Part II: Logistics
Once in Malta, the stocks would be sold directly to the respective pool. Each pool would have its own administrative body responsible for distributing the stocks among its members (acting as agents) and oversee the adequate commission: a profit percentage stipulated and paid to the members of the pool by the Government of Malta. The specific agreement was that Pools were allowed a 3% commission on the total cost (including import duty) as fixed for the year 1938 to retain and immobilise every business’ turnover as much as possible. They would receive their commission on receipt of the pools’ audit since it was based on the total sales of each pool. Therefore, both COSUP and the Pools could control the import fees and the local distributors’ commissions, taking hold of the price of essential commodities. A separate organisation to the F.C.C.O. controlled and monitored prices and was known as the Price Control Board or P.C.B.
Flour, wheat, coal, oils, timber, cement and steel were the first imports to fall under COSUP’s remit. Wheat, being essential in the production of bread, soon became the sole responsibility of COSUP. The price of such a staple food item dictated public morale and people’s quality of life that no profits could be allowed to any distributor to keep costs as low as possible. Flour mills were initially permitted to act as distributors early on in the war but eventually their only income came from milling flour which always remained COSUP property. The Malta Millers Emergency Association would manage wheat and flour in late 1942.
One must keep in mind the detrimental effect of a rise in the cost of bread following the First World War. An unmanageable increase in people’s cost of living would only lead to riot and rebellion in an already war-torn island. Infact, the final price of goods was below the original purchase and import cost. More so, COSUP had its own fund (subsidised from the U.K. and from a varying subsidised overhead on local commodities where possible) which was used to purchase local crops and slaughter livestock among other projects. Subsidies were critical in light of the tremendous increases in the costs of vital commodities such as kerosene and bread. By 1945 the estimated total cost of subsidies for civilian imports would reach £6,250,000, equivalent to £338,057,317 pounds in today’s money, all of which and more contributed by the UK.
This was the story on paper. In practice, it is not a seamless affair to form and manage these pools. Some local importers protested that without the ability to choose the product they were importing, they would lose the clientele which sought them for certain specific or renowned brands. In other instances, some reports suggest that pools illegally sold commodities to third parties rather than distributors within the pool itself, not to mention the overarching problem of the thriving black market. As can be expected, the commission rates distributors were allowed were also frequently protested, owing to increases in costs such as wages and equipment repairs. Contrary to Government instructions, some distributors added their usual commission fee as agents to the final price, while others received their usual agents’ commission from the U.K. as they did before the war rather than relying solely on the Maltese Government’s subsidy. Some were even asked to refund excess profits gained from such means.
Just as important as the distribution of goods in Malta and their prices, ample attention was also given as to how convoys were loaded in order to facilitate their efficient unloading in Malta. Another pressing task was to increase their survivability through distribution of flammable or explosive material across ships in a convoy, leaving vital supplies separate from such cargo. Instructions and possibly representatives were sent to the UK on the matter. The utmost organisation required for such a monumental endeavour also necessitated the Malta Shipping Committee in Alexandria. This office, with representatives from all three services had Col J.B. Barron as its secretary. He would be in direct contact with Malta to manage the loading of supplies on convoys according to the island’s requirements at the time, retaining this role even in an honorary capacity. In June 1942 another office was opened in Cairo with W. Padley as official representative.
Back in Malta, COSUP itself had several sub-divisions to manage its finance, auditing, stores, surveys and even an engineering branch for the repair and maintenance of its stores which amounted to 750 at one point. These stores were taken over from the services, government, or requisitioned from private firms, and were sometimes allocated paid civilian guards. Some stores were constructed. In 1941, one can note the 173 tunnelling coy. busy commencing work on all sorts of underground stores such as for the RASC and RAOC. In 1942, COSUP was still scouting new stores in wharfs around the Grand Harbour into which stores could quickly be unloaded from berthed ships, barges, and lighters.
COSUP Staff 1940-1945
Officer for the Co-ordination of Supplies and Accountant Officer | R.G.A. Jackson (1941) W. Padley OB.E 91942), later D. I. Scanlan |
Malta representative Middle East (Egypt), Malta Shipping Commitee | Col. J. B Barron, W. E. Padley O.B.E. , Major W. G. Mitchell (1944-1945). |
Superintendent COSUP Stocks and Stores | H. K. Jones |
Assistant COSUP Accountant Officer | A. M Craig |
COSUP Auditor & Local Auditors (Turquand, Young, Mcauliffe & Co.) Co-ordinator | C.W. Hodges, later R. L. Paton |
The goods were transported from ships onto lighters and barges by stevedores, lighterman, and other labourers with the D.S.T.O. (Divisional Sea Transport Office/Officer) in cooperation with the Dock Directorate. Imported commodities were then unloaded and stored by each pool’s workmen in their respective warehouses. Given the dangerous conditions in which unloading often took place, some goods were gravely damaged during handling, causing small but unacceptable losses of essential commodities. Worrying reports concerning logistical issues with the distribution of goods to the population also influenced the Government to take decisive action. These were some of the instigations for the Government to instruct COSUP to take over the storage of stocks itself, placing them in safe underground storage when possible. It would also make use of dispersed storage facilities or ‘dumps’ away from the harbour to keep vital supplies away from such bomb-targeted areas in which some stores were already lost. This major reorganisation was executed in a very short time under the direction of C. W. Hodges.
