Rather odd, if the Axis powers could not successfully invade across 21 miles of water in 1940, why is it thought they could have easily invaded an island with very few suitable landing places across 62.5 miles.

When Italy entered the war on 10th June 1940, Winston Churchill wrote to Lt. General Sir William Dobbie, Officer Administering the Government:

" You may be sure we regard Malta as one of the master keys of the British Empire. We are sure that you are the man to hold it and we will do everyhting in human power to give you that means."

This was done at horrendous cost in terms of ships, aircraft and men - but it was done successfully enough to convince the Axis powers that Malta would cost too much to take.

With the Afika Korps on the border of Egypt, Erwin Rommel was well aware of the importance of Malta and the threat posed by it remaining in Allied hands. Hitler did order the invasion and capture of the Island on the 30th April 1942 during a meeting at the Obersalzberg with Mussolini. The priorities were given as follows, "Tobruk in June, Malta in July". Hitler really should have put them the other way about because it left Malta a threat to Rommel's supply lines and gave the defenders of the island enough of a breathing space to re-equip and go over onto the offensive. Thereafter the fate of the Africa Korps was sealed.