Malta and the French naval postal services in World War one

Abstract

At the outbreak of World War One, Sir Winston Churchill, First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, invited the French navy "to use Malta as if it were Toulon". This was to be the beginning of a long era of close and turbulent collaboration between the French and British navies in the Mediterranean, in which Malta's harbours played the part of an invaluable fulcrum. In fact, France requested that its Commander-in-Chief should have overall authority over both fleets, and the British Admiralty complied. That distinction went to Admiral Boue de Lapeyrere; Rear Admiral Troubridge first headed the British fleet under the French officer. [excerpt]