The Nurse and the Thorn of the Mediterranean

While visiting the Islands of Malta and Gozo today, you will find a mix of Middle Eastern and Western cultures living together. The small Island nation of 316 square kilometres, you might not think much of this dot of three islands as they appear on World Maps. In fact, in most cases, the Capital of Valletta is often all you can make out on a Map. The small nation is 96 km south of Sicily, and 290 km North of Northern Africa, putter her right smack in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.  

Throughout history, Malta was an important trading post for the Mediterranean, ships from all over would come and trade goods. from around the known world. The island became known for its massive limestone fortifications under the Knights Templar, who later became known as the Knights of Malta, and it was from the Capital of Valletta, that the Knights defeated the Turks in 1565. 

Like many other areas of the world Malta has succumb to the interests of many world powers, due to her strategic positioning. In 1800 it became part of the British Empire, and Britain would largely use the Island as a coaling depot for its growing Navy, and base of its Mediterranean fleet. 

It would become a major player, for very different reasons during the two World Wars. 

Rev'd Albert Mackinnon, appropriately titled Malta, the Nurse of the Mediterranean in his 1916 work that described what he witnessed while in Malta during World War One. (The Book can be viewed online, or PDF here:  https://archive.org/details/maltanurseofmedi00mackuoft) 

During World War One, twenty seven hospitals and medical camps were established on the small island - and when there were only four military hospitals at the outset of the war in 1914, that is a massive number. 

Casualties started  to arrive on May 4th 1915 - from the Battle of Gallipoli, when 600 casualties arrived. The men were unloaded onto barges and brought through the quayside outside Valletta's ancient Sacra Infirmaria hospital (which was established by the Knights of St. John in the early 1500s - and can still be visited today) The Sacra Infirmaria was the longest hospital ward in Europe until the nineteenth century. 

Over the course of the next two years, more than 64,500 casualties were sent and treated in Malta, the vast majority of these recieved in the summer and autumn of 1916.  Post-war estimates are as follows: 

Casualties treated between May 1915-1919 from the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force: 58,000

Casualties treated between May 1916-1919 from the Solonika Expeditionary Force: 78,000 

* Not all patients survived treatment or injuries 

War dead, nurses and doctors who died of diseases while treating causalities are buried at the Pieta Military Cemetery in Malta. 

The Second World War 

During World War Two - Malta's roll was different - she again played a small part in nursing war casualties, but she became know as the Thorn in the side of Rommel in his War in North Africa. 

Convoys were being shipped across the Mediterranean from Greece and Italy to support the Nazi March across Africa, and for a while went unchecked by the Allies. Britain choose to base a handful of outdated Hawker Hurricane aircraft on the island for defence from Nazi bombers, and as a very small 'deterrent' for invading the island. These Hurricanes, quickly became useful in attacking the Nazi supply convoys reaching North Africa. 

Nazi Germany began to understand the strategic importance of Malta, and began constant bombing of the island, and for a period, it became the most bombed place on Earth between June of 1940 and November of 1942. More than 15,000 tonnes of explosives were dropped over that period and close to 11,000 buildings destroyed or extensively damaged. King George awarded the Islands of Malta for "bear[ing] witness to the heroism and devotion of its people during the great siege it underwent in the early parts of World War Two'

By the end of the campaign, the handful of Hurricanes, numbered in the hundreds and nearly completely destroyed the convoys to North Africa, cutting Rommel off from his supplies, and allowing the Allies a victory in Africa. 

Following the African campaign the Larscaris War Rooms (Which can be visited today), located underneath the Lascaris Battery in Valletta, which were dig into the Limestone during the bombings were used to plan, and coordinate the Allied Invasion of Sicily 1943. The complex is located 150 feet bellow the surface. 

Remembering History - Giving Malta the credit which is due - as a Nurse to our Allies, and a Thorn to our Enemies. 

The Second Battle of Copenhagen 1807

Unlike the Battle of Copenhagen of 1801, which is famously remembered for Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson holding his telescope to his blind eye to miss Admiral Sir Hyde Parker's signal to withdraw, the Second Battle of Copenhagen (1807) saw the British Fleet blockade Copenhagen to capture the Danish-Norwegian Fleet anchored in port.

This post - comes after reading Sharpe's Prey by Bernard Cornwell, it is the fifth novel in the series. Following the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Napoleon lost not only the French Navy, but also the Spanish Navy, forcing him to delay his plans to invade the British Isles. The only country with a navy large enough to challenge that of the British, was Denmark-Norway. Denmark-Norway had the largest merchant fleet in Europe, as a result had the second largest navy to protect that fleet.  In July of 1807, Napoleon signed the Treaty of Tilsit with Tsar Alexander I of Russia, where Russia secretly agreed that Napoleon could invade the neutral state of Denmark-Norway and seize the Danish Fleet and use it to invade the British Isles.

British intelligence agencies had learned of the secrete between Napoleon and Alexander, and send political aids to Copenhagen to try and persuade the Crown Prince to loan the Danish Fleet to Britain to keep it safe from Napoleon. The Crown Prince refused as he believed Denmark neutrality would protect it from Napoleon's wrath.

The British believing that the Baltic Sea was of strategic importance for both defence and trade, assembled a force of 25,000 troops and 22 Battle and Bomb Ships set sail for Copenhagen. 8 other Battle and Bomb ships would sail and arrive later.

A small British force landed south of Copenhagen, commanded by General Sir Arthur Wellesley, defeated a larger force of Danish Regulars and Militia at the Battle of Koge, which allowed the British to establish Mortar pits on Danish soil. With the city surrounded, the British sent a request to General Ernest Peymann, who was in command of Copenhagen's defence force to surrender the Danish fleet or suffer the consequences. Peymann and others around him had prepared the city to endure a long British Siege, stockpiling food and supplies. Peymann believed that the British who were not barbarians like Napoleon, would never bombard the city, especially because they knew women and children were still in the city.

When the Danes refused to surrender the fleet, on September 2nd, the British opened up their mortar teams from both the ground and the sea.  The British also used Congreve Rockets during their bombardment, which were specifically used as incendiaries, causing major fires in the city. Some 5,000 bombs and rockets fell on Copenhagen the first night. During the day, the Danes went about their business as if the British siege was not taking place. Following a clean up, and burying their dead, things went on like normal. For the next two nights the British resumed bombing, but using less and less bombs and rockets, which led Peymann to believe the British were running low on munitions, and would have to wait for replenishment from Britain, so he refused to hand over the Danish fleet.

The Crown Prince, and the mass of the Danish-Norwegian Army was in the South of Denmark preparing to defend against a French invasion. Defending against an invasion for the same purpose, to protect the Danish Fleet.  The Crown Prince, fearing a worse wrath of the British fleet, and perhaps a Breach attempt of Copenhagen's walls by General Wellesley, send word to burn the Danish fleet, so that it could not fall into the hands of either Britain or France.

Shelling of Copenhagen Sept 4th 1807

On the night of September 5th, the British released a fire-storm of more than 7,000 bombs and rockets on Copenhagen, targeting a new section of the city. Perhaps it was because of the confusion of that night, the Prince's order to burn the Danish Fleet was never followed, and the Danes sued for peace. Close to 200 civilians were killed and close to 800 were injured. Much of the city was burned, and would take a generation to rebuild.

The British captured 24 Battle Ships, 17 Frigates, 11 Brigs, and 3 Gunships. Because they were not handed over, but captured during a 'war' the British treasury paid out small fortunes in Prize money for capturing enemy vessels. In doing so, it ensured that Napoleon could not invade Britain, but forced Denmark to ally itself with France.

The British left Copenhagen in October 21st 1807, but would become more involved in the war against Napoleon, which would last until 1814.

Perhaps it is because the British Navy bombarded a largely civilian population, or perhaps it is because they basically stole a neutral countries fleet to protect itself, the Second Battle of Copenhagen is largely forgotten - well today it is remembered.

For a great Historical Fiction perspective on it - read Sharpe's Prey.

Remembering History - The Second Battle of Copenhagen 1807