- Contributed byÌý
- CSV Media NI
- People in story:Ìý
- Gerald Long
- Location of story:Ìý
- Malta
- Background to story:Ìý
- Civilian
- Article ID:Ìý
- A3954206
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 26 April 2005
This story was gathered and submitted to the WW2 Peoples War by Oliver Murphy
Teacher Gerald Long
Died April 1942
Gerald Long was a lay master who taught English at Belvedere from 1925 until 1928. He was remembered as ‘a cheerful and excellent master’ in his obituary in The Belvederian of 1943.
He was killed in Malta in an air-raid in 1942. The island of Malta was in the hands of the Allies - but it stood on the direct sea route from Italy to North Africa. Direct attacks were carried out from Malta on Axis convoys carrying reinforcements to General Rommel in Libya.
In April 1942, Malta was subject to almost non-stop bombardment by German and Italian bombers. They aimed to ground British aircraft while convoys made the dangerous crossing to North Africa. Malta suffered over 2000 bombing raids in this time. In the main town of Valetta, 4200 houses were destroyed, as well as the Opera House, the church and monastery of The Sacred Heart and other churches.
Gerald Long lost his life in one of these bombing raids.
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