Tomorrow, the historic Lascaris War Rooms in Valletta will aptly play host to the launch of a new book – Ladies of Lascaris: Christina Ratcliffe and The Forgotten Heroes of Malta's War by Paul Mcdonald.

Tracing the life of Christina Ratcliffe, an English singer and dancer who became an aircraft plotter in Malta in WWII, the book tells her story in the underground Royal Air Force operational headquarters beneath Lascaris Bastion in Valletta, as well as those of other British and Maltese girls employed by the RAF.

The author, Paul Mcdonald, is himself a former Royal Air Force pilot, yet while he’s not old enough to have experienced the horrors of WWII, his connection with Malta is a strong one, having been posted here as a photo-recce pilot in 1975. Returning to the island to prepare for the launch of his new book, I sit down with him for a chat about his fascinating subject: the ‘forgotten’ heroes of Malta's war.

Who was Christina Ratcliffe?

This, dear readers, is not a fictional tale. In June 1942, 53 female civilian plotters worked at Lascaris, some as young as 14. Six, including Christina, were decorated for gallantry. She was described in the Times of Malta in 1942 as “Christina of George Cross Island”, and she herself was reported as saying that Malta “is carved on my heart.”

“Christina Ratcliffe (full name: Mary Christina Ratcliffe) was very much a real person. She was born in Cheshire, England, in 1914 and first came to Malta in 1937. She returned in March 1940 and remained on the island until she died in 1988,” says Paul, who conducted vast research for the book. “My research involved contact with the Maltese historian Frederick Galea and with the families of the girls who worked at Lascaris,” he explains. “It also involved visits to the UK National Archives in Kew, London and visits to Malta itself.”

A rare female perspective on war

What the women of Lascaris did, how they lived and how some of them died is told in part using their own words with Paul’s book. And indeed, their descriptions of life beneath the most intensive, prolonged bombing the world has ever seen are both rare and extraordinary – an insightful female perspective at the heart of military conflict.

According to Paul, for years after WWII, whispers of a remarkable RAF photo-recce pilot called Warby and his stunning companion Christina, a true heroine, echoes within small corner cafes and bars across Malta’s towns and villages. Yet her contribution has never been truly documented – until now.

“Malta is a jewel of an island and has a fascinating history,” Pauls maintains. “There is much that links Malta and its people with the UK. The people of both are determined and resilient, and both islands have stood up to invasion throughout their history.”

About the author

Paul and his wife Jackie lived in Birkirkara and Balzan from 1975 to 1978. They often drove past Christina’s Floriana home, unaware at that time of her existence. When they left Malta, they had an even stronger connection with the island: two children, their son Matthew born in Mtarfa and their daughter Hannah in Attard. Asked of his connection with the island, Paul smiles, “both my children were born here. If I understand your laws correctly, that makes them Maltese. Need I say more?”

The launch will take place tomorrow, Wednesday 30th January 2019, at 6:30pm. The event is free of charge but pre-booking is advisable by sending an email to [email protected]. ‘Ladies of Lascaris’ books will be available for purchase and signing after the talk.