Knights of Malta
- Book Review,
by Warren Littleton
Book Description
The Knights of Malta is about Peter Nansen, a young American, who joins the Royal Air Force at the beginning of World War II. After ferrying Hurricane fighters to Malta, he is thrust into the epic three-year sky battle over the island against the German and Italian air forces. It is also about Pete's love for the young Maltese schoolteacher, Anna Refalo. Their story plays out against the terrible bombings and Pete's duels with the enemy pilots high over the island. While leading a flight of Spitfires from an aircraft carrier to Malta, Pete's engine fails and he force lands in Algeria. The French Underground shelters him until the American invasion of North Africa. Transferred to the USAAF, he leads a squadron in North Africa and on Sicily. He tries, without success, to contact Anna. Sent back to the United States, he heads up a training command until the war's end, when the AAF gives him his release. He returns to bomb ravaged Malta and discovers that Anna's parents have died in a raid. With government buildings in ruins and their records destroyed, there is no trace of Anna. He determines to go back to the school where she taught to see if he can find out anything about her. Amazingly, she is in her classroom where they talked for the first time. After a joyous reunion, they marry and go to America. to start their life together.
About the Author
Before his early retirement from U.S. Government service, Mr. Littleton spent many years working in the intelligence community and the Department of Defense. His military experience was with the Marine Corps where he served in Japan and Korea. He has lived in Australia, South Africa, and the U.K, and has traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, and Asia. He researched "Knights of Malta" in Malta and in Sicily. Mr. Littleton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Many singular people and events have been part of his life, and he bases much of what he writes on personal experiences. He lives in Ridgecrest, California with his wife and two daughters.
Excerpted from Knights of Malta by Warren Littleton. Copyright © 2003. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
They had just come back from a long walk and were brewing some tea when they heard a knock at the door. When Anna opened the door, Babs was waiting there with a small smile on her face. "I just thought I'd stop by and see how you two were doing." "We're fine. Come in." They talked for the next hour. Babs, blushing slightly, asked about Nigel. "He's keeping, Babs. He needs some time off as well." "He said something about going to Alexandria." "Really! He didn't mention that to me." Babs rose from her chair. "Well, I have to go. It's nice seeing you again,Pete." "My pleasure, Babs. I'll tell Nigel to get on to you when I see him." After she had left, Pete talked to Anna. "Has she said anything about her and old Nigel?" "Not really. She just said that she liked him." On a beautiful morning, they walked through the fields of tall grass where the farm animals used to graze...before the populace ate most of them. The sun was shining brilliantly and the young couple could see for miles out to sea. Anna shaded her eyes and looked toward the west. "Pete, what's that?" Pete followed her gaze. An aircraft was moving low on the horizon. "That's an Me-109!" "A German?" "Yes. I wonder what he is doing out here by himself." As they watched, the plane turned toward them and closed the distance rapidly. Pete and Anna watched as the fighter came on. Suddenly, Pete saw the blinking light of gunfire! He dove for Anna, taking her completely off her feet and driving her through the air. Almost instantaneously, the ground where they had been standing erupted. The tall grass went down as though a scythe had passed through it. In the sparse cover, Pete lay on top of Anna, shielding her as best he could. When he looked skyward, he saw the Messerschmitt continuing toward Hal Far. Anna called out. "Is he gone, Pete?" "It looks that way, for the time being." Then he was holding her. Her eyes were large, but she was not crying. "He was trying to kill us!" "Yes, he was. Are you all right?" "Yes. Pete, that was awful!" "From now on, we'll have to watch things a lot closer. It looks like we're entering a new phase of the war." They hurried back to the school. When Pete returned to Hal Far, he found that bombing and strafing of residential areas and farmers in the fields had become commonplace. Nigel questioned him about it. "Is everyone all right down there?" "If you mean Babs, she is quite all right. The Germans haven't attacked the school, as yet. By the way, she said you were going to Alexandria." "Righto!" "You're not going to see her while you're on leave?" "We don't get leaves very often, so when we do, I want to do more than holdhands with someone." "Message received and understood."
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