THIS WEEK’S ANNIVERSARY

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 24, 6 September 1928, Page 7

THIS WEEK’S ANNIVERSARY

the SIEGE OF MALTA.

TEE OTTOMAN FOILED

September Bth is observed by the people of Malta a,si their most glorious anniversary, for on September Bth, 1565, the siege of the island by a large Turkish 'army was raised, their assaults during four months haying been (successfully repulsed. The Turks opened operations by investing the fortress of St. Elmo, which commanded the entrance to the Great Port (now bearing the name of Valetta). By Jnn e 23rd the Turks had gained possession of this place, but the delay, -(and the losses of men in? battle and by disease were ■fatal } and the siege finally came to an inglorious end. W. H. Prescott, in his history of Philip IT, gives a, lively account of the operations against vSt. Elmo. Day find night in the early days of June the Turkish batteries thundered on the ramparts of the devoted fortress. The uncommon vivacity with which the gnn.s played through the whole of June 15th was rightly supposed to be a prelude to a general assault, which whs duly mad|o at dawn on June 16th.

DESPERATE assaults. The T«rk s made desperate av* tempts to enter by a large breach, but their efforts wore unavailing, and at noon they retreated. Thereafter the besiegers concentrated op compassing the complete investment of the fortress, though they found time to organise a i iimi, s and night attacks, for the purpose of wearing ont the strength of the garrison. By June 18th the works for the invest* ment of St. Elmo were completed. During June 2jst the fir© of the besiegers wag kept up with more than ordinary .severity, until in some places the crumbling wall was shot away, down to the bare rock on which it stood. With the earliest stride of light on June 22nd, the Turks 'launched a general attack, but three assaults, with terrible carnage, were unsuccessful. After the combat had 1 lasted for several hours, the Turks withdrew. An (attempt to send succour across the wates, from the neighbouring fort of St, An helo vfrs found to he utterly impracticable. The 'defender's of St. Elmo, says Prescott, who had watched from the ramparts the boats coming to their assistance, saw the failure of the attempt. Their doom wa, s sealed. Little more left but calmly to await the stroke ofthe executioner. During that night some of the besieged went about encouraging and consoling their hrethe;i, and, though covered with wounds themselves, administering such com-, fort s as they could to the sick and dyingand the dying Jay thick (around, mingled with the dead, 0 n the ruins which were soon~to become their common sepulchre. Thus passed away the dreary night, when, tenderly embracing one another, like friends who part forever, each good ,knight repaired tg his post, prepared to sdl hi R life as dearly as he could.

TO DTE FIGHTING. Some of tlie more and infirm, ttnd those crippled by their wounds, were borne in the arm s of their comrades to the spot, where, seated on the ruins, and wieldQig their ineffectual swords, they prepared, iike H'ue loyal knights, to die upon the breafch* They did) not wait long. The Turks, so often balkedl of their prey, called loudly to he led to the assault. Their advance wais not checked by the feeble volleys thrown, at {random ag) dust them from thd fortress • and they were soon climbing the ascent of the breach, still slippery with the carnage of the preceding day. But withjpll their numbers, it was long before they could break the little linejcJ Maltese chivalry which was there to receive them. Incredible as it may seem, the struggle lasted) for some hours longer, while the fate of St. Elmo hung suspended in the h dance. At length, after a short respite, the Turkish host rallied for a last assault; and the tide of battle, pouring through the ample breach with irresistible fury, bore down cavalier and. soldier, leaving no living thing upon the ramparts. A body of none cavaliers, posted near the end of the fosse, not far from the ground occupied 1 by Dragut’s men (Moors), surrendered themselves as ■prisbjieirs of war to the corsairs; and the latter, who, in their piratical trade, had learned to regard men as a kind of merchandise,' happily refused to deliver up the Christa ms to the Turks, holding them for ransom. These wore the only members of the order who survived the massacre. A few Maltese soldiers, however, oxperidnced swimmers, succeeded. amidst the

tumult, jn •rtaniclung ;(Jha o-|x>s/tfij side of the harbour ' where they spread! ttio sad tidings of the loss of St. Elmo.