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Operation Pedestal: The Fleet that Battled to Malta 1942
Renowned historian Max Hastings recreates one of the most thrilling events of World War II: Operation Pedestal, the British action to save its troops from starvation on Malta — an action-packed tale of courage, fortitude, loss, and triumph against all odds.
In 1940, Hitler had two choices when it came to the Mediterranean region: stay out, or commit sufficient forces to expel the British from the Middle East. Against his generals’ advice, the Führer committed a major strategic blunder. He ordered the Wehrmacht to seize Crete, allowing the longtime British bastion of Malta to remain in Allied hands. Throughout the fall of 1941, the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF), aided by British intelligence, used the island to launch a punishing campaign against the Germans, sinking more than 75 percent of their supply ships destined for North Africa.
But by spring 1942, the British lost their advantage. In April and May, the Luftwaffe dropped more bombs on Malta than London received in the Blitz. A succession of British attempts to supply and reinforce the island by convoy during the spring and summer of 1942 failed. British submarines and surface warships were withdrawn, and the remaining forces were on the brink of starvation.
Operation Pedestal chronicles the ensuing British mission to save those troops. Over twelve days in August, German and Italian forces faced off against British air and naval fleets in one of the fiercest battles of the war, while ships packed with supplies were painstakingly divided and dispersed. In the end only a handful of the Allied ships made it, most important among them the SS Ohio, carrying the much-needed fuel to the men on Malta.
As Hastings makes clear, while the Germans claimed victory, it was the British who ultimately prevailed, for Malta remained a crucial asset that helped lead to the Nazis’ eventual defeat. While the Royal Navy never again attempted an operation on such scale, Hasting argues that without that August convoy the British on Malta would not have survived. In the cruel accountancy of war, the price was worth paying.
ISBN: 0008364958
ISBN-13: 978-0008364953
In 1940, Hitler had two choices when it came to the Mediterranean region: stay out, or commit sufficient forces to expel the British from the Middle East. Against his generals’ advice, the Führer committed a major strategic blunder. He ordered the Wehrmacht to seize Crete, allowing the longtime British bastion of Malta to remain in Allied hands. Throughout the fall of 1941, the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF), aided by British intelligence, used the island to launch a punishing campaign against the Germans, sinking more than 75 percent of their supply ships destined for North Africa.
But by spring 1942, the British lost their advantage. In April and May, the Luftwaffe dropped more bombs on Malta than London received in the Blitz. A succession of British attempts to supply and reinforce the island by convoy during the spring and summer of 1942 failed. British submarines and surface warships were withdrawn, and the remaining forces were on the brink of starvation.
Operation Pedestal chronicles the ensuing British mission to save those troops. Over twelve days in August, German and Italian forces faced off against British air and naval fleets in one of the fiercest battles of the war, while ships packed with supplies were painstakingly divided and dispersed. In the end only a handful of the Allied ships made it, most important among them the SS Ohio, carrying the much-needed fuel to the men on Malta.
As Hastings makes clear, while the Germans claimed victory, it was the British who ultimately prevailed, for Malta remained a crucial asset that helped lead to the Nazis’ eventual defeat. While the Royal Navy never again attempted an operation on such scale, Hasting argues that without that August convoy the British on Malta would not have survived. In the cruel accountancy of war, the price was worth paying.
ISBN: 0008364958
ISBN-13: 978-0008364953
428 pages, Paperback
First published May 13, 2021
437 people are currently reading
1607 people want to read
About the author
Max Hastings
112 books1,729 followersSir Max Hugh Macdonald Hastings, FRSL, FRHistS is a British journalist, editor, historian and author. His parents were Macdonald Hastings, a journalist and war correspondent, and Anne Scott-James, sometime editor of Harper's Bazaar.
Hastings was educated at Charterhouse School and University College, Oxford, which he left after a year.After leaving Oxford University, Max Hastings became a foreign correspondent, and reported from more than sixty countries and eleven wars for BBC TV and the London Evening Standard.
Among his bestselling books Bomber Command won the Somerset Maugham Prize, and both Overlord and The Battle for the Falklands won the Yorkshire Post Book of the Year Prize.
After ten years as editor and then editor-in-chief of The Daily Telegraph, he became editor of the Evening Standard in 1996. He has won many awards for his journalism, including Journalist of The Year and What the Papers Say Reporter of the Year for his work in the South Atlantic in 1982, and Editor of the Year in 1988.
He stood down as editor of the Evening Standard in 2001 and was knighted in 2002. His monumental work of military history, Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-1945 was published in 2005.
He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
Sir Max Hastings honoured with the $100,000 2012 Pritzker Military Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing.
Hastings was educated at Charterhouse School and University College, Oxford, which he left after a year.After leaving Oxford University, Max Hastings became a foreign correspondent, and reported from more than sixty countries and eleven wars for BBC TV and the London Evening Standard.
Among his bestselling books Bomber Command won the Somerset Maugham Prize, and both Overlord and The Battle for the Falklands won the Yorkshire Post Book of the Year Prize.
After ten years as editor and then editor-in-chief of The Daily Telegraph, he became editor of the Evening Standard in 1996. He has won many awards for his journalism, including Journalist of The Year and What the Papers Say Reporter of the Year for his work in the South Atlantic in 1982, and Editor of the Year in 1988.
He stood down as editor of the Evening Standard in 2001 and was knighted in 2002. His monumental work of military history, Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-1945 was published in 2005.
He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
Sir Max Hastings honoured with the $100,000 2012 Pritzker Military Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
March 29, 2022
As a youngster I had a WW2 history book aimed at young readers, that was published before Malta’s independence and which referred to the island as “Malta, G.C.”. I didn’t understand the reference until some years later, when I found out the initials stood for “George Cross”, Britain’s highest award for civilian gallantry, awarded collectively to Malta in April 1942 after it had been subjected to relentless Axis bombing for almost 2 years. This superb history tells the story of a relief convoy which tried to battle to the island in August 1942, against heavy odds.
During 1941, British submarines and aircraft based in Malta had been a significant headache for the Axis powers, attacking and sinking numerous supply ships heading to North Africa. By the summer of 1942 however, the sheer volume of Axis air attacks had removed the offensive threat from Malta. It was all the island could do just to survive, and the Governor warned Churchill that Malta would run out of food and fuel by September, and would thus be forced to surrender.
Given the suppression of the island’s offensive capability, it was debateable whether it still had strategic value, but its defence had become a symbolic issue, as evidenced by the award of the G.C. As Hastings comments in the book, Churchill understood, better than many of his commanders, that wars are not just about credit and debit columns but also about perception, all the more so because the first half of 1942 had seen one disaster after another for the Allies.
Churchill ordered that a huge convoy be put together to supply Malta, comprising 14 merchant ships and many more escorts. Three of the merchant ships were American including arguably the most important, the tanker Ohio. Strangely the Americans insisted that Ohio had to sail with a British crew, although the other two U.S. vessels had American crews. Despite the size of the convoy, it faced enemy forces that had considerable numerical superiority and major geographical advantages.
What follows in the book is an amazing story of courage, determination and endurance, although also sprinkled with cases of people who broke under the strain. The convoy came under attack from waves of bombers and torpedo bombers, a swarm of motor torpedo boats and “wolf packs” of U-boats and Italian submarines. In the end, only 5 of the merchant ships got through to Malta, but that was enough to keep the island supplied for several more months.
As always, Hastings tells a great story, with a strong but well-argued assessment, that doesn’t seek to hide bad decisions and questionable conduct as well the stories of heroism. Hastings is an admirer of the Royal Navy during WW2, describing it as Britain’s premier fighting force during the conflict.
In the end, it was Operation Torch and the Battle of El Alamein that broke the Siege of Malta, forcing the Axis onto the defensive in the Mediterranean. Without those victories the supplies delivered would not have lasted beyond the end of 1942. Hastings rehearses the arguments put forward by historians about the results of Pedestal, views that range from it being a significant Axis victory to a significant Allied one. Readers can draw their own conclusions. Personally I think that, like Jutland in 1916, the battle might be seen as a tactical victory for the Axis but a strategic one for the Allies.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of WW2, especially the naval history.
During 1941, British submarines and aircraft based in Malta had been a significant headache for the Axis powers, attacking and sinking numerous supply ships heading to North Africa. By the summer of 1942 however, the sheer volume of Axis air attacks had removed the offensive threat from Malta. It was all the island could do just to survive, and the Governor warned Churchill that Malta would run out of food and fuel by September, and would thus be forced to surrender.
Given the suppression of the island’s offensive capability, it was debateable whether it still had strategic value, but its defence had become a symbolic issue, as evidenced by the award of the G.C. As Hastings comments in the book, Churchill understood, better than many of his commanders, that wars are not just about credit and debit columns but also about perception, all the more so because the first half of 1942 had seen one disaster after another for the Allies.
Churchill ordered that a huge convoy be put together to supply Malta, comprising 14 merchant ships and many more escorts. Three of the merchant ships were American including arguably the most important, the tanker Ohio. Strangely the Americans insisted that Ohio had to sail with a British crew, although the other two U.S. vessels had American crews. Despite the size of the convoy, it faced enemy forces that had considerable numerical superiority and major geographical advantages.
What follows in the book is an amazing story of courage, determination and endurance, although also sprinkled with cases of people who broke under the strain. The convoy came under attack from waves of bombers and torpedo bombers, a swarm of motor torpedo boats and “wolf packs” of U-boats and Italian submarines. In the end, only 5 of the merchant ships got through to Malta, but that was enough to keep the island supplied for several more months.
As always, Hastings tells a great story, with a strong but well-argued assessment, that doesn’t seek to hide bad decisions and questionable conduct as well the stories of heroism. Hastings is an admirer of the Royal Navy during WW2, describing it as Britain’s premier fighting force during the conflict.
In the end, it was Operation Torch and the Battle of El Alamein that broke the Siege of Malta, forcing the Axis onto the defensive in the Mediterranean. Without those victories the supplies delivered would not have lasted beyond the end of 1942. Hastings rehearses the arguments put forward by historians about the results of Pedestal, views that range from it being a significant Axis victory to a significant Allied one. Readers can draw their own conclusions. Personally I think that, like Jutland in 1916, the battle might be seen as a tactical victory for the Axis but a strategic one for the Allies.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of WW2, especially the naval history.
February 6, 2022
Little Malta, just 18 miles long and two miles wide, was an island colony of the British Empire which sat in a crucial area on the Mediterranean. The Axis wanted it desperately and Britain wanted to keep it. The Italians were battering the island into destruction, starvation and surrender when Churchill made a decision that was not popular with his government. This was a decision based on national prestige and not on strategy. It was known as Operation Pedestal.
Sir Max Hastings, one of my favorite historians, provides the reader with a day to day, hour by hour description of the voyage and battles of the ships, loaded with fuel and food supplies, as they struggled to relieve Malta. There were 14 Merchant Marine vessels, protected by the Royal Navy war ships; however the carriers turned back before the voyage was over, leaving only destroyers and cruisers to fight off the enemy. It was a disastrous decision since the British could only put a few aircraft into the battle against the Luftwaffe and the surprisingly effective Italian air force.
The descriptions of the battle and the men involved are fascinating as both unbelievable bravery and cowardice are addressed without bias. It should be noted that several military court martials arose from some of the actions taken by RN commanding officers.
Of the 14 Merchant Marine ships that started the mission, only three made it to Malta but they had enough supplies to keep the island carrying on. Additionally, the war was changing in favor of the Allies and Malta was not becoming a target for the Axis. Malta was saved but the reputation of the RN was damaged as it proved that Brittania did not rule the waves.
Lots of detail and maps which make the book a must-read about this little known operation which had far reaching effects. Highly recommended.
Sir Max Hastings, one of my favorite historians, provides the reader with a day to day, hour by hour description of the voyage and battles of the ships, loaded with fuel and food supplies, as they struggled to relieve Malta. There were 14 Merchant Marine vessels, protected by the Royal Navy war ships; however the carriers turned back before the voyage was over, leaving only destroyers and cruisers to fight off the enemy. It was a disastrous decision since the British could only put a few aircraft into the battle against the Luftwaffe and the surprisingly effective Italian air force.
The descriptions of the battle and the men involved are fascinating as both unbelievable bravery and cowardice are addressed without bias. It should be noted that several military court martials arose from some of the actions taken by RN commanding officers.
Of the 14 Merchant Marine ships that started the mission, only three made it to Malta but they had enough supplies to keep the island carrying on. Additionally, the war was changing in favor of the Allies and Malta was not becoming a target for the Axis. Malta was saved but the reputation of the RN was damaged as it proved that Brittania did not rule the waves.
Lots of detail and maps which make the book a must-read about this little known operation which had far reaching effects. Highly recommended.
March 29, 2022
Hastings delivers another superb book - this time about one of the most dramatic forgotten chapters of the war: operation Pedestal, a British operation to carry supplies to the island of Malta in August 1942.
What follows is a battle between the British and the Axis, who attempted to prevent the fifty ships of the convoy reaching Malta using bombers, German E-boats, Italian MAS and MS boats, minefields and submarines. More than 500 Merchant and Royal Navy sailors and airmen were killed and only five of the 14 merchant ships reached Malta. Costly losses, but in the end a strategic victory: the cargo (especially the aviation fuel) revitalised the Maltese air offensive against Axis shipping.
When you read a book by Max Hastings, you know you are in for a treat. But Hasting's account of this battle, limited to a number of days in a small geographic area, is where the real power of Hasting's writing style comes into force: you can imagine almost standing side by side at the sailors, who spent agonizing days trying to survive.
Take for example this quote, describing the first wave of Spitfires to take off from Furious, heading for Malta:
What follows is a battle between the British and the Axis, who attempted to prevent the fifty ships of the convoy reaching Malta using bombers, German E-boats, Italian MAS and MS boats, minefields and submarines. More than 500 Merchant and Royal Navy sailors and airmen were killed and only five of the 14 merchant ships reached Malta. Costly losses, but in the end a strategic victory: the cargo (especially the aviation fuel) revitalised the Maltese air offensive against Axis shipping.
When you read a book by Max Hastings, you know you are in for a treat. But Hasting's account of this battle, limited to a number of days in a small geographic area, is where the real power of Hasting's writing style comes into force: you can imagine almost standing side by side at the sailors, who spent agonizing days trying to survive.
Take for example this quote, describing the first wave of Spitfires to take off from Furious, heading for Malta:
The carrier worked up to full speed, generating a 35 knot wind on the flight deck to offer the aircraft every possible ounce of lift for take-off. A flyer muttered: the old girl is really gathering up her skirts. Each pilot in turn primed his engine with six strokes on the gas pump, before startup. Then, at 12:29, the flight deck officer signaled the first spitfire forward, raising both arms before showing a green flag. A thumbs-up from the cockpit, then brakes off, full power, 3.000 revs and a pilots muttered imprecation: come on little Spitty, build up speed, flaps down, braking effect. Flaps up, widges fell away and a fighter surged to the sky. Glancing below and behind, Furious suddenly looked tiny. Fancy having to land back to that thing for a living, put an RAF pilot, thankful to have escaped sea service in the branch.Superb.
August 19, 2025
Navigating Cerberus
In August 1942, the island fortress of Malta was close to surrender as the authorities could no longer feed the 300,000 inhabitants. Adolf Hitler had stated to General Field Marshall Albert Kesselring that he wanted the island ‘neutralised’, Kesselring knew the only way to do this was via occupation. However there were not enough troops, so he resorted to the new phenomenon first used in the Spanish Civil War: bombing the area into submission. The prime minister of the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill was not willing to give up Malta so easily and proposed a daring plan to relive the island. However, his critics said that even though he talked eloquently about victory, he was only able to preside over defeats, from North Africa, Malaya to Singapore and Burma. Churchill’s plan was to send a convoy of Royal Navy and Merchant Navy vessels with vital supplies through the Mediterranean, navigating Axis submarines and fighter planes alongside Vichy waters. The plan was ambitious and would utilise a navy which was conscious of being a near spectator of another war after the damp squib of Jutland and the First World War. This is the incredible story delivered by the engaging writer Sir Max Hastings of Operation Pedestal, his first book about the Royal Navy.
The convoy was to protect 14 Merchant Navy vessels (including two American ones) who would deliver stock to the very small Grand Harbour at Malta. Most believed the mission was near suicidal at the time. The Royal Navy’s minesweepers, destroyers, submarines, battlecruisers, warplanes and aircraft carriers were there to protect them. As Hastings writes there was no easy way to the island, but with all this effort and danger for 300,000 citizens, why did Churchill authorise it? Hastings writes that it was because of the series of defeats mentioned above, the loss of Malta would be another ‘crushing blow’ to the ‘national spirit’ and ‘prestige of the empire’. Motivating at home would simply be lost with seceding another piece of territory to the Axis.
The Axis forces had intercepted coded messages and new a convoy was on the way. The Mediterranean was an Italian and German fortress, Malta being the last allied stronghold, right in the centre. They had lined the route with airfields which allowed them access to 456 warplanes and with sea patrols mostly from submarines operating in the area a relentless attack on the convoy ensued from 11/08/1942-15/08/1942. Hastings is particularly good at describing the fine grain detail in a way which is captivating. From the hell of the lost dangerous room on a ship, the engine room, where men were steamed alive or downed in boiling water to those who worked on the decks, choosing to be hot in their suits or to risk sunburn in blistering heat. As Hastings notes this was where war had been waged for millennia, and was already littered with more shipwrecks than anywhere else on earth. One saving grace was that the water being unusually calm for August and of a mild temperature, men could survive for hours in the water, where in other seas they would freeze to death or be eaten by sharks.
But, was Pedestal a success? Four merchant ships successfully docked in the harbour providing the much needed supplies, and sometime after the tanker Ohio limped there too. But at great cost, the other merchant vessels were lost alongside two cruisers, an aircraft carrier, a destroyer and 457 men. Hastings notes this was a tactical victory for the Axis and ensured that the US was the only power which had the capability to carry out any true naval operations. For the allies it was a strategic win and a morale boost, Malta had escaped the Nazi jackboot. But without the victories of Operation Torch soon after, there would have been a need for another convoy to keep Malta going. In the end Churchill was able to put this pyrrhic victory into context, as without it the defence of Egypt and the Middle East would have failed, the expulsion of Axis forces from North Africa may have not been possible and the war would have dragged on for even longer. All in all a solid book and a great read.
In August 1942, the island fortress of Malta was close to surrender as the authorities could no longer feed the 300,000 inhabitants. Adolf Hitler had stated to General Field Marshall Albert Kesselring that he wanted the island ‘neutralised’, Kesselring knew the only way to do this was via occupation. However there were not enough troops, so he resorted to the new phenomenon first used in the Spanish Civil War: bombing the area into submission. The prime minister of the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill was not willing to give up Malta so easily and proposed a daring plan to relive the island. However, his critics said that even though he talked eloquently about victory, he was only able to preside over defeats, from North Africa, Malaya to Singapore and Burma. Churchill’s plan was to send a convoy of Royal Navy and Merchant Navy vessels with vital supplies through the Mediterranean, navigating Axis submarines and fighter planes alongside Vichy waters. The plan was ambitious and would utilise a navy which was conscious of being a near spectator of another war after the damp squib of Jutland and the First World War. This is the incredible story delivered by the engaging writer Sir Max Hastings of Operation Pedestal, his first book about the Royal Navy.
The convoy was to protect 14 Merchant Navy vessels (including two American ones) who would deliver stock to the very small Grand Harbour at Malta. Most believed the mission was near suicidal at the time. The Royal Navy’s minesweepers, destroyers, submarines, battlecruisers, warplanes and aircraft carriers were there to protect them. As Hastings writes there was no easy way to the island, but with all this effort and danger for 300,000 citizens, why did Churchill authorise it? Hastings writes that it was because of the series of defeats mentioned above, the loss of Malta would be another ‘crushing blow’ to the ‘national spirit’ and ‘prestige of the empire’. Motivating at home would simply be lost with seceding another piece of territory to the Axis.
The Axis forces had intercepted coded messages and new a convoy was on the way. The Mediterranean was an Italian and German fortress, Malta being the last allied stronghold, right in the centre. They had lined the route with airfields which allowed them access to 456 warplanes and with sea patrols mostly from submarines operating in the area a relentless attack on the convoy ensued from 11/08/1942-15/08/1942. Hastings is particularly good at describing the fine grain detail in a way which is captivating. From the hell of the lost dangerous room on a ship, the engine room, where men were steamed alive or downed in boiling water to those who worked on the decks, choosing to be hot in their suits or to risk sunburn in blistering heat. As Hastings notes this was where war had been waged for millennia, and was already littered with more shipwrecks than anywhere else on earth. One saving grace was that the water being unusually calm for August and of a mild temperature, men could survive for hours in the water, where in other seas they would freeze to death or be eaten by sharks.
But, was Pedestal a success? Four merchant ships successfully docked in the harbour providing the much needed supplies, and sometime after the tanker Ohio limped there too. But at great cost, the other merchant vessels were lost alongside two cruisers, an aircraft carrier, a destroyer and 457 men. Hastings notes this was a tactical victory for the Axis and ensured that the US was the only power which had the capability to carry out any true naval operations. For the allies it was a strategic win and a morale boost, Malta had escaped the Nazi jackboot. But without the victories of Operation Torch soon after, there would have been a need for another convoy to keep Malta going. In the end Churchill was able to put this pyrrhic victory into context, as without it the defence of Egypt and the Middle East would have failed, the expulsion of Axis forces from North Africa may have not been possible and the war would have dragged on for even longer. All in all a solid book and a great read.
July 15, 2023
A time was close at hand when the role of Britain as the principal antagonist of fascism would be eclipsed by the two superpowers, as the United States and Soviet Union would be dubbed, which would play the dominant roles in bringing the Second World War to a tolerably successful conclusion. Pedestal was almost a last earnest of Winston Churchill's unflinching fortitude in adversity, his refusal to yield in the face of setbacks and indeed disasters, before the coming of better times. The operation did not demonstrate the Royal Navy's command of the Mediterranean, but became instead an epic of warrior virtues, displayed by a few thousand men, from the prime minister at the apex to those who sailed aboard Ohio, Penn, Bramham, Ledbury and their kin at the base. Loyston Wright, captain of the destroyer Derwent, wrote proudly about his own crew: 'in all respects they conducted themselves in a way that reflects well upon the Royal Navy's health and happiness.’ Such men redeemed from the brink of disaster one of the most hazardous naval operations of the Second World War.
Another splendid account by Mighty Max, this time examining the Royal Navy's resupply effort in the late summer of 1942 to provide succour to the garrison and population of Malta.
Pedestal was widely considered a suicide mission, and the narrative bears this out, which only serves to amplify the heroism of the naval personnel, both Royal and Merchant, who suffered appalling conditions and repeated and varied attacks across every possible type - aerial, surface and submarine.
Imagine the terrible choice between inevitable sunburn and horrific injuries from flash or fire on the one hand, and the possibility of incapacitating heat should you choose to wear your protective kit on the other, which was heaped on top of the gnawing fear that the next bomber, torpedo boat or submarine was out to get you.
The narrative is, as ever, well supported by personal stories from those involved, British, American, Maltese, Italian and German, all well placed within the narrative. Hastings wisely avoids any lengthy diversion into whether Malta actually mattered, contenting himself with Churchill's view that if little else symbols were important.
Equally there is equal weighting given to all the merchant ships who sailed in the convoy, not just the obvious (although there is an excellent description of Ohio which will puncture the myth a little for those 'in the know') - the stars of the show being HMS Ledbury and Brisbane Star, for my money, but be assured noone its left out, credit is given where due, and in true Hastings fashion errors and pure dumb luck are called out. An outstanding contribution to the history of the war at sea, and well worth a read and four stars. Enjoy.
September 23, 2022
In August 1942, the Axis was at its maximum extent, having conquered much of Europe, penetrated deep into the Soviet Union, and expanded through North Africa. While the Japanese had been checked at Midway, and the Nazis outside Moscow, the weight of Allied superiority had yet to bear down. In these dark days, the island fortress of Malta was under a brutal siege, on starvation rations and barely able to defend itself. If Malta were to last through September, it would have to be resupplied, and all previous convoys had been turned back at a heavy cost.
Operation Pedestal was the last desperate hope to relieve Malta. This was no mere convoy; the covering force included two battleships and five of England's seven carriers. Only high speed cargo ships were included, with a speed of 18 knots. The Admiralty expected that the Axis would throw everything at Pedestal, an expectation which was well born out. The convoy endured grueling attacks by airplane, U-boat, and torpedo boat, before the survives limped into Malta.
Hastings has nothing but praise for the endurance of the ordinary sailors under desperate conditions. Command and control proved a perennial problem on all sides. The British convoy was uncoordinated with their air support. Meanwhile, on the Axis, the Italian Navy, Italian Airforce, and Luftwaffe all despised each other. Both sides failed to realize the critical importance of the oiler SS Ohio, which was the key critical objective of the convoy.
Hastings maintains his usual high standards, and this book is next to Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors for a study of a single naval action.
Operation Pedestal was the last desperate hope to relieve Malta. This was no mere convoy; the covering force included two battleships and five of England's seven carriers. Only high speed cargo ships were included, with a speed of 18 knots. The Admiralty expected that the Axis would throw everything at Pedestal, an expectation which was well born out. The convoy endured grueling attacks by airplane, U-boat, and torpedo boat, before the survives limped into Malta.
Hastings has nothing but praise for the endurance of the ordinary sailors under desperate conditions. Command and control proved a perennial problem on all sides. The British convoy was uncoordinated with their air support. Meanwhile, on the Axis, the Italian Navy, Italian Airforce, and Luftwaffe all despised each other. Both sides failed to realize the critical importance of the oiler SS Ohio, which was the key critical objective of the convoy.
Hastings maintains his usual high standards, and this book is next to Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors for a study of a single naval action.
Read
August 28, 2025Leaving it without rating, because at this point I'm still undecided whether it is myself or the book I am disappointed in. But as it is, it was a 3-star read for me, I guess.
I struggled to finish and it absolutely failed to engage me in any way, which in turn made me feel even worse. And I've tried hard even by my own standards: I bought not only the audiobook, but the ebook as well to no avail.
I kept wondering: am I really this heartless or is it simply that Max Hastings's writing is just not as good as some other authors' whose books I came to love/admire? After reading authors like Erik Larson, Ben Macintyre or Donald L. Miller I have some books for comparison and this just came nowhere near.
The book may be factual, technically correct, well-researched and while Hastings admires the Navy, he most certainly doesn't hide his opinion on inefficiency, bad decisions, etc. It also has high ratings and yet here I am immensley relieved that I'm done. In all honesty, I think that despite his intentions, Hastings did not really manage to do full justice to this operation.
Ah well, book chemistry has eluded me this time.
I struggled to finish and it absolutely failed to engage me in any way, which in turn made me feel even worse. And I've tried hard even by my own standards: I bought not only the audiobook, but the ebook as well to no avail.
I kept wondering: am I really this heartless or is it simply that Max Hastings's writing is just not as good as some other authors' whose books I came to love/admire? After reading authors like Erik Larson, Ben Macintyre or Donald L. Miller I have some books for comparison and this just came nowhere near.
The book may be factual, technically correct, well-researched and while Hastings admires the Navy, he most certainly doesn't hide his opinion on inefficiency, bad decisions, etc. It also has high ratings and yet here I am immensley relieved that I'm done. In all honesty, I think that despite his intentions, Hastings did not really manage to do full justice to this operation.
Ah well, book chemistry has eluded me this time.
June 7, 2021
I bought this book because my Grandfather Walter St. John Caesar Lewis served in this part of the war on the HMS Unbroken commanded by Alistair Mars. I knew a little from Alistair Mars memoirs but this is the full heroic and shambolic tale of the liberation of Malta. Seen from a distance this is a balanced review of a little known but important part of WW2 that looks now as the first turning point in the allies favour shortly afterwards Montgomery took Tobruk the terrible decisions, the awful intensity of a poorly protected poorly armed merchant navy over a few days in August 1942 abandoned by its main support flotilla and under attack from axis bombers, fighters, U and E boats I know I’m biased but more people should know this history and why the Maltese and the British have such a special relationship .
December 25, 2023
A great book. Very detailed and meticulous.
However, I feel Max Hasting couldn't describe the sheer exhaustion, desperation, suffering and terrors experienced by the men who fought their way into hell. Perhaps I'm a bit unfair, I wanted to feel like I'm reading the real-life events of HMS Ulysses.
However, I feel Max Hasting couldn't describe the sheer exhaustion, desperation, suffering and terrors experienced by the men who fought their way into hell. Perhaps I'm a bit unfair, I wanted to feel like I'm reading the real-life events of HMS Ulysses.
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June 7, 2022Looking forward to have a deep-dive into the conflict over Malta in World War Two, labelled Operation Pedestal. Been a while since I read some non-fiction, but I'm glad to be back at it, especially with such a great historian as Max Hastings.
October 13, 2022
Will Hastings ever write a BAD book?
November 27, 2022
An epic telling of a crucial battle in WWII. Malta, central to the Mediterranean and a critical threat to the Axis supply line to the North African theater, was starving and would surrender if not resupplied. This is the story, told from official records and a lot of personal accounts, of a desperate mission through German and Italian air and sea opposition. The British placed enough importance on the 14 merchant ships and two tankers that it sent much of its navy to escort them from Gibraltar to Malta, including four aircraft carriers and their two biggest battleships. German and Italian aircraft and small vessels would hector the convoy fiercely.
Hastings does discuss the muddle and hesitance by British, Italian and German command staffs, but he also mentions the courage and deadly effectiveness of German and Italian submarines and torpedo boats in particular. It's a clearly-written and, at times, gripping account.
Hastings does discuss the muddle and hesitance by British, Italian and German command staffs, but he also mentions the courage and deadly effectiveness of German and Italian submarines and torpedo boats in particular. It's a clearly-written and, at times, gripping account.
July 15, 2021
“Operation Pedestal: the fleet that battled to Malta, 1942,” by Max Hastings (Harper, 2021). As an ethnocentric American I have paid a lot of attention to the story of the US Navy during World War II, but very little to the Royal Navy---which was, after all, the biggest in the world when the fighting started. This book makes up at least partially for that. I had run across Operation Pedestal, and of the incredible voyage of the SS Ohio, which barely made it into Valletta and promptly sank. But here is the whole story, in Hastings’ inimitable style. Not only full of grim and gritty detail, but pulling no punches about the character of the characters, the cowards and the courageous. The convoy to bring relief supplies to Malta was the largest fleet action that the Royal Navy engaged in during the war. There were small actions in terms of numbers, the fights against Bismarck and Scharnhorst. But there were more warships in this action than merchant vessels. Two battleships, four aircraft carriers, plus all the cruisers, destroyers, minesweepers, oilers, and assorted support vessels. There were doubts not only about whether the ships could get through, but whether it was worth the heavy costs to even make the attempt. Malta was the only British port between Gibraltar and Alexander. The Mediterranean was indeed Mare Nostrum for the Axis. Not only did they have hundreds of warplanes in airfields ranged north and south, France, Italy, North Africa. They had the Italian fleet, which was formidable at least on paper. They had Italian and German submarines and torpedo boats, and Italian frogmen with mines to attach to hulls. The British carriers were nothing like the American---they had armored decks, true, but they carried mere handfuls of planes. Indomitable carried just 31 fighters, and they were Hurricanes and Martlets (the British name for the Grumman F4F Wildcat). The British planes were tremendously outclassed by the German and Italian forces: slower, lower ceilings, less maneuverable. Not only that, but the Brits had no carrier warfare strategy like either the Japanese or American. They didn’t know how or when to patrol, they had poor fighter direction, etc. Antiaircraft weaponry was weak; it could send up lots of tracers but rarely could hit anything. The Axis hit the convoy with everything it had day and night Aug. 11 to Aug. 15. They sank one carrier, badly damaged another, sank two cruisers and a destroyer plus nine merchantmen. But the Italian fleet never entered the fray. The closest it came was when a cruiser force sallied near, but turned away too soon. The Brits sank two submarines by ramming. And they kept going. The saga of the Ohio was breathtaking. By the end her back was broken, she had no propulsion, she was kept from sinking by the cables of two destroyers ranged alongside. When she finally tied up in Valletta she promptly settled on the bottom---which was not deep enough to matter. And the thousands of gallons of aviation gasoline she brought was enough to keep the RAF fighting long enough. What a story!
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July 27, 2022
Malta has had a long and varied history, not the least of which it almost belonged to France because of the Treaty of Amiens (1802), but Britain in its wisdom, fortunately refused to give it up. Napoleon disappeared into history, but Malta endured through some tough years, none more difficult than 1939-45.
This book is a close look at the effort to resupply the island so that it would not have to surrender to the Axis. The losses for the allies were tremendous, but Churchill was determined that Malta would not fall, thus the prime importance of Operation Pedestal. From August 9-15, 1942, a convoy full of essentials (especially oil) made their way to Malta. Five ships made it through, including the battered oiler, OHIO. Courage, mistakes, and downright perserverance all played a part in this memorable story. In the end, Malta and its people were awarded the George Cross, while the ships, planes and men that were sacrificed are remembered in history.
This book is a close look at the effort to resupply the island so that it would not have to surrender to the Axis. The losses for the allies were tremendous, but Churchill was determined that Malta would not fall, thus the prime importance of Operation Pedestal. From August 9-15, 1942, a convoy full of essentials (especially oil) made their way to Malta. Five ships made it through, including the battered oiler, OHIO. Courage, mistakes, and downright perserverance all played a part in this memorable story. In the end, Malta and its people were awarded the George Cross, while the ships, planes and men that were sacrificed are remembered in history.
April 9, 2022
I'm yet to read a bad book by Max Hastings. I think i've read about four of his books and every one of them was great.
This was no exception.
In August 1942 Malta is nearly starving, the Germans and Italians are bombing it and blockading it. Churchill decides it must stand no matter what. He sends a naval convoy with supplies and orders to get there come hell or high water. From the moment they leave the relative safety of Gibraltar they are under attack.
Hastings writing is vivid and he really brings his battle scenes to life.
Thoroughly recommended for any history buff or anyone who just loves a good (true) war story.
This was no exception.
In August 1942 Malta is nearly starving, the Germans and Italians are bombing it and blockading it. Churchill decides it must stand no matter what. He sends a naval convoy with supplies and orders to get there come hell or high water. From the moment they leave the relative safety of Gibraltar they are under attack.
Hastings writing is vivid and he really brings his battle scenes to life.
Thoroughly recommended for any history buff or anyone who just loves a good (true) war story.
July 22, 2025
I guess that, aside from the pop-history kind of feel to the book, my big gripe with Max Hastings’ book is that it has a certain kind of inferiority complex that is very common amongst old British military historians. The same “Britain was so weak, we had nothing, our generals were dumb, the Germans (and sometimes even the Italians!) were so much better, the Americans and the Soviets did everything” etc. etc. that I can’t help but roll my eyes to. It makes it feel like Hastings almost has a bias against Britain which translates into his text.
Combined with this annoyance is his own relatively beginner knowledge on naval operations. As an example, Hastings is very demeaning toward AA and flak fire because they don’t demolish entire attacking squadrons before they reach naval targets, but that’s not the point. Flak fire and cause pilots to drop bombs early or decrease their accuracy, which it is shown to do throughout the book, but Hastings talks as if the Royal Navy shouldn’t have bothered to put them on warships in the first place. Another one is what Hastings says about the Ju 88, Germany’s twin engines medium bomber. Hastings lavishes much praise on the bomber even though he acknowledges at the end that it did not contribute greatly to doing fatal damage to ships unless in very favourable conditions. Generally large bombers making straight-altitude attacks on ships do very poorly which is why dive bombers feature so prominently on aircraft carriers, but this does not seem to factor into Hastings’ analysis of the Ju 88.
It’s not exactly a bad account per se, but the book leaves me in want of a better analysis.
Combined with this annoyance is his own relatively beginner knowledge on naval operations. As an example, Hastings is very demeaning toward AA and flak fire because they don’t demolish entire attacking squadrons before they reach naval targets, but that’s not the point. Flak fire and cause pilots to drop bombs early or decrease their accuracy, which it is shown to do throughout the book, but Hastings talks as if the Royal Navy shouldn’t have bothered to put them on warships in the first place. Another one is what Hastings says about the Ju 88, Germany’s twin engines medium bomber. Hastings lavishes much praise on the bomber even though he acknowledges at the end that it did not contribute greatly to doing fatal damage to ships unless in very favourable conditions. Generally large bombers making straight-altitude attacks on ships do very poorly which is why dive bombers feature so prominently on aircraft carriers, but this does not seem to factor into Hastings’ analysis of the Ju 88.
It’s not exactly a bad account per se, but the book leaves me in want of a better analysis.
July 9, 2025
Es indudable que Hastings es un buen narrador, sus años como periodista se notan en sus libros para bien, con un estilo que engancha y un ritmo por momentos trepidantes; pero también se nota para mal y es que, de un tiempo a esta parte, ha ido perdiendo matices estratégicos, logísticos y de índole más técnico. En “Némesis” (2007), su libro sobre la campaña del Pacífico, empezó a vislumbrarse, pero ha sido una tendencia que, desde mi modo de ver, se ha ido agudizando.
En este relato que nos ataña la tendencia se ha mantenido y, si bien nos es tan aguda como en el anterior libro, “Operación Castigo”, donde creo que se desvía en más de una ocasión, si que hay momentos en los que se hecha en falta un toque más cabal y un poco alejado del popular o, digámoslo claro, facilón.
Con todo es un buen libro y una lectura atractiva. Para los que nos fascina la mar y todas sus vicisitudes, no sólo las batallas, es una lectura interesante y que nos hace desear que en España se publicaran más libros sobre el inmenso azul.
En este relato que nos ataña la tendencia se ha mantenido y, si bien nos es tan aguda como en el anterior libro, “Operación Castigo”, donde creo que se desvía en más de una ocasión, si que hay momentos en los que se hecha en falta un toque más cabal y un poco alejado del popular o, digámoslo claro, facilón.
Con todo es un buen libro y una lectura atractiva. Para los que nos fascina la mar y todas sus vicisitudes, no sólo las batallas, es una lectura interesante y que nos hace desear que en España se publicaran más libros sobre el inmenso azul.
October 5, 2021
In the middle of 1942, when everything was at its bleakest, and Malta on the brink of surrender, Great Britain sent a combined fleet and convoy into the Mediterranean. With several carriers, a battleship, several cruisers and many destroyers, they challenged the Italian and German naval and aerial dominance in the area. This was Operation Pedestal, a suicidal mission.
The admirals knew that it was suicidal but the hope was that something, anything, would make it through and that it would be enough.
I come out of this book with mixed feelings. The coverage among the dozens of ships seem spotty and lacking a lot of information. Everything was so complex and confused that there is no agreed upon detailed description of what happened. Instead the author seems to have picked certain stories, hearsay by his own admission, and built on those without actually examining areas where the stories might be lies or misunderstandings.
On the other hand, it's a fascinating story, and in many ways is the last fleet action Great Britain performed as a naval super power. As in any conflict, some people do heroic acts, some less heroic acts, and some both. The author try to see their actions in context which is very reasonable.
I am sad that James D. Hornfischer will never write any more books. As a naval historian he is, or would have been, Hastings superior, and he could have done something great with this if he had had the chance.
The admirals knew that it was suicidal but the hope was that something, anything, would make it through and that it would be enough.
I come out of this book with mixed feelings. The coverage among the dozens of ships seem spotty and lacking a lot of information. Everything was so complex and confused that there is no agreed upon detailed description of what happened. Instead the author seems to have picked certain stories, hearsay by his own admission, and built on those without actually examining areas where the stories might be lies or misunderstandings.
On the other hand, it's a fascinating story, and in many ways is the last fleet action Great Britain performed as a naval super power. As in any conflict, some people do heroic acts, some less heroic acts, and some both. The author try to see their actions in context which is very reasonable.
I am sad that James D. Hornfischer will never write any more books. As a naval historian he is, or would have been, Hastings superior, and he could have done something great with this if he had had the chance.
July 12, 2021
Poor Malta's rather heroic role in WWII is definitely under-appreciated in the literature, so I was happy to find this book about the August 1942 convoy. Malta was in a critical position due to its location and both sides wanted it. Malta, however, was staunchly pro-British and endured starvation rations and a ton of bombs without surrendering. The convoy was a mixed success: a lot of ships were sunk and a lot of people died but critical fuel and rations were successfully delivered, allowing Malta to hold out until the situation in North Africa improved enough to provide proper succor. Interesting story told well and providing details from both sides.
August 17, 2021
I can't imagine the appeal of choosing to join the Navy in any military during WW2. It just had to be the most day to day nerve-wracking experience. Certainly there are a number of other scenarios you wouldn't want to experience in other theaters, but it's pick your poison kind of thing and I would've chosen this last. This is a really well written and told story of the convoy to relieve the beleaguered island of Malta in 1942. While arguably strategically irrelevant, it did become important in the defense of North Africa. I love that the author made this book swift and stuck to the important points instead of getting into the weeds and trivialities that only the most ardent WW2 fanboys would want to hear. This made the book almost feel like a novel in that the convoy is almost constantly under attack once it enters the Med. Those who watched Tom Hanks's 'Greyhound' and liked it will find much to enjoy here as it is as action packed as that. While not a huge Operation in WW2, it certainly was one of many pin pricks that brought Germany to it's knees eventually. Well worth the read, and looking forward to getting more from Sir Max.
March 10, 2022
The third excellent military history from the author that I've read, not counting his Falklands book which was good, but perhaps noticeably written a lot earlier in his career. Like his WW2 and Vietnam accounts, this is incredibly detailed, fact-based and exciting, heavy with information rolling off every page. Maybe a little dense for some, but I lapped it up. Obviously the scale is a lot smaller than in his big overview-of-war books, but it's no less impressive for that reason. It really puts you into the heart of the convoy and you feel like you're there watching every torpedo ploughing beneath the waves, every bomb dropping from above. Essential reading.
January 3, 2023
A most readable and balanced account of the convoy sent to relieve the island of Malta in 1942. Whilst the axis powers claimed victory by sinking many of the ships it was nevertheless a strategic victory for the allies. Vital aviation fuel delivered to Malta together with the arrival of squadrons of Spitfires enabled the allies to disrupt the supply lines across the Mediterranean of Rommel’s Desert Army thus helping to pave the road to victory at El Alamein later in 1942. This book also carries the clear message that whatever privations people may feel they are enduring today they bear little comparison to those suffered by the wartime generation. An inspiring story superbly written. Recommended.
November 11, 2025
An epic, well crafted and well told story that I personally knew very little about.
Think Hastings does a very good job trying to give you an impression of the horror and chaos of the convoy, the bravery and sacrifice of the sailors and the gratitude of the Maltese, and I especially liked the summary at the end. Was it worth it? Did it succeed? It’s a fair question and not one that anyone can answer (it seems).
It’s also a relatively SHORT WW2 book which is almost unheard of and I am grateful for that 🥳
Think Hastings does a very good job trying to give you an impression of the horror and chaos of the convoy, the bravery and sacrifice of the sailors and the gratitude of the Maltese, and I especially liked the summary at the end. Was it worth it? Did it succeed? It’s a fair question and not one that anyone can answer (it seems).
It’s also a relatively SHORT WW2 book which is almost unheard of and I am grateful for that 🥳
September 3, 2022
Rarely do I give 5 star reviews to any book but this one truly deserves it !
For anyone interested in WW2 convoys in general, or in particular convoys to Malta , then this is the book for you. Yes it can perhaps seem a little long-winded at times , but on reflection I think the author can justify that considering the vast amount of detail he includes .
A book I would most definitely recommend .
For anyone interested in WW2 convoys in general, or in particular convoys to Malta , then this is the book for you. Yes it can perhaps seem a little long-winded at times , but on reflection I think the author can justify that considering the vast amount of detail he includes .
A book I would most definitely recommend .
June 5, 2025
Written in his characteristically brisk and readable style, Operation Pedestal by Sir Max Hastings is an entertaining and worthwhile read for anyone who is afflicted with an insatiable interest in the Second World War. He effectively articulates the drama and jeopardy involved in the effort to resupply Malta, and the progress of the tanker Ohio in particular. For that reason, and due to my longstanding affection for his work, this book deserves its four stars. Nevertheless, it has significant flaws that warrant further discussion.
To me, the most glaring of these is what Sir Max presents as the rationale for the ongoing Allied interest in Malta and the significant effort expended in its relief. In a word, he sees the reasons as moral rather than strategic. As he explains, "Winston Churchill understood better than did most of his commanders that the moral issues at stake in the conduct of a war are quite as great as the material ones. No battle can be justly assessed by a mere profit-and-loss account of casualties, of tanks, aircraft, ships destroyed. Perception is also critical and often decisive. The British display of will, fighting the surviving vessels of Pedestal through to Malta despite repeated onslaughts and punitive losses, gave victory to the allied cause." So, the Allies relieved Malta and continued to hold it for the optics, and the only benefit was political.
This strikes me as inadequate and incomplete, failing to take account of Malta's strategic significance. Why does Sir Max give so little credence to these other aspects of its importance? The explanation can be found in the following: "Beyond the Straits of Gibraltar the island of Malta, less than sixty miles south of Sicily, was the only surviving British bastion in the central Mediterranean. It had been subjected to blockade and bombardment so relentless that the population and garrison were half starved; its usefulness as a naval and air base was almost extinguished. It was argued by some unsentimental allied officers that the island might best be surrendered to the enemy, who could then accept the burden of feeding its people. If the Russians pulled through, and when the full weight of American industrial might was committed, the issue of who held this Mediterranean pimple would become unimportant...Strip the global struggle to its essentials: between the June 1940 Nazi triumph in France and the allied landings in Normandy four years later, the British and American armies achieved little of importance against the Germans. The North African and Italian land campaigns were indispensable preliminaries to what came later for the Western allies, but remained marginal by comparison with the titanic clashes in the east, between the hosts of Hitler and Stalin."
While engagingly written, there is a contradiction here: how can the Mediterranean campaigns be simultaneously indispensable preliminaries and marginal? I would suggest that this reasoning reflects declinist presuppositions about the Allied conduct of the war more than it provides a fair and balanced assessment of the facts. What if, instead of characterising the Mediterranean as "achieving little of importance against the Germans," we look on it as the best place for the Allies to conduct a land campaign against Germany at this point in the war, for a reasonable cost in blood, and in a location relatively convenient for the Allies and inconvenient for the Axis? When the cost to Germany in men and materiel is taken into account, fighting in North Africa, Sicily and Italy seem like a much more sensible and justifiable strategic decision, and one that made a significant contribution to the Allies defeat of Nazi Germany. Malta itself was invaluable to the Allies thwarting the resupply of the German and Italian armies in North Africa, and if these campaigns are considered as I have above, rather than as a sideshow, then the strategic significance of relieving the island becomes obvious.
When it comes to the conduct of the Pedestal convoy itself, Sir Max's criticisms are much more valid. Even with the limitations in communication between ships, land and aircraft at this point in the war, the inability of the convoy to communicate effectively with itself or anyone else was shambolic: "A later Admiralty post-mortem concluded that, during the pre-planning for Pedestal, a liaison officer should have been flown home from Malta accompanied by a signals specialist to arrange procedures, wavelengths and suchlike, which would have prevented the chaos that prevailed on the ether. The ships never achieved communication with their would-be saviours in the sky." Incidents like Admiral Burroughs' inability to contact the majority of his ships after transferring to a destroyer, and the lack of air cover over Ohio because Air Vice-Marshal Park on Malta did not understand her significance, are shocking and reflect an inexcusable failure in command and control.
It's a shame that Sir Max didn't include more analysis, and the book ends rather abruptly, but I appreciate his decision to focus on the drama of the convoy itself and as such, he has produced a valuable and very enjoyable work of narrative history.
To me, the most glaring of these is what Sir Max presents as the rationale for the ongoing Allied interest in Malta and the significant effort expended in its relief. In a word, he sees the reasons as moral rather than strategic. As he explains, "Winston Churchill understood better than did most of his commanders that the moral issues at stake in the conduct of a war are quite as great as the material ones. No battle can be justly assessed by a mere profit-and-loss account of casualties, of tanks, aircraft, ships destroyed. Perception is also critical and often decisive. The British display of will, fighting the surviving vessels of Pedestal through to Malta despite repeated onslaughts and punitive losses, gave victory to the allied cause." So, the Allies relieved Malta and continued to hold it for the optics, and the only benefit was political.
This strikes me as inadequate and incomplete, failing to take account of Malta's strategic significance. Why does Sir Max give so little credence to these other aspects of its importance? The explanation can be found in the following: "Beyond the Straits of Gibraltar the island of Malta, less than sixty miles south of Sicily, was the only surviving British bastion in the central Mediterranean. It had been subjected to blockade and bombardment so relentless that the population and garrison were half starved; its usefulness as a naval and air base was almost extinguished. It was argued by some unsentimental allied officers that the island might best be surrendered to the enemy, who could then accept the burden of feeding its people. If the Russians pulled through, and when the full weight of American industrial might was committed, the issue of who held this Mediterranean pimple would become unimportant...Strip the global struggle to its essentials: between the June 1940 Nazi triumph in France and the allied landings in Normandy four years later, the British and American armies achieved little of importance against the Germans. The North African and Italian land campaigns were indispensable preliminaries to what came later for the Western allies, but remained marginal by comparison with the titanic clashes in the east, between the hosts of Hitler and Stalin."
While engagingly written, there is a contradiction here: how can the Mediterranean campaigns be simultaneously indispensable preliminaries and marginal? I would suggest that this reasoning reflects declinist presuppositions about the Allied conduct of the war more than it provides a fair and balanced assessment of the facts. What if, instead of characterising the Mediterranean as "achieving little of importance against the Germans," we look on it as the best place for the Allies to conduct a land campaign against Germany at this point in the war, for a reasonable cost in blood, and in a location relatively convenient for the Allies and inconvenient for the Axis? When the cost to Germany in men and materiel is taken into account, fighting in North Africa, Sicily and Italy seem like a much more sensible and justifiable strategic decision, and one that made a significant contribution to the Allies defeat of Nazi Germany. Malta itself was invaluable to the Allies thwarting the resupply of the German and Italian armies in North Africa, and if these campaigns are considered as I have above, rather than as a sideshow, then the strategic significance of relieving the island becomes obvious.
When it comes to the conduct of the Pedestal convoy itself, Sir Max's criticisms are much more valid. Even with the limitations in communication between ships, land and aircraft at this point in the war, the inability of the convoy to communicate effectively with itself or anyone else was shambolic: "A later Admiralty post-mortem concluded that, during the pre-planning for Pedestal, a liaison officer should have been flown home from Malta accompanied by a signals specialist to arrange procedures, wavelengths and suchlike, which would have prevented the chaos that prevailed on the ether. The ships never achieved communication with their would-be saviours in the sky." Incidents like Admiral Burroughs' inability to contact the majority of his ships after transferring to a destroyer, and the lack of air cover over Ohio because Air Vice-Marshal Park on Malta did not understand her significance, are shocking and reflect an inexcusable failure in command and control.
It's a shame that Sir Max didn't include more analysis, and the book ends rather abruptly, but I appreciate his decision to focus on the drama of the convoy itself and as such, he has produced a valuable and very enjoyable work of narrative history.
June 16, 2025
What a fantastic book. Excellent descriptions of battle and the hardships that these brave men went through in the pursuit of relieving Malta. Very easily read and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up another book by Max Hastings!
January 3, 2023
An excellent account of the operation that prevented the fall of the Mediterranean.
July 17, 2021
Hastings once again demonstrates a literary prowess and critical articulation with delicate historical memoir.
July 11, 2021
Very fine account of little known (at least to this reader, and I suspect to many Americans) of the supply and weapons convoy sent to Malta in August 1942 to relieve the Axis blockade of that island. Four bloody days from Gibraltar - where the convoy formed under the shield of the Royal Navy - to final destination in the Grand Harbour, Valletta. Author draws on numerous first person accounts of the sailors and merchant seamen who manned the vessels. Interesting section on life aboard a World War II era submarine, which answered question I had-how exactly does a submarine privy work? Image of sailors sleeping among torpedoes was arresting. Description of sea on fire - aviation fuel burning on the water - graphic. Maps were simple, but adequate. Photos of vessels would have been useful. Also a glossary of naval/nautical terms would have helped. Which brings me to a minor quibble - I think intended audience for this book likely British - there were several "Britishisms" which this reader didn't get, and some references to nautical terms (e.g. "paravane"), had this reader scrambling for the dictionary. Also - author indulges in some personal attacks on deceased individuals, which I never consider fair game. Whatever attributes a long dead naval commander had which had no bearing on the actions he took is at best irrelevant. Author sometimes praises Italian seamen and aviators, but also throws in those good old Anglo-Saxon stereotypes about them, likely the result of the unconscious bias the English have against Italy and Catholics. Overall, the flaws I detected in the book were minor compared to the overall effort.
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