Charles Debono looks back at the crash of Pilot Officer Walter ‘Pips’ Cripps on April 26, 1942.
On April 26, 1942, Air Officer Commanding Malta, Air Vice Marshal Hugh Lloyd was advised that an intercept of Luftwaffe Enigma traffic indicated that some units of Fliegerkorps II were preparing to leave Sicily.
Meanwhile, an air raid warning was sounded at about 2.28pm, where a total of 55 Junkers Ju88s and 15 Junkers Ju87 Stukas appeared over Malta and attacked Ta’ Qali, Luqa, the Grand Harbour area and Kalafrana. Bombs also dropped on Marsa, Qormi, St Paul’s Bay, Buffs Camp at Attard, Delimara, Salina, Fleur-de-Lys, Sliema, Msida, Lintorn Barracks, anti-aircraft gun positions at Spinola and searchlight emplacements at Salina and Tigné, St Paul’s Bay and Attard.