South Yorkshire Times, February 6th, 1943

Broadcasting in Malta                               

Musical Mexborough Sapper

Broadcasting through the blitzes at Malta, and contributing in no small measure to the morale of the islanders, awarded George Cross for their courage in the heaviest air attacks in history, is the Mexborough soldier, whose mother now lives at South Kirkby.

Sapper James F Kisby (33), youngest son of Mrs Kisby, of Grove Ave S., Kirkby, formerly of Chaucer Road, Mexborough, an accomplished xylophone and clarinet player, has been broadcasting over Malta’s own system for two years and has been presenting ½ hours variety program known as “Music for the Multitude,”every fortnight since September.

Besides comparing the show he has been one of its star artists, chiefly with his xylophone and his name is as familiar to the Maltese and British soldiers there as that of any of the famous bandleaders is to home listeners.

The programme consist of music and comedy, and are among the most popular on the Malta wireless. The “Times of Malta” paid him a high tribute in a recent. “Broadcasts presented by James Kisby, the popular xylophonist, clarionetist and composer,” it states, ” have become a regular feature. Kisby who is known as the Teddy Brown of Malta by reason of his technique, demonstrated his ambidexterity by playing ‘ Nobody’s Sweetheart. in a delightfully rhythmical style. I cannot make out how he manipulates the four hammers—two in each hand—in the playing of chords on the xylophone. Perhaps it is a secret known only to xylophone virtuosos.”

Sapper Kisby is also a guest artist with a broadcasting party known as the Ruffians, and he writes,

” We have done about two shows a week since August, so with these and the others I have not a spare moment. I am using the same xylophone which I used at home with a military band, and although it has been blitzed, well, it still plays.

Broadcasting here has many more difficulties than in England for various reasons including the uncertainty of rehearsals and technical hitches. Anyhow, we get plenty of co-operation from the staffs here. ”

Sapper Kisby joined the Army when he was 24 and has been at Malta for seven years. He has been home only once since, a prospective second visit being cancelled by the outbreak.

He came from Spalding to Mexborough when he was 16, and before joining up was a pattern maker at Queen’s foundry, Swinton.

Passionately fond of music, he began lessons on the piano when he was five, and later learnt to play the xylophone, carne net and drums. For the time he was drummer and xylophonist in Mexborough dance band. He has composed several pieces.

He says that he would like to hear this from some of his friends in the Mexborough district. His address can be obtained from the editor.