Malta 2013 – The Garrison On Tour
THURSDAY
What time do you call this? Denis was supposed to arrive at 11.30 but here he was at 10.45! Still at
least we were early to Mike Peacock’s and had time for a cup of tea and some toast, toasted prawn
sandwich any one?
The taxi driver cut things fine but we still met at the airport with time to spare, and we all made it
through the baggage check with no problems, well apart from Ron, that is who apparently makes a
habit of being searched at airports. We travelled cattle-class with Ry@n Air and had an uneventful
flight over to Malta as we couldn’t afford to get drunk on beer at 5 euro a can. We landed safely
though slightly heavily but in one piece and eventually met Steve, our Taxi driver for the week; but it
was more by luck than judgment as he was looking out for a group wearing Garrison polo shirts and
not all of us were, so he nearly missed us… still St Edwards College was not too far away and soon
we were deposited at our accommodation.
The College was a hospital during the First World War and treated a lot of soldiers wounded during
the Gallipoli campaign. There were a lot of names and some well carved cap badges carved in the
stone pillars on the balcony.
St Edwards College taken during the First World War.
We were shown to our respective rooms which were very spacious and clean. Cold showers were
available down the corridor and there were one or two scary moments until the ladies discovered
more amenable ablutions elsewhere.
FRIDAY
It wasn’t until the morning that we discovered how many mossies we were sharing our room with! I
was bitten every night and Captain Peacock tried to reason with us that the solution was to keep the
windows closed at night and when the lights were on, but as we live in a democracy and the rest of
us knew better we didn’t, until the last night, by which time it was too late, although the mossies did
suffer being attacked with Deet or being plain squashed, which was a messy game, especially after
the mosquito’s had been fed…. After breakfast some of us kitted up for a hot Mediterranean day and
we walked down to Fort Rinella. This was in the process of being restored to its original Victorian
condition and one day they hope to have the 100 ton gun in full working order. We were given an
interesting display of musketry, demonstrating weaponry from the matchlock to the 577/450
Martini Henry, after which we were invited to fire the Martini Henry for a small fee.
We were then given a behind the scenes tour where we were shown the forts very nice 18pr. The
Fort is a fascinating place and I look forward to seeing it fully restored one day, if I live long enough…
They have a large collection of canons outside, some of which are still used for displays. They also
have a couple of WD boundary marker stones and a 3.7” AA gun awaiting restoration (Barry?)
The 100 ton Gun
At around 13:30 Steven took us to Valetta where we visited the Lascaris War Rooms. This is located
about 140’ under the saluting battery and consists of a network of underground tunnels and
chambers where all offensive and defensive operations on the island were controlled during the
Second World War. The whole complex was ventilated using ducting salvaged from sunken shipping
in the harbour.
The Lascaris War Rooms
Went out for a couple of beers to Mike’s place where a jolly time was had by all
SATURDAY
No rehearsal needed for the rain on Sunday so we visited the Malta Aviation Museum at Ta,Qali
originally RAF Ta,Qali. Utilising some of the original buildings and hangars, it’s a fantastic museum
where they have a beautifully restored Hawker Hurricane that was recovered from the sea a few
years ago. There is also a very nicely restored Supermarine Spitfire and a Fairy Swordfish, awaiting
restoration, built in Sherburn in Elmet. In the main hangar there is a Douglas DC3, an airworthy de
Havilland Tiger Moth, a Fiat thingy, a BAC Lightning cockpit, a couple of Meteors and a Pou Du Ciel
(flying flea) There are also numerous other aircraft vehicles and artefacts relating to the wartime
and post war period.
Saturday night out at the Victorian Prison! Doesn’t sound too exciting, but the prison, built in 1866,
has been well preserved and from inside you would not believe that the external exercise yards had
been transformed into modern football pitches and tennis courts. After the tour we had a fantastic
meal with our Maltese hosts in the old Sergeants’ mess where we got to mingle with all the lovely
ladies (didn’t we Denis) and chat with fellow Maltese boxologists. We ate a superb meal and
consumed a drink or two before drinking a toast to the Queen and our hosts. Gifts were presented
as a token of our appreciation and we all disappeared into the night.
SUNDAY
It rained so heavily that Malta sunk.
MONDAY
Sicily Trip.
This was an early start, I think that Steve picked us up at about 04:30 and we jollied off down to the
ferry, which was in fact a huge twin hulled vessel designed to mow down Somali pirates! It was
another warm day and we boarded a large coach and headed off towards Catania where we were
due to visit the Commonwealth Cemetery. The Bus circumnavigated the cemetery a couple of times,
just to make sure it was the right one before stopping. The Cemetery is beautifully kept, as they all
are, and Keith, paperwork in hand, proceeded to track down troops from 124 Rgt RA. A brief history
was given about Major Paul Perbury MC, Capt. Peter Thomas Gidley Withycombe (Troop Comdr B
Troop), Gunners Roy McKee and Ronald Weidner and where they were killed. We all then looked
around the cemetery in which troops from various regiments are buried, many of which appeared to
be from the Durham Light Infantry. A few prayers were said to the fallen, and we bid farewell to
those who gave everything.
We then headed off to Catania where lunch was waiting!!! We did a bit of sightseeing and had a
beer whilst lunch was negotiated by the group elders. There was a cinema or art gallery opposite the
bar where we were bemused by one of the posters advertising an attack of some sort….. A great
feast was consumed by all and then it was back to the bus and on to Lentini
SICILY 1943
124th Fd Regt RA's time in Sicily is not well documented in the Regiment's war diary but there are
two comprehensive reports covering two small actions that the Regiment took part in during the
battle for Sicily. The first is from an anonymous report on the action of the Regiment at Lentini,
found in the Public Records Office. The second comprises excerpts from Capt D.L.C. Price's notes on
the operations he took part in with 288 Bty.
As part of the 50th Division the 124th were then moved to Egypt in May 1943 to prepare for the
Sicily landings. The Division commenced landing in SICILY from 0245 hrs onwards on 10 July 1943, all
personnel of 124 Field Regiment RA were, less rear parties, ashore by midday. The first day’s
positions were reconnoitred SOUTH and SOUTHWEST of AVOLA, to cover the beaches; also in the
area immediately NORTH of CASSIBILE. The former were not however occupied, but the latter were.
During the next few days the following positions were occupied:- (a) on the road CANICATTINI
BAGNI - SIRACUSA (b) SOUTH of FLORIDIA (c) on the road FLORIDIA - SORTINO (d) just EAST of
SORTINO (e) 3 miles NORTH of SORTINO (f) about 7 miles SOUTH of' LENTINI. Although in the early
stages little shooting took place, the actual movements were such that most people got very little
sleep between the night before landing and the night of 14/15 July.
On the afternoon of the 14th July 124th Field Regiment RA, in support of 69 Infantry Bde arrived in
LENTINI to a delirious welcome from what appeared to be the entire population of the town, and it
was felt that there was a sporting chance of at least some undisturbed sleep that night. Various
factors prevented this however. Firstly was due to an unfortunate episode during reconnaissance of
the regimental areas later that afternoon which resulted in the deaths of Major Paul Perbury MC
(B.C. 288), Capt. Peter Thomas Gidley Withycombe (Troop Comdr B Troop), Gunners Roy McKee and
Ronald Weidner (BC’s detachment). A number of Italians had been giving themselves up, and on this
particular occasion a party was discovered in the regimental area. Thinking little of it, the BC and B
troop Comdr approached the party to receive their surrender. Suddenly a German bolted from the
lorry in which the Italians had been travelling and almost immediately there was a very large
explosion, killing, Major Perbury, Capt Withycombe and the BC's driver and wounding several Italian
prisoners. The explosion also seriously wounded his operator who later died from his wounds. All
four were buried in the Catania war cemetery, Sicily.
As a result of this episode a fresh reconnaissance took place, and positions were chosen close into
CARLENTINI village on the road to AGNONE, where it was decided that interference by wandering
parties of enemy troops would be less probable. Whilst preparations were being made to occupy
these positions and while the 288 Battery was involved in the long column of 50th Division winding
through CARLENTINI, a lorry approached from the east along the AGNONE road towards the 489
Battery position. It was challenged by one of the Regiment's Bren Carrier OPs, which had been put
out for this very purpose, but it declined to halt. Fire was opened with a Bren and rifles, but it was
not until the lorry was well within the area, and even revolvers had been brought into play that it
was finally halted. It disgorged some 20 ancient, battered and grey bearded Italians from the coastal
battalion who were greeted by the CO with the remark "You silly old men! What are you doing
fighting in this war?" Incidentally on his way to the original recce of this area the CO had been some
what embarrassed by the appearance of three Germans and an Italian. The Germans were fully
armed and equipped, and more than a match for the CO and his Jeep driver whose total armament
at that moment was one rifle, one Tommy gun and one revolver. However, they fortunately decided
to accept the CO's hospitality for the duration and all was well. Later in the day a further recce down
the AGNONE road produced 15 more Italians of the MARINI battalion. Such was the state of
confusion in the enemy ranks that numbers of such bodies were wandering around in the area
covered by the Division and many of them surrendered eagerly when permitted to do so; the
appearance of these parties was therefore not particularly alarming.
The position was duly occupied by 489 Bty with 441 Bty and the RHQ arriving later just after dark.
Owing to the late hour and subsequent developments 288 Bty bivouacked in the streets of
CARLENTINI through which a steady stream of troops was still proceeding. Steps were taken to
piquet routes into the area Lt Irwin being in charge of one patrol and to ensure that the local
defence was more carefully organised than usual. The afternoon's experiences persuaded every
man to keep his weapon and ammunition very close to hand. It was not until about 2000 hrs, as it
was getting dark, that a column including tanks was reported approaching the position.
Meanwhile in the field on the north side of the road 489 Bty had been waiting in tense expectation.
Suddenly there came a warning order from Captain Langlands "Tank alert!", the sound of tracked
vehicles coming up the hill could be plainly heard. The standing patrol which had been posted down
the road withdrew, and the first vehicle that loomed up was a large truck towing a field kitchen. This
sailed past unmolested and was brought to a halt by the previously captured lorry, which had been
used as a block at the road fork.
The Wall
Some suspected that this was not a British vehicle prepared themselves, L/Bdr Armiger then jumped
into the road with a rifle. In the trees on the right was Gnr Phillips of 441 Fd Bty concealed with a
Bren gun. Two or three motorcyclists appeared first; no one fired as no one was sure whether the
approaching column was enemy or friendly. At a few yards range the leading motorcyclist fired the
machinegun mounted on his cycle, he was challenged and put his hands up. Lt Stevenson shouted
"Don't kill him" and L/Bdr Armiger threw down his rifle and knocked the man clean off his cycle with
his fist. Another of these motorcyclists was shot by Phillips and a third by Bdr Anson.
Three minutes later tanks could be heard coming round the last bend onto the straight. No 3 Gun of
D Troop fired three rounds of HE at 900 yds along the direction of the road. No 4 gun fired one
round AP at the leading tank, but could not get sufficient depression, for the road was in a hollow rut
below the level of the field. Simultaneously in C troop Sgt Halliwell, whose gun had been brought
into action just inside the wall and was laid and loaded ready, jumped into the road with Bdr Gray,
while the rest of the crew took up defensive positions with rifles. They suddenly saw the tanks
approaching, but before they could get to their gun it was fired by Lt Irwin who had come back from
his patrol unobserved. It had proved impossible to get the gun on its platform at that particular
point and when it was fired it jumped back and broke Lt Irwin’s leg.
By now, every man had a Bren, Tommy gun or rifle in action and was thoroughly enjoying the fray.
There was considerable danger, however, in that those in the rear, if not strictly controlled, might
fire into the backs of the friendly troops in front of them. This danger was fortunately averted,
chiefly owing to timely intervention of Sgt Ashton of D Troop who indicated the position of his troop
by his shouts during a lull. The leading tank, finding a 25-pdr shell whizzing over its head from pointblank range, swerved and hit the wall. An officer got out, and fired with his revolver at Gnr Phillips in
the trees (at five yards range). Phillips replied with a burst from his Bren, but both men managed to
miss each other. The tanks behind also stopped, and since they could not use their guns, as they
were beneath the level of the wall, returned fire over the wall with their automatics. They also threw
a few grenades. Some of the Italians lined the cactus hedge on the far side of the road from the
battery. It was one of these bullets from here that killed Captain Ninian Langlands at ten yards
range, as he was standing in the open directing the fire of his troop. He too is buried at the Catania
War cemetery Sicily.
At this stage there was a call from C Troop to charge and man the wall, this received immediate
response and from then on many of the Gunners remained standing by the wall, firing point blank at
the tanks and their escort of motor cyclists, there was also a general uproar of shouting and firing for
a few minutes. Most of the men were shouting "Pack in", "Give up" and certain more colloquial
expressions, and seemed surprised that the Italians did not cotton on to what they meant. The
Italians shouted back "Italiano, Italiano" apparently thinking that we were Germans (so one POW
said).
The confusion was increased by the men of 441 Bty and the RHQ who were packed in the road on
the left of the field. Not suspecting the presence of any enemies, they were astonished to find
bullets begin to whistle over the road. The greater part at once took cover at the foot of the high
walls bounding the road. The RSM boldly leaped the wall and advanced towards the firing to see
what he could do. The men then got hold of their small arms, lined the wall and started to return the
fire in the general direction of the shooting and shouting on their right until their officers prevented
them, not knowing if it was friend or foe; 489 Bty was for a time between two fires.
After a few minutes the CO managed to restrain the firing and restore order; the Italians were
summoned to surrender, which they were perfectly ready to do, but whoever they showed
themselves someone would open fire and they popped down into their tank again. At last BSM
Moore, Sgt Ferguson and many others leaped over the wall and pulled them out of their tanks by
brute-force. (The 'tanks' were 3 47/32 Semovento, open at the top, armed with one 47mm gun and
one M.G.) Lt Stevenson got into the hindmost one, to try and block the road with it, but it would
only go backwards, so he got out and then with several others held up 2 more tanks and some more
motor cyclists who came round the corner. Sgt Waugh and Gnr Lawley, who joined this party, both
went in to mop up these tanks in spite of the fact that neither of them had any ammunition left by
this stage!
The road up which the Tanks came.
Shortly afterwards a party headed by Lt Easter, Lt Smith and the RSM went round the first corner
and found 2 stationary tanks. They fired at them, rushed up and overpowered the crews. Gnr
Phillips took charge of nine prisoners and was marching than back when another tank was heard at
thy foot of the hill, they all waited in the road, concealed, as it roared up firing its machine guns. One
burst of fire halted it and it jammed against the wall. Phillips re-marshalled his prisoners but as he
did so the barrel of his Bren gun fell off and (not being a Bren gunner) had to shout for help to put it
on again. The bag was now eight tanks with several motor cyclists, two large lorries and a field
kitchen. One lorry turned out to be packed with the complete kit of high naval officers, including
cocked hats, jackboots and dress swords; the other had good medical equipment, crates of oranges,
a dead sheep and several large, live, grey and white rabbits. Lt Crump got into one of the tanks, and
opened the breach of the gun and out fell an orange, then another, till altogether seven rolled out of
the barrel. He tried the same trick with the other tanks, but the penny would not drop. This closed
the first phase of the skirmish and all was quiet.
One of the, prisoners, however, said that 13 tanks had left their last position, so it seemed that more
might happen. The CO sent Lt Easter with a patrol down the road with another patrol in support. Lt
Easter was withdrawn shortly afterwards, but the RSMs patrol went down the hill through the wood
as far as the bridge. They found nothing, on the road, but heard MT ahead, so they returned.
The second phase opens with preparations for an ambush of anything else that might come. Lt
Easter, the RSM Sgt Ashton, Sgt Waugh and some others, about 12 in all armed with rifles, Tommy
guns and 2 Brens, cautiously followed by the Padre armed with a looted First Aid Outfit, went down
the second leg of the road to a door in the left hand wall, inside which most of the party were
posted. Some were left on the road taking cover behind the last abandoned tank. The CO came
down to supervise arrangements.
MT was heard at the top of the opposite hill it came down across the bridge and approached up the
bottom leg of the road; the plan was to open fire as it rounded the bend. But the head of the column
halted on the bottom leg, perhaps suspecting that something was wrong. Some of the crews
dismounted and could be heard talking. Our patrol listened for a few minutes and then decided to
open fire. They opened up with whatever they had and shouted at the tops of their voices. (The
shouting consisted of curses on "you yellow bastards" and a good deal of irrelevant ribaldry, but
combined with the bullets it had the desired effect.) Then, leaving the two Bren gunners to give
covering fire, they charged down the steep hillside through the trees, and also round by the road,
and found that the Italians had at once surrendered. There were three more tanks, 40 motor cycles
armed with machine guns, some lorries and some motor tricycles, and about 40 men. The result of
our volleys at 50 yards range was two men wounded in the leg. The rest of the men were later found
hiding in a little cave near the bridge. Though bulging with grenades, they proved most amiable and
showed no fight. They were marshalled in a line and marched up the hill after the others.
The Bridge
Just beyond the bridge the patrol made contact with the 5th EAST YORKS who were responsible for
combing out the area in front, so they returned and decided to search the vehicles before retuning
up the hill to rejoin the Battery. On the way the Padre produced a melon (looted) and distributed
slices to the returning patrol. A crate of oranges was also discovered and lugged up the hill to be
shared among the troops. The time was then about 0100 hrs.
Matters were now well in hand the Italian drivers obliged by manoeuvring their tanks off the road
and parking them in a neat line. Their MO and Red Cross orderlies helped our doctor to attend to
the wounded. The rest of the POWs were guarded in the road, except for a small party which was set
to collecting the dead. One of these men had the distressing experience of turning a body over and
finding it was his brother; all wore shocked to discover their grey haired Colonel lying dead in the
road. They carefully took the wedding ring off his finger and begged the Padre to see that it was sent
to his widow.
The final result was as follows: We had captured intact the 4th Battalion Contraccarro Semoventi of
the 3rd Regt (Parmo) of the LIVORNO Division. We had lost one officer killed, one officer and one
other rank wounded.
The Italians had lost their Colonel and two men killed, and about a dozen wounded. All the rest
(160) were prisoners. The booty consisted of 12 tanks (11 captured and one more which never even
came down the opposite hill and was found next day), 50 motor cycles, six lorries, three motor
tricycles, many automatic weapons, and two German 75-mm pack howitzers of an apparently new
type. Unfortunately the Regiment received orders, to move before a more accurate check could be
made. Including prisoners captured in the afternoon, the total was 199, of whom five were German.
During all this time 288 Bty were at the top of the hill in. CARLENTINI some distance away. Their
advance party, on its way down, heard firing and received a report that the regiment was being
attacked by tanks. They returned with the idea of preventing their guns coming down into the trap,
mounted one to cover the road into the village and parked the rest in the market square, and
patrolled the silent moonlit streets till morning. The men who served the gun that was covering the
road had an anxious night. In one of the houses close by their position seemed to emanate some
curious rumblings and noises. They covered the door with a Tommy gun and then as they did not
know what kind of devilry was afoot, they brought a Bren gun up as well and kept that trained on
the door too. The suspicious sounds continued all night long and when morning broke, the door
opened and on old woman come out to greet the dawn. The men approached and asked leave to
look inside. To their embarrassment they found that the room contained one chair, one bed and
two restless donkeys.
Captain D. L. C. Price, RA, wrote:
The battle by now was taking shape and I remember shelling Carlentini, a suburb of Lentini, and then an
hour later using up all our dressings bandaging up the civilian wounded after entering the town. They
were very understanding and all the church bells were ringing, so I didn't feel too badly, and in any case
nobody was seriously hurt. But the futility of war was again brought to my mind by that incident.
The battle became really serious at the Simeto River, the south boundary of the Catania plain,
because a German Panzer Division had joined the fray. For the next ten days the fighting there was the
bitterest I remember in the whole war and I can still smell the stench of decaying flesh on the banks of
that river. Eventually, the Durham Light Infantry Brigade under Ronnie Senior, in a brilliant operation,
got over the river to the other side. During those 10 days I had an observation post in a smart villa
overlooking the plain, which had a convenient turret but which seemed to offer target practice for the
German Anti-Tank gunners, who used to put the odd shell through it, but fortunately lower down!
I had several visitors. One was a smartly dressed Lieut RN who said he had 'a monitor' and
could he help. I apologised for my ignorance and he explained it was a seaborne 15in gun. I asked him
his accuracy of ranging and he said 'about a hundred yards'. I declined his help!
The night came to press across the Catania plain, and those were a few bad hours. More than a
few soldiers 'turned and ran'. We had the luggage carrier on our vehicle carried away by an anti-tank
shell while we were in it' I did an on-foot reconnaissance and we 'holed-up' behind a haystack until
dawn; which heralded a better day. We pressed across the plain but the Quartermaster's department of
the infantry hadn't caught up and, by the evening, the PBI (poor bloody infantry) had had no food. This
fact, unknown of course to them, did not deter a German machine-gun crew from firing into the
positions selected for a night's rest and sustenance. The Company Commander 'lent' me ten volunteers
and, as the sun was setting, we went out, up a vine-covered hill, hoping to finish the day successfully. It
was not entirely to be. We had to withdraw but left nobody behind. The gesture persuaded the
Germans to go; so there was rest after all. We always carried our own rations and cooking equipment.
There was a hen for eggs in the tool box and a hot water pan on the exhaust manifold for cooking tins
of stew.
I remember extensive use of mines about this phase of the affair and sitting on the bonnet of
the tracked carrier looking for a disturbed surface on paths we followed, touching the driver's shoulder
to stop when suspicion arose. There was no time for 'sweeping' ahead; we had to get on. One less lucky
carrier had been blown up into a tree and was lodged forlornly in a leafy grave.
After the Catania plain had been taken on 5 August, I think the Germans knew- that they were
going to lose and we made better progress. The next event was Taormina and the order went out to
take it without damage. We took a chance and drove up the hill into the town at dawn, 15 August, and
the risk paid off- there were no enemy. We breakfasted in. the square and the Mayor came and offered
us the keys of the town and two bottles of champagne. The keys I returned and he shared the
champagne with us; it was a very friendly little ceremony and gradually the people came out to look, to
chatter, and to embrace.
As the day advanced, the infantry caught up and so did my guns and we went into action on the plateau
of the promontory above the beautiful Isola Bella bay. It was here that Air Vice-Marshal Broadhurst
nearly didn't live to fight another day as he put down his little plane in front of the guns just as we were
opening fire. Happily, I saw the aeroplane coming in and shouted 'stop' which gunners know means just
that. The rest of the day was somehow sad. The road had been blown and we had to put our gear on
our backs and walk. As the Germans retreated, so they blew up a vital road bridge on that east coast
shore line and we were able to pursue them no more. With the complete liberation of the island by
16th August 1943, the Division were recalled to England on 19th October 1943 to prepare for the
invasion on Europe. The Regiment had two other recorded causalities in Sicily, L/Bdr Henry Nicholls
killed on the 18th July and Gunner Sidney Church killed on the 28th July both buried in the Catania war
Cemetery, Sicily.
(Article taken from the Garrisons website)
It was noted that there were plenty of pill boxes defending the bridge and the winding road. We
explored the pill box on the bend above the bridge and discovered it had a mattress inside, just like
many pill boxes back home!!
We soon arrived at the spot where the RN lorry had been parked and we all debussed. Keith gave a
very comprehensive account of the battle, all the time getting further and further from the bus,
fortunately a runner was sent back and the bus came to the bottom of the valley to pick us up.
We arrived back at the ferry in good time where some of us settled down for a kip. Before we
arrived back at Malta a lost passport was discovered belonging to a person bearing an uncanny
resemblance to AH!
TUESDAY
After breakfast a few of us proceeded to the Maritime museum, situated in the old RN Bakery
The exhibits were very well displayed and were quite varied, down stairs displaying a 1950s ships
engine room whilst upstairs showed everything from identity discs and dice to First World War
German torpedos that failed to explode. There was a re-creation of a 1950s bar which was
unfortunately dry…..unlike the bar next door, the two and half a lemon?? Gin and tonic and other
sundry drinks were sampled before getting the water taxi across to Valetta where we toured the war
memorials and did a bit of general sightseeing.
In the evening we were invited to a BBQ with the school governors. There was so much to eat with
soup for starters and meat galore for the main course all washed down with some local wine.
WEDNESDAY
It was an early start for the Southern contingent as their flight left at some unearthly hour in the
morning. As good Northerners do, some of us got up to cheer them on their way whilst the rest
slept peacefully in their cots.
Visited the National War Museum where they have the (wingless) remaining Gloucester Gladiator
‘Faith’ of the original three Gladiators that defended Malta. It was presented to the people of Malta
in 1943. There is a good display of WW1 German artillery as well as uniforms and equipment used
during the war in Malta. There is an excellent display of German air dropped ordnance and a
preserved wing from an ME 109.
Denis wondered if it could fly him back to the UK - Mike wondered if he could wear it as a hat on the plane to
save on excess baggage charges.
Lunchtime reared its weary head and we trooped off to the Gun Post snack bar where they have a
small but very interesting collection of Ordnance !!
The Gun Post Snack Bar
The Saluting Battery
Much of it looked to have been picked up off the local ranges in the ‘70s … We then got the ferry
over to Sliema to get the tour boat around the Harbour. The tour was very interesting taking us past
the old Submarine base and the current Maltese Navy dock as well as the location of HMS Illustrious
and the old Naval Headquarters and Hospital.
HMS Illustrious woz ere!
The old Naval Hospital
After the dockyard tour we went for a walk to find the old Cambridge Battery , which had been all
but destroyed by new developments in Sliema. Then it was back to Birgu for a Beer. Packed our bags
ready for the flight home on Thursday.
THURSDAY
Walked down to Fort Rinella to pick up a polo shirt and then got the bus with Mike to Qurendi, it was
a bit of a roundabout tour due to one of the busses not stopping to pick us up but we made it there
eventually after a very pleasant trip. Stopped for lunch at Hagar Qim and walked to the old airfield
known as Qurendi, or as it was RAF Krendi. We took a stroll down what was the main runway,
though now it is just a road, all be it straighter than any of the other roads on the island. The base is
remarkably complete with hangars and Nissan huts although its recent use as a chicken farm made it
a rather smelly place to visit. There was evidence of its use post war as a bomb store but haven’t
found much in writing, as yet. Got back to St Edwards College in good time and prepared for the trip
home.
Mike preparing for take off.
Two of the remaining hangars.
Overall a Fantastic time was had by all and we look forward to our next visit.
Gunner Gary