AHQ Malta

No. 267 Squadron RAF and No. 268 Squadron RAF, both with seaplanes, were formed at RAF Kalafrana in August 1918.[3]

RAF Mediterranean had been based in Malta under one designation or another throughout the interwar period, spending some time known as 'Mediterranean Group'.

Despite concerns that the island, far from Britain and close to Italy, could not be defended, the British decided in July 1939 to increase the number of anti-aircraft guns and fighter aircraft on Malta.[4] During 1940 Malta's air defence force had been built up from Faith, Hope, and Charity, the three famous Sea Gladiators of the Hal Far Fighter Flight.

During the early stage of the Siege of Malta (11 June 1940 to 20 November 1942), which was also early in the wider North African Campaign, Axis powers did not consider Malta much of an offensive threat. However it was considered an essential Allied stronghold. This was exemplified by Operation Pedestal and the other, often very costly, efforts to resupply the island.

On 20 April 1942, the USS Wasp delivered 47 Spitfires to Malta. Although the German Luftwaffe promptly destroyed 30 of them on the same day, the defensive and offensive capabilities of AHQ Malta grew as a result of these and other aircraft reaching the island in the summer of 1942.[5] On 1 July 1942, AHQ Malta had approximately 200 aircraft, about half of which were Spitfires.[6]

Air Vice Marshal Sir Keith Park took over command of AHQ Malta On 15 July 1942.[1]

At this time, the island provided critical operational air bases for the Allies with proximity to Axis shipping lanes and the battlefields of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Pantelleria, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and mainland Italy during World War II. There were three main airfields on Malta known as RAF Hal Far, RAF Luqa, and RAF Ta' Kali with an intermediate landing area known as the Safi Dispersal Strip.[7]

During the month of October in 1942, when the Second Battle of El Alamein was being waged, Allied forces were credited with the destruction of 59 percent of the German tonnage and 45 percent of the Italian tonnage shipped to Rommel's Axis forces in North Africa. This attrition was a significant aspect of Rommel's defeat and was in large part due to AHQ Malta, and the British and American heavy bombers of No. 205 Group.[5]

In February 1943, AHQ Malta became a major sub-command of the Mediterranean Air Command (MAC) following a decision by the Allies at their Casablanca Conference in January 1943.[8]

Operation Husky - Order of battle July 1943

An Avro York of No. 246 Squadron RAF being loaded at RAF Luqa. Date not certain but between 1943 and 1945.

When the Allies invaded Sicily (Operation Husky) on 10 July 1943, AHQ Malta directed the units below.[6]

No. 248 Wing RAF	Spitfire units	Other units
No. 69 Squadron RAF Martin Baltimore	No. 40 Squadron SAAF[9]	No. 23 Squadron RAF, de Havilland Mosquito
No. 108 Squadron RAF, Bristol Beaufighter	No. 126 Squadron RAF	No. 73 Squadron RAF Det., Hurricane
No. 221 Squadron RAF, Vickers Wellington	No. 185 Squadron RAF	No. 256 Squadron RAF Det., Mosquito
No. 272 Squadron RAF, Beaufighter	No. 229 Squadron RAF	No. 600 Squadron RAF, Beaufighter
No. 683 Squadron RAF, Spitfire	No. 249 Squadron RAF	815 Naval Air Squadron Det. (FAA), Fairey Albacore
826 Naval Air Squadron (FAA)	No. 1435 Flight RAF	No. 983 Balloon Squadron

Notes: SAAF=South African Air Force; Det.=Detachment.

Some other squadrons and flights from the Northwest African Tactical and Coastal Air Forces were detached to Malta prior to the invasion of Sicily including Nos. 92 and 93 Squadrons and the 31st FIghter Group with Spitfires, 47th Bombardment Group with A-20s, and the 57th and 79th Fighter Groups with P-40s.

In mid-1945 the only flying units under the control of AHQ Malta were two air-sea rescue squadrons, No. 283 Squadron RAF (flying Warwicks and Walruses from Hal Far), No. 284 Squadron RAF (with the same types of aircraft from Elmas in Sardinia), 22 Squadron SAAF (flying Venturas at Gibraltar), and 782 Naval Air Squadron (with Fulmars and Defiants at Hal Far). 782 NAS was administered by the local naval commander.[10]

During 1946 the remaining installations in Algeria and Tunisia were handed back to the French Armed Forces, but this left AHQ Malta still commanding units in Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and Maison Blanche in Algeria. Withdrawal from these locations took a few more months.

No. 38 Squadron RAF (a maritime reconnaissance unit flying Warwicks and Wellingtons) and No. 73 Squadron RAF (flying Spitfire IXs) arrived in 1946. The No.73 Squadron initially flew from Hal Far but was moved to Takali thus allowing Hal Far to be handed over to be used by the Royal Navy carrier squadron.[11]

On 1 July 1947, Air Vice Marshal C R Steele had AHQ Malta take over El Adem, Benina, and Castel Benito stations in Libya from No. 205 Group RAF in the Canal Zone. This was just before the RAF presence at Elmas in Sardinia closed down on 10 December 1947.

No. 37 Squadron RAF, which had arrived from Palestine in 1948, left Luqa for RAF Khormaksar in Aden in July 1957. While four Avro Shackleton aircraft and the squadron's identity were transferred to Aden, two aircraft were left to join No. 38 Squadron RAF, still at Luqa.[12] In 1965, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Deacon-Elliott arrived at Gibraltar to serve as both commander RAF Gibraltar and AOC AHQ Malta. His appointment also carried the 38 Squadron which was disbanded early in 1967. In 1968 the station at Takali also closed. AHQ Malta was disbanded on 30 June 1968 and the Air Vice Marshal flew home the following day.

The remaining units were only Nos 13 and 39 Squadrons, both at Luqa flying photo-reconnaissance Canberras. The organisation and administration of the remaining units was passed to RAF Luqa, where an Air Commodore with the title of Air Commander Malta was installed, while overall control passed to Near East Air Force in Cyprus.[14] Air Commander Malta assumed direct command of RAF units assigned to Malta. On 1 February 1969 No. 203 Squadron RAF was transferred from RAF Ballykelly to Hal Far, though it soon moved to Luqa. Re-equipment of the squadron from Shackletons to BAe Nimrods soon began. In October 1970 39 Squadron was moved back to Wyton in the UK.[15]

203 Squadron was disbanded on 31 December 1977 and 13 Squadron flew home to Wyton in October 1978.[16] The post of Air Commander Malta ceased to exist when the British withdrew from Malta on 31 March 1979.

• Craven, Wesley F. and James L. Cate. The Army Air Forces in World War II, Volume 2, Chicago, Illinois: Chicago University Press, 1949 (Reprinted 1983, ISBN 0-912799-03-X).
• Richards, D. and H. Saunders, The Royal Air Force 1939-1945 (Volume 2, HMSO, 1953).
• Howe, George F., Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West, Center of Military History, Washington, DC., 1991.
• Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters, Participation of the Ninth & Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, 1945.
• The Air Battle of Malta. The Official Account of the R.A.F. in Malta, June 1940 to November 1942; Prepared for the Air Ministry by the Ministry of Information, London, UK, His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1944.

• Sir David Lee, Wings in the sun: a history of the Royal Air Force in the Mediterranean, 1945–1986, Air Force Dept. Air Historical Branch, Great Britain. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1989.

• Leo Niehorster, RAF Mediterranean, 3 September 1939
• "Overseas Commands - Middle East & Mediterranean". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014.