Raiders Passed – Wartime recollections of a Maltese youngster

Charles B. Grech was just emerging from boyhood when the first enemy bombs fell on Malta in June, 1940. Like most boy age, his imagination was fired by the adventure of war. Unlike most youngesters, however, the author somehow managed to be in the thick of any action taking place all over the Maltese Islands. This book is a simple but gripping eye-witness account of the war years (1940-1945) in battle-torn Malta, by happy-go-lucki child who quickly matured to adulthood, joining the Royal Air Force as an airman.

“Raiders Passed” is a fitting tribute to the children of Malta who, like Charles B. Grech, saw their chilhood snatched away by the ravages of war, hunger disease and, at time, the prenature loss of their dearest ones.

Joseph Galea Debono. Born in Ta’ Xbiex, he was educated at St. Aloysius College. He read History, English and Italian Literarure at the Royal University of Malta, graduating Bachelor of Arts “cumlaude” in 1964. In 1967, he graduated Doctor of Laws and was called to the Maltese Bar in 1968. Dr Galea Debono was a correspondent for The Times of Malta Television and edited various magazines and publications. Besides practicing law, Debono has been involved very closely in Malta’s ourism industry since its earliest days in the 1960’s. He was Secretary-General of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association between 1969 and 1995 and Chairman of the National Tourism Organisation – Malta between 1995-1999. Among his many interests in Maltese military history and he has carried out extensive research on Malta’s role during Worl War II. After practicing law for thirty-four years, he was appointed to the Bench of Judges on 18th January 2002, one day before his close friend Charles B. Grench passed away.

Charles B. Grench. Born in Sliema, he received his education at St. Joseph Hifg School, the Government School ans St. Alphonsus College. In January 1943 he took up employment at the Command Pay ffice. He joined the Royal Air Force in the summer of 1943. In 1945 he attended a photography course. He was demobilised in 1947. In March 1949, he joined Allied Newspapers Ltd. as a staff photographer. In 1954 he was appointed photographer for the Daily Mail in Malta. In 1955 he married Aida and together had two children Simone and Mark. In 1956 he became the local cameraman and correspondent covering the Suez crisis and the invasion of Port Said by Royal MArine Commandos and French forces. In July 1962 he joined Malta Television Service as Chief Cameraman. He held a Diploma in Photo Technology from the National School of Denver, Colorado, USA. After his retirement, he was employed with Drum Productions helping in the running of the war documentary show “The Wartime Experience” for a number of years, he devoted his time to the British Legion in Malta and was also very active in the Royal Air Forces Association, Malta, as its P.R.O. and later as Chairman, a post he held till 19th January 2002, when he passed away suddently at his residence, leaving his writings as his legacy.