive by means of a fan or rewwieha.

Special clothing materials

Though clothing material was not available, housewives again showed their inventiveness. Blankets were somehow obtained from the services - remember that more than one law enforcement officer closed his eyes for the sake of convenience as well as for humanitarian reasons. Blankets could be tailored into coats, jackets or skirts.

Flour and sugar bags were boiled with a generous amount of soda to remove the printed lettering and at the same time bleach the linen-like cloth. Dyed in the required colour, they provided the material for dress making.

Lack of space does not allow for a full list of items that could be put on exhibition in a War Museum. However through careful research into the social lifestyle of the times - the war years and the immediate aftermath - would provide a more or less complete social picture.

It only takes imagination and recollection of the times by those who are still alive or by reading newspapers and books recalling those adventurous years that brought glory to the people of Malta and Gozo.