We arrived in Malta on 17th April 2007. I knew my grandfather had manned the AA guns around Sliema and Valletta defending the Grand harbour. 62 years after the second world war ended you dont expect to find anything left, but i was suprised at what still stood. After months of researching i was ready to locate any places i could where my grandfather had been. i must thank all the people who i asked for help and directions. The Maltese people are a friendly and helpful bunch.
My Grandfather had been stationed at Fort Tigne, and would have spent time at Floriana Barracks near to the entrance of Valletta. Fort Tigne is no longer standing so i was looking to locate the barracks at Floriana. I met a maltese gentleman in my hotel who now lives in England. He had served in the Malta forces during WW2, and he told me that many British Royal Artillery soldiers would be sent to Floriana. funny enough he was on the same bus as me to Valletta and showed me where Floriana Barracks was. I can never thank him enough for the kindness he showed me and the comments he made about my grandfather helping the Maltese people.
And so i was at Floriana Barracks. It is now a government building so i was unsure about taking photgraphs, i managed to take a couple and one of the football pitch at the front which was once the parade ground.
Floriana Barracks
Floriana Barracks
The football pitch is the old parade ground at Floriana Barracks.
The Grand harbour is an awsome sight and as you sit looking at it your mind wonders why such a beautiful place suffered so much during ww2. the best way to see it is to take a Dghajsa (water taxi). we saw how large the fortifications where and found the Bighi hospital at Kalkara point where my granfather had been a patient between 13th September and 27th October 1943.
Bighi Hospital.
Fort St Angelo
Fort St Angelo
Fort St Angelo
Upper Barakka Gardens And Lascaris Bastion-Operations HQ
Upper Barakka Gardens
View From Upper Barakka Gardens Over The Grand Harbour.
Entrance To Grand Harbour
Siege Bell And Lower Barakka Gardens.
The Siege Bell In Honour Of Malta`s War Dead.
Fortifications
Fortifications And Gardjola Tower At Senglea
Fort St Elmo
Gun Position Near To Upper Barakka Gardens.
Gun Position Near To Grand Harbour Entrance.
The war museum in Valletta is well worth a visit, you can see the George Cross that was awarded to Malta and Gozo in 1942. General Eisenhower`s jeep and the Gloster Gladiator aeroplane ‘Faith’. Also on show are many photographs showing Malta`s plight during the war.
General Eisenhower`s Jeep
Gloster Gladiator Aeroplane Faith.
The George Cross.
Sign On The Parliment Buildings In Valletta.
Vittoriosa is one of the three cities and here you will find The Malta At War Museum. You can view and buy the Malta G.C film, an original wartime documentry. You can also go down into the wartime shelters, it is an incredible maze of tunnels burrowed some 40 feet into the rock. It makes one feel humble to see the tunnels and to realise just what the people where up against during the constant bombing. It also shows the Maltese determination to survive the siege.
Room In Shelter Birth Room
Dormatories Air Warden Office
The Freedom Monument
The Freedom Monument stands next to the quay where the last British troops left Malta in March 1979 aboard H.M.S London. Thus ending a 180 year British military presence on the island. The figures represent the Maltese bidding farewell to a British sailor.
In Mosta is The Rotunda of St Marija Assunta church. The church has become legendary due to the events of 9th April 1942, when an Axis bomb burst through the domed roof and crashed to the floor. over 300 people where gathered in the church for mass and it was considered a miracle that the bomb failed to explode. You can see the patch in the dome where the bomb entered and a replica of the explosive is on show. While there one of the ladies who cleans the church told us the story of the bomb, how it crashed through the roof and shot sideways hitting the painting of Jesus with his arms outstreached before safely coming to rest on the floor. Wether true or not she was a great story teller and thrilled us to bits. They should employ her as a guide. Apart from the bomb the church is well worth a visit as it is a place of real beauty.
Rotunda of St Marija Assunta
Count 5 Squares Up From The Middle Window To See Where The Bomb Penetrated.
Replica Bomb
The saddest place I visited I stummbled across by accident. I saw the barracks at Pembroke and made my way up towards them, here I found the Pembroke Military Cemetery. The cemetery is very well maintained and is a fitting tribute to all the fallen that rest there. It was nice to see that it also contains graves of the local people as well as servicemen. Walking around a war cemetery really brings home the horror of conflict, so many brave people, so many young men. Because of them I have never had to live through events like they did. I thank them all
Pembroke Cemetery Sign
Entrance To Pembroke Cemetery
British War Graves
Cap Ribbon From H.M.S Wildfire.
Barracks At Pembroke
Barracks At Pembroke
I also took a few photographs of a few graves. I would have taken more but my storage ran out. I have pictures of the following names.
J.H. Abbott Royal Artillery Gunner B.E. Crossland Royal Artillery Gunner F.Anthony Royal Artillery Gunner
F.J Shapley Royal Artillery Sgt J.T Skinner Royal Artillery Bombardier F.G. Morris Royal Artillery
A.Hall Royal Artillery Gunner D. Baldwin Royal Irish Fusiliers Corporal E.Dean Royal Artillery Gunner
R. Hewitson Royal Engineers Lance Corporal A.J.J Carter Devonshire Regt Corporal
F.H. Coupe Royal Artillery Gunner H.W.J. Kite Devonshire Regt Private W.Millington Royal Artillery Gunner
J.F Scott Devonshire Regt Private. E.P. Taylor Royal Artillery Gunner J.H.Slade Devonshire Regt Private
R.J.P. Frost Devonshire Regt Private E. Boyle Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Lance Corporal ( WW1 Grave )
If anyone reading this is related to any of these men then please email me and i will pass on a photograph of their grave.
A Gun Position At The Tiny Harbour Of Weid Iz-Zurrieq, Close To The Blue Grotto.
The Island Of Filfla, Used By The British For Artillery Practice.
War Memorial To The Dead Of Gozo
Gozo Memorial
I could have filled this page 50 times over with photographs as there is so much military history to see in Malta. I hope i have selected correct and that you enjoy reading and seeing the pictures here. I will visit Malta and Gozo again in the future, The place has something special about it. No matter what was thrown at them during WW2 they came through it all and im proud that my grandfather was a part of the defence. When you see the beauty of the country and the friendliness of the people it is hard to imagine that the second world war ever came to their door. they are a credit to themselves.I look forward to my return.
When my grandfather was stationed in Malta he sent home a crucifix to his mother in Liverpool. It was passed onto my father who kept it sitting on his fathers medal case. Sadly my father passed away in 2006 and the crucifix and medals came to me. The crucifix has been in Liverpool over 63 years, but it came back to Malta with me to where my grandfather once defended the Island at Valletta . I wish i could show all this to my father, but i guess his dad has took him round Malta by now.
The Crucifix My Grandfather Sent Home. Its Now Back In Liverpool, Sitting On The Medals Case.
Anthony Hogan May 2007.
This page is dedicated to Sue and Michael, for all the patience and help they have shown me during my research, and for their constant support and understanding for what this all means to me. without them both none of this would of been possible. This is my history, they are my life.