I am seeking information about the Jewish soldiers with the Allied forces encamped at Blata-l-Bajda in preparation for the invasion of Sicily in 1943.

One of them, a sergeant called Oscar Lavan, became a family friend, and I remember another soldier, his first name being – if I remember rightly – Menachem who was a good friend of one of our neighbours.

I would be grateful both for factual information about the Jewish soldiers in the Blata-l-Bajda camp and for personal recollections about any of them and about the camp they were in.

I would be most grateful if readers having any information of this type were to write to me at 14, Triq il-Papa Gwanni XXIII, Birkirkara BKR1033 or on paul.m.xuereb@ um.edu.mt

Paul Xuereb

BIRKIRKARA