However, his approach to flying was at odds with what the officers in authority wanted from him. Once training was over, he was posted into East Anglia, where he would fly sorties over England and into German-occupied France. His time here was not the happiest, and he eventually volunteered to be posted to 249 squadron in Malta.

Once Beurling had reached Malta, his skill began to shine. His record whilst on the island (27 confirmed kills with several more damaged aircraft to his name) speaks for itself, and he was by far the most successful RAF pilot there. He became known as "Screwball", a curse he would regularly use. By the end of July 1942 he was promoted to Flying Officer and received the Distinguished Flying Medal. During September he claimed three kills in one day, an achievement he repeated in October, both of which earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Beurling's last flight over Malta saw him as the lead pilot of a flight of eight Spitfires, sent up to intercept 60 German aircraft. He claimed two victories but was wounded and his Spitfire was severely damaged. He bailed out and was hospitalised, an experience which he found deeply frustrating. Posted back to England, he was almost killed on the transit flight as the aircraft overran the runway at Gibraltar and sank, killing most onboard.

Not a lot more is written about the war. He was honourably discharged in October 1944, and these were obviously unhappy times for him. Sadly, in a mirror of Beurling's life, the book comes to an abrupt end. Beurling was killed whilst flying as an instructor on the P-51 Mustang aircraft with the Israeli Air Force in 1948.

More than just a book, Malta Spitfire is a historical document. With fewer and fewer of the RAF's Spitfire pilots alive each year, books like this remind everyone of the price that was paid by so many in World War II. Beurling was one of the most successful pilots to fly in the skies over Malta, and without him and his comrades, the outcome of the war could have been very different. This book is an insight in to how the RAF held on so far from home, and the part that the islanders themselves played in this campaign.

Sometimes shocking, sometimes humourous, Malta Spitfire is a real page-turner. For anyone who wants to read about the RAF in World War II, Roberts and Beurling give a fantastic view into what life was like, the hardship, the camaraderie, and the heartbreak. A fantastically well written book, and one without which my book collection would not be complete.