Two years ago today, a heroic fighter pilot who defended Malta in WWII sadly passed away
At 99 years old, Allan Scott was one of the last remaining Spitfire pilots who patrolled Malta’s skies during the war.
It's been two years since Squadron Leader Allan Scott, a Spitfire fighter pilot who defended Maltese skies in World War II, passed away at the age of 99.
Forming part of the Royal Air Force, the pilot is celebrated by the Maltese people for defending the island during Operation Pedestal (the Santa Maria Convoy), as ships carrying vital supplies made their way into the Grand Harbour amid heavy bombing by the Axis Powers.
The Squadron Leader shot down his first German bomber aged just 19 years old, during the Battle of Britain in 1941, and went on to win a Distinguished Flying Medal during his second tour in Malta, a year later.
“Life of a fighter pilot in Malta was given as 15 minutes. At the height of the war, we were scrambled four times a day. They pushed everything into that theatre to try to finish us: we were a real thorn in their side,” he has said of the war experience.
The fighter pilot last visited the island in 2017, marking the 75th anniversary of King George VI awarding the Maltese the gallantry honour for enduring the siege of Malta.
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