▁party ▁took ▁off ▁from ▁the ▁aircraft ▁car rier ▁HMS ▁E agle ; ▁they ▁were ▁to ▁spend ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁months ▁in ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁the ▁island . ▁As ▁the ▁A xis ▁forces ▁comm enced ▁a ▁major ▁aer ial ▁assault ▁on ▁Mal ta ▁later ▁that ▁month , ▁the ▁Al lied ▁f ighter ▁pil ots ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁" cont end ▁with ▁fat igue ▁and ▁in ade qu ate ▁r ations ▁while ▁batt ling ▁the ▁enemy ' s ▁superior ▁forces ". ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁March , ▁B ren nan ▁claimed ▁his ▁first ▁aer ial ▁victory ▁when ▁he ▁shot ▁down ▁a ▁Mess ersch mitt ▁ 1 0 9 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁B ren nan ▁added ▁a ▁further ▁two ▁aircraft ▁to ▁his ▁t ally ▁when ▁he ▁destroyed ▁a ▁Mess ersch mitt ▁ 1 0 9 , ▁before ▁bringing ▁down ▁a ▁J unk ers ▁ 8 8 ▁later ▁that ▁day . ▁Pra ised ▁as ▁" a ▁most ▁determined ▁and ▁courage ous ▁pilot ", ▁B ren nan ▁was ▁subsequently ▁recommended ▁for ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Medal . ▁The ▁announ cement ▁and ▁accomp any ing ▁c itation ▁for ▁the ▁award ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁a ▁supp lement ▁to ▁the ▁London ▁Gazette ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁reading : ▁ ▁B ren nan ▁scored ▁further ▁aer ial ▁vict ories ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁May . ▁The ▁following ▁day , ▁German ▁Luft wa ffe ▁General ▁Albert ▁K essel ring ▁ordered ▁a