Air Sea Rescue Operations At Malta And The Kalafrana Seaplace Base 1940-1943

Air Sea Rescue Operations At Malta And The Kalafrana Seaplace Base 1940-1943

A most important wartime role carried out by Royal Air Force personnel was that of Air/Sea Rescue, that is the saving of lives of airmen who, for one reason or another were forced to ditch their aircraft, or bale out of it, and end up in the sea. From 1917 to 1946, RAF Kalafrana served as a seaplane operations centre, strategically located at the southernmost extremity of Malta. The centre was instrumental in both World Wars, initially serving as a hub for anti-submarine and anti-piracy operations. As the utilization of aircraft and the incidence of accidents escalated during the inter-war years, the centre’s mandate was broadened to encompass Air/Sea Rescue (ASR) operations.

The Air/Sea Rescue Unit at Malta was one of the most successful operating during the Second World War. Although no official records survive, thus rendering it impossible to trace the number of Call-Outs, it results that a comparatively large number were successful with over 270 pick-ups being carried out. The air/sea rescue crews did not distinguish between friend or foe and all rescued airmen were treated alike.

By: Frederich Galea

Format: hardback

No of pages: 416