Graphic diary of a Darlington nurse caught in the siege of Malta

As he settled down to civilian life with his wife, Muriel, in Montrose Street, he felt a little ashamed that he hadn’t kept on with his daily updates, and so he wrote an endpiece: “I'm afraid the diary became stale. Some day my children, John and David, may be interested and ask ‘what did you do in the Army, Dad’. Then they can read this for themselves and form their own opinion.”

He didn’t speak much about his war, so when his family discovered the diary after his death, they were so interested in it that David and his wife Joan transcribed it and have now published it.

It makes fascinating, chilling reading, because Malta was strategically crucial – Winston Churchill called it “an unsinkable aircraft carrier” and was as desperate to cling on to it as the Axis – Germany and Italy – were desperate to seize it. They besieged it, bombing it from the air and destroying the British ships that were trying to relieve it.

George was born in Thornaby in 1911, and followed his sister, Marion, into nursing. In 1938, he married Muriel at St Cuthbert’s Church in Darlington, and in 1941 was called up into the Royal Army Medical Corps. After training in Scotland, he was sent to Malta, where he soon became blasé to the bombs falling around his military hospital…

George Russell of the Royal Army Medical Corps

Friday, December 12, 1941

Another long raid last night, with our night fighters up, and the AA (anti-aircraft) guns blazing away. During the rest of the day there has been several alerts, but that occurs every day.

Tuesday, April 21, 1942

I thought I was in for it at teatime – caught in the open with light and heavy AA whizzing past, machine guns from the ground and planes overhead. Also dozens and dozens of bombs whistling past. Not a nice experience at all.

This is now the height of the siege of Malta. In the first four months of the year, George estimated there had been 1,120 air raids – “makes one think”, he wrote after totting them up.

A photo from George's scrapbook showing a bomb exploding worryingly close to his hospital

Friday, April 24, 1942

Wrote Muriel a few lines. Very tired today, just falling to sleep on my feet. When I got to bed the raids started but I was far too tired to take cover. Received one casualty last night, awful injury too – his bowel hanging out of his side and one arm nearly blown away. He lived 15 mins.

Sunday, May 31, 1942

During my two months on night duty, I have had 103 battle casualties, all serious ones. Two fellows came out of a bomber, one of them had a small abrasion on a finger and the other had burns to the face, multiple splinter wounds, a compound fracture of the arm which had to be amputated. Received an airmail card from Muriel. I think it must have been in the sea as it looked a little washed out and minus a stamp.

Muriel at home in Montrose Street, Darlington

Friday, July 10, 1942

The raids are still persistent. Seeing bombers etc crashing is an everyday affair these days but I still derive more pleasure from looking at Muriel's photos – she is as beautiful as ever to me, a grand wife too.

Monday, July 20, 1942

One fellow, name of Wenkam – a battle casualty. A bomb fell on his gun position. He sustained very severe head injuries, actually his brain was exposed and protruding through the fractures in his skull. Also he had multiple wounds of back, arms and legs and he has pulled through, although he still has a piece of bomb splinter in his brain. (Wenkam was successfully evacuated to Britain for a final brain operation.)

Another case is a Maltese gunner, only a boy. A bomb fell near his position and a splinter entered his leg and buttock. The splinter must have been white hot – when the point of entry was opened it was found that a large cavity had been burnt away. Why he has not died, I do not know, he has had sufficient days to do so.

Sgt George Russell in his summer uniform in Malta

Monday, August 17, 1942

One of my patients today received the BEM, Cpl John Rankin Aitken of the RAF. He belonged to a bomb disposal squad. He received his injuries through putting a bomb fuse in a vice and then starting to dismantle it with a hammer and chisel. Today we also received a casualty whose ship had received a direct hit. Things must have been awful, as it was obvious that he had attempted to commit suicide by cutting his throat.

Tuesday, August 18, 1942

Today I received two letters, one from Atkinsons florist’s in Darlington confirming my order for flowers from Muriel. They will be delivered on time – am I delighted – oh boy!

Muriel, and her mother Emma, in Montrose Street, Darlington

Tuesday, September 1, 1942

Happy as a child today, having received two letters and a cable from Muriel. One letter was to tell me about her receiving the flowers I sent for her birthday. I really could have cried with joy, it was a huge success, well worth the expense and trouble. We had a little potato for dinner, quite an event as it is ages since we had any.

Sunday, October 18, 1942

More raids again last night. I woke up once and had a peep out of the window there were only 20 planes overhead so climbed back into bed and was soon asleep again.

Monday, November 2, 1942

All the fellows have the same complaint now – continuous hungry feeling which cannot be overcome, but darn it we are even getting used to that. In my dear wife's letters she said that by the snap I sent her I look as though I could do with a good feed. How right she is. Tin ribs indeed – play a blinking tune on them now!

Nurse George, second from left, with his patients - all airmen

Friday, December 25, 1942

The dinner was fine specially. It was steak and kidney pudding, boiled spuds and carrots, soup and plum pudding. Tea was good. It was bread and butter, cheese, cooked meat, tinned pears, a scone and piece of pie – what the latter was made of is a mystery, but it tasted good just the same.

The siege of Malta had now been lifted. Air raids and dogfights were becoming a thing of a past and the British were pushing the Italians back in nearby north Africa. Convoys were getting through so the diet on Malta was improving – but the ships brought a new contagion: a polio epidemic.

Sunday, January 3, 1943

One case practically died twice in the night. The last time he collapsed, even I practically gave him up. We gave artificial respiration for 3/4 of an hour before he batted an eyelid. After that we got him into the iron lung where he gave vent to his feelings. Played war with me for knocking him about. That, of course, really did please me to see his fighting spirit back again – and there are another five just as ill.

Saturday, April 10, 1943

Today I feel awfully blue just lying in bed and thinking of home and what sort of house I should like. Today it was a bungalow complete with roses, a few chickens and a little garage with a Morgan in it.

Thursday, July 7, 1943

Birthday, off duty so caught a lift to Sliema for a swim. The harbour was full of invasion boats of every description, a sight for sore eyes. There are hundreds of them and the troops, well, the place is just packed. It looks as though things are really going to move.

This was the start of Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, a major turning point in the war.

The British fleet in Valletta harbour on Malta

Thursday, September 2, 1943

George Formby and his wife visited the hospital today. I couldn't get to see his show but being on duty I was luckier still they visited my ward to see the really ill battle casualties of mine, so got to say hello to them.

Wednesday, September 8, 1943

Best news of the war to date. The Italians have surrendered unconditionally. Somehow I think this war will be over by Christmas. This evening the population has gone mad with joy. At Rabat, about 3/4 of a mile away, I can hear the singing from my billet. I visited the sergeants’ mess, everyone was so drunk or thereabouts. Had to get on the stage and sing a song, but I kept off the booze – all they sell is gin and I just can't take that stuff.

Because the situation in Malta had improved, George was sent into Africa for several months before returning…

Saturday, March 25, 1944

Old Malta looks as though it has been having a good old spring clean. The shops have more odds and ends for sale and some of them are open too! Got to my ward in time to admit 86 patients. All surgical, all Yugoslavian Patriots. Some girls were admitted to the next ward, bayonet, gun and mortar wounds. I've got one boy lost three fingers and an eye wound. He is aged 13 years.

In April, George began his voyage home, and his last proper entry in his diary is:

Saturday, June 10, 1944

Arrived Catterick. Visited Muriel at Darlington.

For the rest of the war, George was in charge of Oaklands EM3 Hospital in Bishop Auckland for German prisoners of war. He was demobbed in 1946 and began work at the Memorial Hospital where he remained until retiring in 1976 as assistant matron at Hundens.

George and Muriel on holiday in Malta in 1972 on the day Muriel died

In 1972, he took Muriel to Malta for a holiday. Sadly, after just three days, she suffered a heart attack and died, aged 56. George buried her in Valletta.

• George’s Dedication to Duty: Diaries of a RAMC nurse during the siege of Malta costs £9.99. Email joanrussel@btinternet.com for more details. Proceeds will go to charity. George’s original diary has been donated to a museum in Valletta.

George's war medals