'The Gozo Airfield'
(second edition)
Author: Charles Bezzina
Publisher: Self publish / 2025
Pages: 71

Much has been written about World War Two and its tragic and catastrophic effects on the Maltese Islands; but, indubitably, what happened during this horrible war over Gozo, and what the island and the Gozitans went through, hugely relies on the intense and ceaseless historical research work  undergone by the late Frank Bezzina and his son, Charles, the well-known poet who, as regards the War connections with Gozo, has dutifully followed his father's very busy steps in this regard,  publishing to date several books that, in a historical sense are, admittedly,  the best on the subject.

Charles has just published the second edition of The Gozo Airfield, an edition amply enriched with further information missed in the first issue of the book in 2004. The subject, of course, centres on the Gozo air strip, and its dramatic role during the dark days of the war.

Dr Joseph Bezzina raises the curtain with a highly informative  Foreword, an interesting prelude to what follows next in the book. Enters Charles who, chapter after chapter, and in a very expansive and detailed way, gradually builds on the active and breathtaking events that the air strip dramatically exposed in its star role on centre stage, in 12 exciting chapters that gather momentum from page to page.

The Gozo Airfield is a thin book, 71 pages full of what is uniquely very interesting and informative, not only to historians and those who want to know more about World War Two, but also and particularly to the Gozitans who, thanks to Frank and Charles Bezzina, have regularly learned more and more about their beautiful little island, and what the island and its sons and daughters  have suffered at the hands of a heartless and senseless war.