South Yorkshire Times, November 13th 1943
Kept Malta Entertained
Versatile Mexborough Sapper
The “Teddy Brown of Malta,” the name given by the people of the George Cross Island to a former Mexborough soldier who entertained them with his xylophone over the radio for three years, is back in England.
After spending eight years at Malta, Sapper James F. Kisby (34), youngest son of Mrs. Kisby, of Grove Avenue, South Kirkby, formerly of Chaucer Road, Mexborough, is at home on leave.
Many press cuttings bear testimony to the popularity of Sapper Kisby’s broadcasts, and a letter from Lieut.-Colonel E. L. Ellis, manager of the Malta Broadcasting Relay Service, pays tribute to his contributions. ‘The letter certifies that he has produced a fortnightly series of variety programmes for broadcasting to the people of Malta during the difficult years of 1940- 43, and adds: “The programmes were always well presented and had a wide circle of listeners. He is to be commended on producing these shows during the period of heavy blitzing in Malta.”
Sapper Kisby joined the Army when he was 24 and has been to England only once, in 1937, since going to Malta eight years ago. He began lessons on the piano when he was five, and later learnt to play the xylophone, clarinet, and drums. His musical ability was turned to good account in the famous island. Besides producing his programmes – he was a guest artist with a concert party known as the “‘Raffians,” who entertained the soldiers throughout the island and broadcast regularly.
He told a reporter that his xylophone had been badly blitzed. It was in a N.A.A.F.I. when it was bombed, and was buried under debris. As it was the only one on the island, he had to dig it out and repair it. “‘To-day it still works well, although its honourable battle-scars and the constant playing have weakened it. Mine -was the first xylophone ever to be seen in Malta, and the Maltese became very fond of it after hearing the broadcasts. One of our most adventurous broadcasts was when there was a bad blitz going on overhead and bombs were falling all round, but since the studio was nearly soundproof, I went on playing long after my allotted time to keep the people in the shelters cheerful.”
Sapper Kisby said that so many people asked for more xylophone programmes that he had to start composing his own pieces, or otherwise he would have run out of music.
Before joining up Sapper Kisby was a pattern-maker at Queen’s Foundry, Swinton.