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My real name is Lawrence M Barker - I am undertaking a rather detailed personal research project into the 828 Fleet Air Arm Squadron, their personnel and aircraft, whilst based at Hal-Far Malta 1941-1943. This interest was fuelled by my late father, RAF Sgt.Thomas Barker BEM. He was seconded to the 828 Fleet Air Arm Squadron based at Hal-Far, Malta during the period September 1941 to September 1943. His Wartime Malta Diaries have now been transcribed by myself, which together with part of his photo collection and other documents, which includes details of some aircraft movements, servicing, squadron personnel etc. are available for viewing and research at http://my-malta.com/interesting/barker/thomasbarker01.html
A separate account made at the time, is my father's record of a secret briefing which took place on 9th September 1943 in Malta and his part in taking a special party on-board the Admiralty tug 'Jaunty' on 10th September 1943 to meet a portion of the surrendering Italian Fleet rounding Zonga [Zonqor] Point and sailing with them to their final surrender and anchorage outside St Thomas's Bay, Malta. This can be read at http://my-malta.com/interesting/barker/surrender_iti_fleet_01.html
If you have any information (particularly photographs) relating to 828 Squadron Fairey Albacores, 830 Squadron Fairey Swordfish or even other squadrons Bristol Beauforts, which could well have been serviced by them at Hal-Far or Luqa during this period, then I would be extremely interested. At present I am trying to match their aircraft squadron identification numbers to the aircraft serial numbers, in an attempt to provide an historical log (albeit rather limited) for those aircraft referred to in my father's diaries and other documents - no mean feat - but have achieved some success to date!
Keywords: Fairey Albacore Fairey Albacores Bristol Beaufort Beauforts 828 830 Squadron Sqdn Sqd'n Hal-Far Halfar Luqa Safi Safi-Strip Malta St Thomas Fleet Air Arm Ruys Zonqor
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