Before he died, Paddy Griffith had planned to run a multi-player wargame about the projected Italo-German invasion of Malta at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford. Several of the regular attendees at Paddy's previous wargames at Duxford – led by Tim Gow and John Drewienkiewicz – decided to run the projected wargame in his memory, and I was lucky enough to be able to take part in it today.
I was given the role of CRA (Commander, Royal Artillery) on Malta, which meant that I was responsible for co-ordinating the island's anti-aircraft and coastal defence artillery. I worked directly under the CIC Malta Command (Michael Brett-Pitt) and alongside Martin Davis, who was Staff Officer, Malta Command. I also had to liaise closely with Paul Elton and Paul Goddard (who controlled the Royal Navy), and Dave Townsend (RAF).
Chris Hall (our liaison umpire) supplied us with an excellent and very detailed map that showed the Malta defences, and we positioned our units on the situation map and awaited developments.
The southern landings were more successful and managed to capture a landing field intact. Shortly afterwards, large numbers of Axis transport aircraft began to arrive over Malta and prepare to land on the airfield ... but the RAF and anti-aircraft artillery shot down many of them before they were able to do so, and those they did land safely were fired at by heavy coastal artillery batteries that were capable of engaging inland targets.
The southern invasion fleet was eventually driven off after suffering serious losses, leaving the invaders cut off from further supplies. The Allies were gradually closing in around them, and it was only a matter of time before they were driven back into the sea or forced to surrender. The northern invasion force was also contained by the Allied defenders, and the unless the Axis were able to re-supply them, they would also eventually have to surrender or be evacuated.
It was at this point that the wargame ended, and we all attended a very interesting and informative de-briefing.
I was given the role of CRA (Commander, Royal Artillery) on Malta, which meant that I was responsible for co-ordinating the island's anti-aircraft and coastal defence artillery. I worked directly under the CIC Malta Command (Michael Brett-Pitt) and alongside Martin Davis, who was Staff Officer, Malta Command. I also had to liaise closely with Paul Elton and Paul Goddard (who controlled the Royal Navy), and Dave Townsend (RAF).
Chris Hall (our liaison umpire) supplied us with an excellent and very detailed map that showed the Malta defences, and we positioned our units on the situation map and awaited developments.
Chris Hall briefing the Allied players.
Michael Brett-Pitt (CIC Malta Command) makes his point.
Bernard Ganley (Lord Gort, Governor General of Malta) discusses the situation with the Allied team.
The southern landings were more successful and managed to capture a landing field intact. Shortly afterwards, large numbers of Axis transport aircraft began to arrive over Malta and prepare to land on the airfield ... but the RAF and anti-aircraft artillery shot down many of them before they were able to do so, and those they did land safely were fired at by heavy coastal artillery batteries that were capable of engaging inland targets.
The southern invasion fleet was eventually driven off after suffering serious losses, leaving the invaders cut off from further supplies. The Allies were gradually closing in around them, and it was only a matter of time before they were driven back into the sea or forced to surrender. The northern invasion force was also contained by the Allied defenders, and the unless the Axis were able to re-supply them, they would also eventually have to surrender or be evacuated.
It was at this point that the wargame ended, and we all attended a very interesting and informative de-briefing.
Tim Gow (on the left) and Jerry Elsmore (the Game Control Umpire) lead the post-game debriefing.
John Drewienkiewicz (better known a just plain 'DZ') who took on the role of Commanding Generalissimo explains what happened from the Italian point of view.
Bernard Ganley (Lord Gort, Governor General of Malta) explains how the Allies reacted to the invasion.
Jim Wallman, who was the Map Control Umpire, tells everyone what really happened.
Gosh, is it really 11 years since the game? There was a spirited discussion between John DZ and me, pre-game regarding the feasibility of seaborne landings on the south coast, given the cliffs. My view was much more pessimistic than DZ's. I had the advantage of having exercised there from Sandhurst and had seen the proposed sites, hence the reason that nothing major landed on the north coast or the southwest.
ReplyDeleteThe real operation never went ahead due to RM fears of Royal Naval night attacks on the landing sites (which were planned for the southeast), and Luftwaffe fears that this would prove to be another Crete.
Regards, Chris.
Chris Kemp (Chris),
DeleteI must admit that if you has asked me when this game took place, I would have said three or four years ago.
Actually visiting a site does give you a better appreciation of the ground. I once took part in a game where Jersey was being invaded from the west. The landing site was selected by the invader without actually understanding that the lovely long flat beach they had chosen was protected offshore by a line of rocks that would rip the bottom out of landing craft as they came ashore. Add in the fact that inshore of the beach the land was marshy and hemmed in by a cliff which only had three ways up it, and it was the worst place to choose. (I haven’t even mentioned the numerous bunkers and gun batteries that the Germans had built that had overlapping fire zones!) Needless to say, the invasion was a failure and made the Bay of Pigs look like a well-executed operation!
All the best,
Bob