'When the siren wailed - Memoirs of Wartime Gozo'

Author: Charles Bezzina

Translated by Alfred Palma

Pages: 106

Undoubtedly Charles Bezzina is the prime authority in the research of wartime Gozo, having written several books on the subject. Not only is he a prolific writer of articles in newspapers and magazines, but he is also the author of several poetry books. Bezzina also gives talks on wartime Gozo and literature. One of his recent talks, The Black Market in Wartime Gozo, was delivered on 8 February.

Having inherited a legacy of research from his late father, Frank Bezzina, he extensively rewrote and expanded upon his father's in-depth research, Il-Qilla tal-Gwerra Fuq Għawdex 1940-43, which was re-published in 2020 and reprinted in 2021. Apart from this voluminous publication, he authored The Gozo Airfield (2004) and Il-Vittmi Għawdxin tat-Tieni Gwerra (2006). Other books are Ir-Refuġjati Maltin f'Għawdex fi Żmien il-Gwerra (2018), Ix-Xewkija fi Żmien il-Gwerra (2013) and Ix-Xagħra fi Żmien il-Gwerra (2021).

As Bezzina rightly asserts, although Gozo was not the main target of the Axis Forces during the Second World War, it suffered its own heavy burden of the horrors of war, and it rightly merits a detailed coverage of all the events that Gozo and its people passed through during wartime.

The book under review is a translation of the Maltese version titled, Meta Karbet is-Sirena (2003), which was published in 2012 and reprinted in 2024. This book includes 20 interviews of Gozitans from all walks of life and hailing from all villages of Gozo about their own wartime experiences. These interesting reminiscences were all collected by Bezzina.

These interviews are oral history at its best in that they are living testimonies of how, as the war grew in intensity, Gozitans sought to resist the onslaught of the enemy despite the lack of essential commodities such as food, fuel and other necessities.

The book not only regales the reader with these interesting interviews that recall the daily vicissitudes of war but also carries several interesting themes that include the main air-raids, aircraft that crashed over Gozo, Maltese refugees, the Gozo administration, education, the protection office, black market, the Church, Gozo hospitals, the collection of grain and the grinding mills in Gozo, the sea-space between Malta and Gozo, defence provisions and the Gozo airfield.

For its size, which is very handy and portable, the book has a special attention to detail and includes several photos to embellish its contents.

It is a further priceless addition to Maltese and Gozitan Melitensia.