Part 2 of our captivating story of Vicky Rylance’s childhood experiences in Malta during WWII.
On the 11th June, 1940 – which was the day after Italy had declared war against Britain – I was woken up as usual about 6.30am, and was getting ready to accompany my Aunt Teresa to Mass at 7am. Suddenly, an air raid warning siren started its mournful signal. Little did we know it, but this was the first of many, many such warnings in the next few years.
Instantly, the whole household was thrown into a great panic. My Father who was a member of the ARP departed at once wearing his special helmet, presumably to protect him from falling debris. I remember my Mother and my Aunt going into a state of anxiety, crying out and weeping. Mass was completely forgotten and we all huddled in the one room in the house which was considered safest, being an inside room without windows on to the street! Holy pictures and medals were pinned on to us children for protection. We heard airplanes passing overhead and the sound of bombs falling and exploding in the distance. We were terrified.
Eventually the siren sounded the end of the air raid, and we all spilled out on to the street to exchange news with the neighbours who were all in the same state of shock and horror. The Radio announced that bombs had fallen on Valletta and the ThreeCities (also known as Cottonera). Buildings had been destroyed and people had been killed. This news increased the anxiety for my Mother and Aunt, since our family comes from Cottonera and most of our close relatives lived in this danger zone. There were no telephones in homes in those days except in those of the very rich. Nobody could know what happened to them. This first raid was followed by several others.
Much later that day, great joy was experienced by the family. Several of my relatives arrived, covered in dust, exhausted and carrying all they could carry in bundles over their shoulders. They had walked all the way from Senglea to Birkirkara, where the family had moved for safety a few weeks before. They had witnessed enemy airplanes diving over the GrandHarbour area, and saw many blitzed buildings and tragedies on their way. I very clearly remember the scene of joy that took place as these relatives arrived, lots of weeping and hugging and kissing. We children could not understand why our elders were behaving in this strange way, and were very bemused and even embarrassed by all this emotion by the adults.
We did not know it, but our lives would be in turmoil for the next few years.
To be continued . . . . . .
Written by Vicky Rylance, Hon. Secretary Mellieha Group
