Subject: Book those plane seats
Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 4:33 PM

Dear Veterans and Friends,

... I am pleased to announce that today, we have had confirmations from veterans of the following ships: Phoebe and Nigeria, bringing up the total number of ships now represented at the Event to 19.

We are still hoping that out of the 3 original SS Ohio crew tracked down in England and Australia, at least one will confirm his attendance.

Dear Veterans and friends

As I await your Questionairre receipts, I am happy to confirm the latest veteran participation figures taken from received Questionairres only for next September's Event as at 22nd May 2002:

... This gives a total attendance so far of 50 veterans representing 20 of the 78 ships that took part. If we have at least 1 veteran from every ship we found veterans from, we would have had 43 ships represented...............still no confirmations from SS Ohio. What a pity!........(but we have 2 hopefuls, fingers crossed!)

I have found 147 Operation Pedestal veterans so far, from the original 23,000 men that sailed, (less, of course, the 500+ who lie in their watery graves)

Subject: veterans update as at 13/06/02
Date: Thursday, June 13, 2002 1:51 AM

Dear Veterans and friends

[We now have] a total of 79 Operation Pedestal veterans confirmed as coming out of a total of 167 discovered. The attendees hail from 29 of the 78 ships that took part on that Malta Convoy.

We are thrilled to see we finally have 2 confirmations from the SS Ohio, the Tanker that saved Malta from capitulation to the Axis.

Subject: update on Event
Date: Friday, June 21, 2002 11:27 AM

Dear Veterans and friends

We are very busy preparing a trip that you will never forget!

Malta will always bring back special memories.........be it in war or be it in peace.

Thought I'd let you know about an interesting book available for sale from my good Baptist friend, Mike Critchley. Being a Roman Catholic myself, Mike and I differ on whether Santa Marija interceeded to the success of Operation Pedestal, as it popularly believed over here......................but I tell you something Mike.................we can surely agree that this episode, now part of our maltese folklore, surely gave you something to sell about! Ha Ha Ha!

Seriously, if any of you are interested, you can check out a new 60th Anniversary limited edition of "Pedestal, The Convoy that saved Malta", by Peter Smith, available from www.navybooks.com

Mike tells me it costs STG 7.99 inc. postage within UK and an additional 0.80p for overseas post.

Good luck Mike and to all of you, happy reading about a military operation that turned the tide of WWII after 12 previous months of unsuccessful attacks on Nazi occupied Europe.

Subject: Pedestal narratives and memorabilia
Date: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 11:09 AM

Dear Veterans and Friends

As you may very well remember, there is an underlying objective, besides your Reunion, to help the Military Vehicles Collectors Club raise funds for a Vehicles and WWII Heritage Museum. This would ensure that the several WWII vehicles we have retrieved and saved from the scrap heaps will enjoy future posterity and immortalise their important role in supporting Malta's War Effort.

For this Museum objective,we have commissioned an original Pedestal painting by the renowned Maltese Naval artist, Edwin Galea, of which 600 prints will be auctioned or sold to help raise funds for the Museum. This painting and printing of prints will be completed during August 2002.

Several of the already restored military vehicles will be active during your stay and will participate in the Grand Harbour Diorama Spectacular on Friday 27th September , definitely jogging minds and adding more to the accuracy of the recreated scenes embedded only in your memories.

Your own contribution to the awareness of this Project will be by doing us the honour of being present in person for this important Commemoration . This would truly be a remarkable moment that we are soon about to realise. For those of you who have already confirmed that you wish to donate Pedestal artifacts to me for my Private Museum initiative (or other WWII memorabilia for that matter), we intend to have these presentations made during the Farewell Dinner on Tuesday,1st October . When the Museum sees the light of day, these artifacts will be loaned for permanent display at a venue that will seek to ensure that you and your achievements will continue to bear witness and inspire all those who believe that it is worth risking lives to safeguard the right to live free from tyranny and oppression. Never has this been so relevant today, as it was in 1942.

For this reason, I am requesting all those who can, to record themselves and their August 1942 ordeal on audio tape, which recordings would eventually be converted digitally to be played back, by push button, by Museum patrons of the future. Separate tapes about other Malta Convoys are welcome too but on separate tapes.

It is only after you ' cross the bar' that one realises what wealth of personal accounts and experiences have been lost for ever with you. Your personal accounts happen to be an extremely important cog in the 'machine' that links up Malta' s victorious achievements and WWII heritage at what were the most critical and weakest moments of this Island's truly incredible and chequered history.

We have lost too many of you already. Now that we have found you, I want to make sure that this trip would not only address the heat of the moment ( pun not intended!) but also encase your legacy in 'concrete' for posterity.

These accounts would ideally be made in the comfort of your own homes on BASF type of Chrome audio cassettes of 60 or 90 minutes duration and would cover the following topics:

1. short introduction, name, surname, navy rating no., ship name and job on board
2. description of feeling on getting to know about Mission of Operation Pedestal
3. description of life on board, camaraderie relationships, squabbles, other incidents, food rations, general feel of living on board a ship
4. as vivid as possible descriptions of the actions that were to follow
5. fact for fact accounts and incidents as the drama unfolded
6. personal losses, loss of comrades, descriptions of the horror scenes
7. description about your Captain and his good and bad points citing examples
8. particular attention to describing the details of the attacks and casualties giving names where these are remembered
9. for those of you who entered Valletta harbour between the 13th and 15th August, your most elaborate descriptions of your feelings and experiences and what you saw and what was happening around you.
10. description of aftermath of arrival, first impressions
11. hardships in Malta, the Islanders, your encounters with them
12. your biggest impressions, sad ones and lighter, if you have any
13. life in Valletta........and the Gut ( alas, some things you don't forget)
14. names of the bars visited, incidents, brawls, rivalry between RN and MN seamen, encounters with lovely Maltese ladies ( first names only please!) and life in the city
15. any final conclusions and message from your ordeals that you wish to pass on to the listeners over the years to come

Subject: New Pedestal website worth a visit
Date: Thursday, July 25, 2002 9:41 AM

Dear Veterans and Friends

Please take the time to visit the best Operation Pedestal website out there today.

It was produced by Voice of the Mediterranean Radio Station in Malta and I thank them for informing me about it today. It does contain some small inaccuracies about the factual side of the Convoy's history but it is an excellent tribute to all veterans and that incredible achievement.

I encourage you to visit it at

www.vomradio.com

Dear Veterans and Friends

We would like to share you a very special development of today..

For those of you who know the details of the Pedestal operation, you would know that the RAF was instrumental in the success of the Operation. This was in view of the fact that on the night of the 12th August '42, the RAF fooled a flotilla of heavily armed Italian Cruisers on their way to destroy the remnants of the convoy struggling to reach Malta.

At 01.35hrs on 13th August '42, an SDF ( Special Duty Flight) by the Wellington bombers of 69 Sqdn. were sent to report the movements of the fast approaching italian Cruisers. Whilst Wellington 'O' circled the Cruisers in the night, another Wellington 'Y' with Dennis Cooke as Wireless Operator on board approached.

Cooke intercepted a message from RAF Malta being relayed to Wellington 'O'. Strangely, Mr Cooke noted the message was in plain english language rather than in code which he considered very very strange indeed. The relayed message was ' Report latest position for Liberators'. (Liberators were large bomber aircraft.)

What Cooke did not know was that this was a fake message relayed by the RAF Malta knowing that it would be immediately intercepted by Italian Intelligence to dupe the Cruisers into thinking that a heavy bomber squadron was on its way to bomb and destroy the Italian Cruisers.But there were NO bombers! Relaying it in english rather than in code ascertained that the Italians would quickly understand the message. The plan worked...... Cooke's plane meanwhile caught up with the Cruisers and Cooke was very surprised to see the Cruisers breaking formation and making a dash for home.

It transpired that Mussolini had been given the intercepted 'news' of the imaginary RAF bomber squadron on its way and sought Luftwaffe Chief Command Gen. Kesselring's cover protection from the Luftwaffe. Kesselring was not fond of Mussolini's Navy calling them 'fair weather sailors' and obviously disappointed that the Italians weren't able to finish the job themselves, refused Mussolini his request for fighter cover because of escalating losses on the Russian Front. Mussolini then personally ordered the Cruisers to return, fearful of a humiliating defeat thus ensuring the success of Operation Pedestal. Dennis Cooke suspected that this message had some specific objective and tore out the page from his log, now in the Imperial War Museum, risking a court marshall, as he felt there would be something historic about it.

Dennis Cooke and I had a very enjoyable conversation this afternoon and we have the pleasure to inform you that he has decided to attend the Reunion, making him the first RAF Pedestal veteran in the Group!

Dear Veterans and Friends,

This morning was a beautiful, hot summer's day with typical August brilliant sunshine.....

At 09.30hrs, this morning,( the same time SS Ohio approached its mooring sixty years ago),a special Mass was held at Ta Liesse Church down in Grand Harbour, Valletta, whose steps overlook that magnificent view of the mouth of the Harbour.

The newly installed Port Chaplain served mass to a packed but comfortable audience whilst 3 Standard Bearers stood to attention on the right side of the alter throughout the service. One Standard read " The Royal British Legion- Malta Branch", the other, "The Royal Navy Association- Malta Branch". The third was our Maltese flag that proudly bears the George Cross in its upper left quadrant on the white part of our white and red flag, awarded to Malta by George VI on 14th April 1942.

I noticed several persons dedicated to the on going preservation of the Siege of Malta activities between 1940-43 present in the front pews, who, despite their age stood firm and proud whilst the Chaplain reminded all present that today was the 60th anniversary of the Convoy's entry into Grand Harbour. He remarked that though that epic was worth remembering, one must also not forget all those who gave their life for this Island to stand up to the threat of tyranny and agression.

After the service, we followed the Standard Bearers through the tunnel just before the old Customs House, a distance of about 100 meters from the Church, where a group of several other persons in their Sunday best, were waiting at the water's edge.

Amongst them were the Chairmen and represenatives of the Royal Malta Artillery Association, Malta Merchant Navy Association, Merchant Navy Association (Malta Branch), Royal Navy Association ( Malta Branch), Royal Naval Officers Association, Royal British Legion (Malta Branch) and surely others I was unable to reach as another Service was about to commence. Rev. Alan Woods, Chancellor of St Paul's Anglican Cathedral together with our Port Chaplain, conducted a carefully planned rendition of prayer and hymns, ably assisted by a children's choir accompanied by a guitarist. The three Standard Bearers stood behind, facing the Harbour, bravely withering the by now scorching heat.

Between the priests and the audience, stood a poppy wreath whilst an Armed Forces of Malta Patrol Boat made a silent approach to the quay. An Armed Forces of Malta Bugler played 'The Last Post', the Standards were loweered, whilst three of our local TV Stations had their cameras rolling. A small party led by the valiant stalwarth and indefatiguable Lino Camilleri of the British Legion proceeded to the Patrol Boat with the Wreath. The RMA has their own wreath, as in the words of their Chairman, he said they felt they should show support, as they so ably did in wartime, for what was essentially a Naval commemoration.

The Patrol Boat left the quay and at a distance of about 20 metres from the shore, the Wreath was blessed by the clergy and cast into the water...

....at we collected our thoughts during a minutes' silence, a cachaphony of ship horns ensued across all corners of Grand Harbour... Two american Cruise Liners just visiting , joined in solidarity and to salute those brave seamen whose memories continue to live in the shape of their fellow mates still with us and about to join us again so soon.......but their loss of life was not in vain you know! For our Island glorifies them for keeping the honour and dignity of this Nation intact during the darkest moments of Europe's checkered history over the ages.

Together with all the surviving Malta war veterans and in your valued company, we will cherish their memories of all the fallen of WWII again next month to remind the world of our gratitiude towards them and to show them that if it wasn't for them and their contribution, the people of this Island would have little reason to stand proud on their little rock that, surrounded by Nazi conquered territory, proved to be the 'thorn in Rommel's side' and the undoing of the course of WWII in favour of the Allies.

As the wreath floated on the shimmering water, we recited..

"Eternal rest grant unto them Oh Lord and let perpetual Light shine upon them. May they rest in Peace. Amen."

Thank You PEDESTAL

[To view pics of the ceremony which were sent to Simon from Captain Mark Chappelle of the Malta Merchant Navy Association Please Click Here for #1, Click Here for #2, Click Here for #3, and Click Here for #4.]

Dear Veterans and Friends

I am emailing the latest attendance figures :

Almeira Lykes	1 veteran (2 found)
Brisbane Star	3 ( 4 found)
Clan Ferguson	0 ( 1 found)
Deucalion	2 ( 4 found)
Dorset	2 ( 3 found)
Empire Hope	3 ( 4 found)
Glenorchy	0 ( 1 found)
Melbourne Star	2 ( 2 found)
Ohio	2 ( 3 found)
Port Chalmers	0 ( 3 found)
Rochester Castle	0 ( 4 found)
Santa Elisa	1 ( 6 found)
Waimarama	0 ( 2 found)
HMML 126	0 ( 2 found)
HMS Antelope	0 ( 1 found)
HMS Argus	1 ( 1 found)
HMS Ashanti	0 ( 3 found)
HMS Bramham	2 ( 6 found)
HMS Beaufort	1 ( 1 found)
HMS Cairo	2 ( 7 found)
HMS Charybdis	6 ( 16 found)
HMS Derwent	1 (3 found)
HMS Eagle	7 ( 14 found)
HMS Eskimo	1 (1 found)
HMS Foresight	1 ( 2 found)
HMS Furious	3 ( 5 found)
HMS Icarus	1 ( 3 found)
HMS Indomitable	7 ( 11 found)
HMS Intrepid	1 ( 1 found)
HMS Ithuriel	1 ( 1 found)
HMS Kenya	7 ( 10 found)
HMS Ledbury	7 ( 11 found)
HMS Lookout	1 (1 found)
HMS Malcolm	0 ( 1 found)
HMS Manchester	16 ( 26 found)
HMS Nelson	3 ( 5 found)
HMS Nigeria	2 ( 2 found)
HMS Pathfinder	1 ( 2 found)
HMS Penn	1 ( 3 found)
HMS Phoebe	3 ( 7 found)
HMS Quentin	0 ( 2 found)
HMS Reknown	0 ( 1 found)
HMS Rodney	2 ( 3 found)
HMS Sirius	1 ( 3 found)
HMS Tartar	1 (1 found)
HMS Victorious	0 ( 2 found)
HMS Wilton	1 ( 2 found)
HMS Wolverine	0 ( 2 found)
HMS Wren	0 (2 found)
HMS Zetland	3 (3 found)
Italian E-Boat Flotilla	1 (1 E-Boat commander coming; sunk Wairangi.
Junkers 88 (Luftwaffe)	2 ( 2 coming but only 1 attacked Convoy)

This makes a total of 103 Operation Pedestal veterans confirmed as coming ( an increase of 3 over last month even though we had about 5 cancellations) out of a total of 207 discovered. The attendees hail from 36 of the 78 ships that took part on that Malta Convoy. Age ranges between 76 and 97. The remains of another veteran, Cpt. Roger P. Hill, RN DSO DSC will also be brought over for scattering at sea, but he is not included in the above count. Other Malta Convoy veterans who were not in Pedestal but in other convoys will also be present.

We believe a 50% participation rate, considering the age and health predicaments is astoundingly good. Though we have gained new ship participations since July, we have also lost two of the 'famous five', namely Rochester Castle and Port Chalmers which we are very sorry for. Interestingly and with great satisfaction, we have finally found an Italian veteran, meaning that with one single American amongst the group, we now have every participating nationality represented.

One or two late bookings are still expected meaning the veterans may rise to a maximum of 105 persons .

[To read Lt-Cdr Roger Hill's Obituary "Intrepid Destroyer Captain Dies" please go to This Is Worcestershire.]

I have pleasure in informing you that I have the honour to have been delegated to collect from The Honourable Company of Master Mariners in London, SS Ohio's Bell and medals of Cpt. Dudley Mason for display during this important Commemoration which Artifacts will be brought over next Saturday on a flight by our National Carrier, Airmalta.

We trust you consider this a most welcomed and prestigious addition for this special occasion.