Eighty years ago, during the first half of 1942, the Maltese islands were being pounded into submission. Two June 1942 convoys, code-named Harpoon and Vigorous, were despatched simultaneously to Malta via Gibraltar and Alexandria respectively but only two ships from the West, Orari and Troilus, made harbour with 15,000 tons of supplies.

The severe shortage of supplies on the island brought even more restrictions and ration cuts to an already-starving population. Moreover, vital fuel, oil and kerosene were scarce. If a convoy could not break through very soon, the islands would inevitably have to surrender. The Governor of Malta, Field-Marshal Viscount Gort, estimated that Malta could not hold out beyond an undisclosed target date in September.

Malta could not hold out beyond September

It was against this dismal background that a determined effort was made to push through a convoy from the West. Code-named Operation Pedestal, it consisted of 14 fast merchant vessels under heavy escort which entered the Mediterranean on August 10, 1942. The next five days were to witness a heroic battle on which the survival of Malta depended. The Allied top brass were under no illusion as to the task ahead, as epitomised by Vice-Admiral E.N. Syfret, the commander of Operation Pedestal, who signalled this message to all the ships:

Vice-Admiral Edward Neville Syfret (1899-1972), commander of Operation Pedestal. Photo: Mpg.org.uk

“The garrison and people of Malta, who have been defending their island so gallantly against incessant attacks by the German and Italian air forces, are in urgent need of replenishments of food and military supplies. These we are taking to them, and I ask of every officer in the convoy and its escort will do his utmost to ensure that they reach Malta safely. You may be sure that the enemy will do all in his power to prevent the convoy getting through and it will require every exertion on our part to see that he fails in his attempt. During the next few days all ships will be in the first and second degree of readiness for long periods. When you are on watch, be especially vigilant and alert, and, for that reason, when you are off duty, get all the sleep you can. Every one of us must give of his best. Malta looks to us for help. We shall not fail them.”

Some of the best cargo ships afloat were earmarked for the convoy. Three of the largest came from the Shaw Savill & Albion Co. Ltd of London: Empire Hope, 12,700 tons; Wairangi, 12,400 tons; and Waimarama, 11,100 tons. Two Blue Star cargo liners – Melbourne Star, 12,800 tons, and Brisbane Star, 11,100 tons – were also included. The other British merchant ships were: Dorset, 10,600 tons (Federal Steam Navigation Co. Ltd); Glenorchy, 9,000 tons (Glen Line Ltd); Port Chalmers, 8,500 tons (Port Line Ltd); Rochester Castle, 7,800 tons (a Union Castle mail ship); Deucalion, 7,500 tons (Blue Funnel Line); and the Scottish ship Clan Ferguson, 7,300 tons.

Captain Dudley Mason (1901-87), the heroic master of SS Ohio. Photo: En.Wikipedia.com

Three US vessels completed the convoy: the 8,300 ton Santa Elisa (Grace Lines); the 7,700 ton Almeria Lykes (Lykes Brothers Steamship Company); and Texaco’s Ohio, a tanker of 9,263 tons capable of carrying 170,000 barrels of oil. Unlike the other two American ships, Ohio did not retain her American crew but was taken over by British personnel under Captain Dudley Mason.

The ships took on board a grand total of 85,000 tons of cargo with each vessel being allocated a mixture of Malta’s vital needs, except kerosene and fuel oil. Flour formed the bulk of supplies, but petrol, aviation spirit in tins, shells and other explosives were present on all the ships.

Ohio loaded 11,500 tons of kerosene and fuel oils, absolutely vital for Malta’s survival. Because of its relative importance, Ohio’s engines were mounted on rubber bearings, to reduce shock, and all steam pipes were supported with steel springs and timber baulks. In this way, the tanker would be better protected to withstand the shock of bombs exploding in the sea close by.

On August 2, the convoy, under its commodore, Commander A.G. Venables, RN (Rtd) on Port Chalmers, sailed en route to the Mediterranean. Yet there is a strong possibility that information about the Malta-bound convoy had already reached enemy intelligence before the ships had even departed from Britain. This was suggested in the House of Lords on October 14, 1942, when Admiral of the Fleet Lord Cork and Orrery said that part of the cargo on the public docks were labelled ‘Malta’.

Officers who took part in the operation complained about loopholes in security arrangements and, in fact, charts of the Mediterranean were issued openly to the ships before the departure date.

It is also known that a topic of public house conversation was that Malta was the convoy’s destination. Commander Venables himself was also sceptical of security since he himself had been personally told his destination by the port stevedores. Very probably, enemy agents in Britain had already passed on all the available information when the fleet sailed into the Mediterranean on the night of August 10.

Escorting the convoy were three aircraft carriers – Eagle, Victorious and Indomitable – carrying 72 fighters between them; the battleships Nelson and Rodney; seven cruisers; 32 destroyers; eight submarines; and a number of smaller craft, including corvettes, tugs, minesweepers and motor launches. However, the main force was to withdraw when the convoy reached the Sicilian Narrows, leaving ‘Force X’ under Rear-Admiral Harold Burrough to accompany the merchantmen to Malta. This force consisted of three cruisers, an anti-aircraft ship, 12 destroyers and a tug.

The British escort was formidable enough, but opposing them there were 18 Italian and two German submarines, 19 motor torpedo-boats, six cruisers, 11 destroyers and a total of 540 serviceable aircraft based on Sicilian and Sardinian airfields.

Enemy naval experts could predict with precision and accuracy the most likely course to be taken by the convoy because of (i) previous experience and (ii) the sea-room in the Sicilian Narrows was so restricted that any convoy from the West had to take one of two courses: run close to the African shore round Cape Bon or sail down the northwest coast of Sicily. The enemy rightly predicted that the Pedestal convoy would use the Cape Bon route.

The first loss occurred on August 11 when the German submarine U-73 torpedoed the aircraft-carrier Eagle, which sank within eight minutes. This was the prelude to a four-day non-stop onslaught from the air, the sea and underwater. Convoy and escort sailed steadily on but most of the ships were not destined to reach harbour.

After Port Chalmers had a lucky escape, Deucalion was damaged and later sunk on August 12. The carrier Indomitable also sustained damage and the destroyer Foresight was sunk by Stuka dive-bombing. The cruiser Nigeria and the anti-aircraft ship Cairo were hit, together with the tanker Ohio. Empire Hope and Clan Ferguson were sunk while bombers hit the cruiser Kenya, Brisbane Star and, for the second time, Ohio.

Torpedoes put paid to the Almeira Lykes, Santa Elisa, Wairangi and Glenorchy. The cruiser Manchester was lost while Rochester Castle was hit. Waimarama became a blazing mass when its cargo of aviation fuel caught fire and almost destroyed Melbourne Star and the now-struggling Ohio with her. Parts of a Stuka even crashed on the Ohio but the tanker still sailed on. Luckily, the Italian naval ships were not given fighter cover and they were withdrawn. However, Dorset was sunk within sight of Malta.

Melbourne Star is welcomed into Grand Harbour on August 13. Photo: Timesofmalta.com

MV Brisbane Star’s safe arrival in Grand Harbour on August 14 notwithstanding damage on its starboard side. Photo: Timesofmalta.com

During the afternoon of August 13, Port Chalmers, Rochester Castle and Melbourne Star appeared on the horizon and were given a great welcome. Brisbane Star fought its way into Grand Harbour on August 14 but there was no sign of Ohio with its vital supplies of fuel, oil and kerosene, without which Malta could not survive.

The US tanker, with its British crew, lay crippled some miles off Malta. Ohio had been singled out for heavy punishment: torpedoed, holed, set ablaze, boilers blown up, twice abandoned and re-boarded, but it had to get through. So the destroyers Brabham and Penn were lashed to the hulk of the tanker while the destroyer Ledbury acted as an emergency rudder to prevent Ohio going round in circles. Another murderous attack was repulsed and the ships inched their way to Malta towards the protection of the island’s fighters and minesweepers.

Ohio had been torpedoed, holed, set ablaze, boilers blown up, twice abandoned and re-boarded

Front view of the tanker Ohio lashed to the destroyers HMS Bramham and HMS Penn to prevent it from sinking. Photo: En.Wikipedia.com

The tanker was thus literally carried into Grand Harbour, its decks almost awash, to an unbelievable welcome from the Maltese on the bastions. The date was August 15, the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and, because of this, Operation Pedestal has since become locally known as the Santa Marija Convoy.

The 32,000 tons of cargo that found its way to Malta was quickly unloaded and taken to safe storage by August 22. Malta was saved, and the dreaded ‘target date’ could be staved off, thus enabling the island to continue with its heroic contribution in the great fight for freedom. Eighty years have gone by but the Santa Marija Convoy has never been forgotten.

Joseph F. Grima is a retired casual history lecturer and assistant director of education.