LOCAL WAR VETERAN 91 RETURNS TO MALTA
Local war veteran, 91, returns to Malta
BY JOHN MCCUSKER
j.mccusker@ulsterherald.com
AN Omagh war veteran is planning to take part in ceremonies to mark the 70th anniversary of World War II in Malta this morning (Thursday) - despite suffering a massive heart attack on the Mediterranean island just a fortnight ago.
Ninety-one year old Paddy McCrystal, a former prisoner of war, travelled to Malta three weeks ago to take part in a WWII documentary. But filming of the programme had to be cut short after he suddenly fell ill.
Despite being hospitalised for two weeks, however, the decorated war veteran now hopes to join other ex-servicemen on Remembrance Day to mark the 70th anniversary of Malta's entry into the Second World War.
It is anticipated that Paddy will eventually fly home to rejoin his family in Omagh tomorrow (Friday).
Paddy McCrystal travelled to Malta on October 19 along with his nephew and cameraman Owen McCrystal and Owen's son Eugene who is compiling a documentary on his grand-uncle. Also in the party were Paddy's eldest daughter, Rosemary and her husband Peter, together with Omagh woman Mary McCartan who has remained with Paddy since he took ill.
Paddy - who lost his daughter Geraldine in the Omagh bombing of 1998 - plans to launch a book early in the New Year entitled 'The Price of Freedom,' detailing his exploits during the war years.
Last month's trip was the war veteran's first visit back to Malta in 68 years and during the early part of his stay Paddy revisited the capital Valetta and also commemoration sites on the island associated with WWII.
Just a week into the holiday, however, he suffered a massive heart attack and was rushed from his hotel to the Mater Dei hospital where he remained for two weeks.
Speaking from Malta this week, Mary McCartan praised the "excellent care and service" shown to her relative while in hospital on the island. "We were all just so glad we were close to an excellent hospital here," she said, "It shows the value of having a local hospital with all the services otherwise we don't know if he would have survived."
Paddy, who is originally from Beragh, joined the Inniskillings in 1937 before moving on to the Royal Irish Fusiliers regiment. The following year he first visited Malta before going on to Palestine.
Two months before the outbreak of WWII, he returned to Malta where he saw some of the fiercest battles of the war with round-the-clock bombardments by German planes. During his two-and-a-half years on Malta - an island smaller than Tyrone - a total of 7,000 people were killed and 30,000 buildings destroyed.
Leaving Malta in 1943 with a severe head injury, Paddy moved on to the Greek island of Leros where he was captured by German troops. He spent 18 months in dreadful conditions in a prisoner of war camp in Dresden which was under constant bombardment by British, American and Russian forces. Sharing his plight was fellow Omagh prisoner of war, Walter Pancott.
During the bombing of Dresden in February 1945, Paddy was forced to dig mass graves to bury some of the 100,000 killed in the raids and he later spent time in solitary confinement after being caught trying to escape. He was eventually freed by the Russians and made his way to American lines.
Paddy was later decorated with the George Cross as well as the Star of Palestine, Star of North Africa, Star of Italy, the Greek medal, the PoW medal and defence medal.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of Malta's entry into the Second World War and a host of events were organised on the island. Today, at 11am on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, Paddy will join other war veterans at the cenotaph in Malta where a short ceremony and parade will take place. On Friday, it is hoped that the war veteran and Mrs McCartan will fly home from Malta via Dublin to be reunited with his family in Omagh.
BY JOHN MCCUSKER
j.mccusker@ulsterherald.com
AN Omagh war veteran is planning to take part in ceremonies to mark the 70th anniversary of World War II in Malta this morning (Thursday) - despite suffering a massive heart attack on the Mediterranean island just a fortnight ago.
Ninety-one year old Paddy McCrystal, a former prisoner of war, travelled to Malta three weeks ago to take part in a WWII documentary. But filming of the programme had to be cut short after he suddenly fell ill.
Despite being hospitalised for two weeks, however, the decorated war veteran now hopes to join other ex-servicemen on Remembrance Day to mark the 70th anniversary of Malta's entry into the Second World War.
It is anticipated that Paddy will eventually fly home to rejoin his family in Omagh tomorrow (Friday).
Paddy McCrystal travelled to Malta on October 19 along with his nephew and cameraman Owen McCrystal and Owen's son Eugene who is compiling a documentary on his grand-uncle. Also in the party were Paddy's eldest daughter, Rosemary and her husband Peter, together with Omagh woman Mary McCartan who has remained with Paddy since he took ill.
Paddy - who lost his daughter Geraldine in the Omagh bombing of 1998 - plans to launch a book early in the New Year entitled 'The Price of Freedom,' detailing his exploits during the war years.
Last month's trip was the war veteran's first visit back to Malta in 68 years and during the early part of his stay Paddy revisited the capital Valetta and also commemoration sites on the island associated with WWII.
Just a week into the holiday, however, he suffered a massive heart attack and was rushed from his hotel to the Mater Dei hospital where he remained for two weeks.
Speaking from Malta this week, Mary McCartan praised the "excellent care and service" shown to her relative while in hospital on the island. "We were all just so glad we were close to an excellent hospital here," she said, "It shows the value of having a local hospital with all the services otherwise we don't know if he would have survived."
Paddy, who is originally from Beragh, joined the Inniskillings in 1937 before moving on to the Royal Irish Fusiliers regiment. The following year he first visited Malta before going on to Palestine.
Two months before the outbreak of WWII, he returned to Malta where he saw some of the fiercest battles of the war with round-the-clock bombardments by German planes. During his two-and-a-half years on Malta - an island smaller than Tyrone - a total of 7,000 people were killed and 30,000 buildings destroyed.
Leaving Malta in 1943 with a severe head injury, Paddy moved on to the Greek island of Leros where he was captured by German troops. He spent 18 months in dreadful conditions in a prisoner of war camp in Dresden which was under constant bombardment by British, American and Russian forces. Sharing his plight was fellow Omagh prisoner of war, Walter Pancott.
During the bombing of Dresden in February 1945, Paddy was forced to dig mass graves to bury some of the 100,000 killed in the raids and he later spent time in solitary confinement after being caught trying to escape. He was eventually freed by the Russians and made his way to American lines.
Paddy was later decorated with the George Cross as well as the Star of Palestine, Star of North Africa, Star of Italy, the Greek medal, the PoW medal and defence medal.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of Malta's entry into the Second World War and a host of events were organised on the island. Today, at 11am on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day, Paddy will join other war veterans at the cenotaph in Malta where a short ceremony and parade will take place. On Friday, it is hoped that the war veteran and Mrs McCartan will fly home from Malta via Dublin to be reunited with his family in Omagh.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/2019
Published Date: 11-Nov-11
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