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| | Merlins Over Malta - The Defenders Returned! |
 | | Operation Herkules was to be mounted in the spring of 1942, but first of all the island defences had to be wiped out by the Luftwaffe and the Italian Regia Aeronautica. |
 | | There was very little food for the 30,000 troops and 250,000 residents and almost no fuel left for the fighters defending the island. |
 | | Operation Pedestal was to became a turning point in the survival of Malta and the arrival of Port Chalmers, Melbourne Star, Rochester Castle, Brisbane Star and the crippled aviation fuel laden tanker Ohio, 5 merchant ships out of a convoy of 14, enabled the islands to go on. |
| www.merlinsovermalta.com /worldwar2 (1030 words) |
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