Maltese victims of wartime landmines meant to deter invasion

With the threat of an invasion in the second world war, the British decided to close the coastline with barbed wire entanglements. They also buried large amounts of landmines in the sandy beaches and attached booby traps to the wire itself.
Periodically, they issued warnings to the public to keep away from these dangerous areas. For example, in January 1941, a press notice warned all civilians that “explosives have been buried near the surface in certain places in Malta. These are very dangerous to approach and all persons are most earnestly advised to keep away from notice boards whatever the inscription on them may be and also to keep away from all barbed wire entanglements wherever they are situated. Parents in particular should warn children not to approach the areas mentioned above.”

However, the wire entanglements were a problem for those who wanted to swim in summer. The soldiers defending the coastline frequently found that the wire had been cut by bathers or fishermen.
Therefore, in order to stop this abuse, another press release was issued to inform the public “that gaps have been opened in the barbed wire entanglements along the shores of the Island at the following...