In 1942, the Maltese islands were fighting hard to survive the Siege of Malta: a hellish period when tonnes upon tonnes of bombs where dropped on the islands by Axis forces. On this exact day 78 years ago, Malta went through a hellish experience with the Ta' Qali area alone hit by 300 tonnes of bombs in a 48 hour time frame. 

Over 220 enemy planes participated in the attack against Malta, which together unleashed the heaviest bombardment the island had suffered till that point during the course of the Second World War. 

Buildings were not the only casualty of the day. Indeed, 81 people (20 of which were military men) perished due to the bombings with many more civilians reported injured mainly in the Rabat and Mosta areas. Accounts from the day highlight a harsh yet common reality of the time: countless maimed and deformed corpses being pulled from beneath the rubble and loaded unto carts.

Thankfully, a small fleet of Spitfires and Hurricanes flew to Malta to assist in the island's defences, downing five enemy planes in the process. This would not be the worst attack Malta would suffer, as bombings continued to intensify in the following days and months.