Gibraltar in World War II

27th Mar 2021

All through my childhood, I listened to my mother recounting great wartime stories; both my parents had experienced, first hand, the difficulties and terror during World War II.
Gibraltar's position during the war was quite unique. The Rock had long been established as an important asset in British Military Strategy – as a grip on the European continent, and as a stronghold of British sea power.

Gibraltar boasted a commanding position and was a truly important gateway into the Mediterranean; it played a crucial role in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean Theatre, controlling practically all naval traffic through the Straits of Gibraltar.
Mother would occasionally remind us that it would have been a disaster if Hitler had ever managed to gain control of Gibraltar, as he would have blocked all Allied naval traffic through the Straits.

Force H, under the authority of Vice-Admiral James Somerville, was based in Gibraltar. Its function was to safeguard naval superiority, and to present a secure escort for convoys to and from the beleaguered island of Malta.
Throughout the duration of the war, Gibraltar came under attack from Vichy French and Italian Air Force aircraft.

Moreover, underwater attempts were also carried out, on several occasions, by the Italian Regia Marina commando frogman unit, which was equipped with human torpedoes. This division was headquartered on the Italian vessel SS Olterra in the harbour of Algeciras across the bay.

During the early bombardments of the Rock, my mother, who was in her late teens, was living with her parents near Algeciras.


She used to describe the anguish and desolation she felt as she stood on a dark beach near her home, watching Gibraltar being bombarded; her heart would break and she would weep…

A few years later, she would find love amidst all the turmoil of the war in Gibraltar itself. Her parents had moved to La Linea, border town with the Rock, and, after much insistence, she managed to convince my grandfather to allow her to work in Gibraltar.

My father was already eighteen when the war broke out; and when his mother and brothers were evacuated to Jamaica, he was forced to remain in Gibraltar with his father, especially as he had recently joined the Police force.

It was very hard for him. He missed his family and felt lonely and insecure in these times of instability. Meeting my mother changed his life; romance blossomed in the middle of this global conflict.

My mum obtained a job as seamstress in the well-known tailors called Gibbs in Main Street. They were very haute-couture and catered to affluent folk and even film stars. She recalled the many moments at work when they all had to drop everything and make a run for the nearest air-raid shelter when the sirens sounded.

Gibraltar is only three miles long, so it must be astonishing to learn that there are no less than thirty miles of tunnels that were excavated and blasted in the limestone rock before and during the war. They served an important purpose – barracks, offices and a fully-equipped hospital which included an operating theatre and X-ray equipment.

During the course of the early part of the war, Gibraltar came under attack several times, thanks to the Italian Air Force and Vichy French government. The assaults were accomplished by air, but, although Gibraltar suffered some damage, fortunately most of the bombs fell into the sea.

However, the Rock was still under scrutiny, and trouble was far from over. Germany concocted a plan to seize Gibraltar; codenamed “Felix”, it was approved and authorised by the Fuhrer himself.
The idea was to use Spain as an entryway, force the British out of the Western Mediterranean and block the Straits to all Allied vessels. In order to avoid Spain capturing Gibraltar for themselves, the final offensive would be perpetrated by the Germans alone.

The operation had been thought out very carefully in the Summer and Autumn of 1940; planned in great detail, the Third Reich intended to make full use of all her equipment – the Infantry Regiment, heavy artillery battalions, 150 Brandenburgers and controlled demolition vehicles packed with high explosives.

The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) would also take part. Last but not least, U-boats would be deployed to interfere with British naval manoeuvres. It seemed as if Germany was staking all her money on this horse.

Fate was on our side, though. Hitler attended a private meeting with General Franco from Spain, held at Hendaye, France.
No one knows exactly what transpired in that secret rendezvous but, whatever it was Franco said to Hitler, it caused the mission to be postponed, altered and finally abandoned. Mother used to mention this tale with relish, and I was always intrigued by the mystery of it all. Many decades later, my son, duly impressed by his grandmother’s account of this covert meeting, in turn astounded his History teacher with this amazing story.

In November 1942, a special mission was coordinated. It was given the codename “Operation Torch” and General D. Eisenhower, in command of the operation, set up headquarters in Gibraltar. Its purpose was the invasion of French North Africa, a three-pronged assault on Casablanca, Oran and Algiers with a swift manoeuvre on Tunis.

So, after careful and unobserved passage from the United States and the United Kingdom, a massive Anglo-American fleet convened off the coast of North Africa. The attack started the following morning.

The Western Task Force were faced with impromptu resistance and foul weather; nevertheless, Casablanca was seized after a brief assault and Oran yielded after bombardment by British ships.
Operation Torch was an agreement that fulfilled the British objective of acquiring victory in North Africa, and offered the USA the chance of collaborating in the battle against Germany.

In 1940, the British Government decided that Gibraltarians would have to be evacuated in order to safeguard the people of Gibraltar and to reinforce the presence of military troops on the Rock. Only men over 18 and those people with essential jobs were allowed to remain. Families were torn apart, some not returning to Gibraltar until 1951.

People were sent to London, Ireland, Madeira and Jamaica. Unfortunately, those relocated to London were subjected to The Blitz - intense bombing executed by the German Luftwaffe. My grandmother and uncles were sent to Jamaica where they encountered much poverty, and living conditions very different to their own.

The Atlantic Ocean stretched for thousands of miles between them and Gibraltar, and the feeling of not knowing if and when you would see your family and home again was overwhelming.

Many were the hardships endured by all evacuees, wherever they were moved to. On their return from Jamaica, my grandmother and her family had an extra member with them. A little girl. My cousin Julie was born in Jamaica in June 1943, and during the long voyage back home she became very sick.

There was, naturally, no hospital en route, and the ship was forced to go at a snail’s pace due to all the land mines left behind courtesy of the German navy. How terrifying that must have been - thinking that the ship could blow up at any moment! And so, my cousin was eventually so ill and contagious (she had meningitis) that the Captain was obliged to prepare to throw her overboard!
Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. Little Julie recovered and made it safely back home with the rest of the family.

Thus, Gibraltar has always been of strategic and military significance, for nigh on over three centuries. This little piece of rock has withstood sieges, bombings and invasions, yet still stands strong.

“This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this Gibraltar!”