Great War ideas for my Malta trip

[keithmroberts]

I'm heading off shortly for 10 days of relaxation, with only a couple of definite Great War visits planned (see photo offers), but cemeteries and the Grand Harbour apart are there any other Great War related locations that I really should visit. I'm pretty much aware of WWII sites, and will inevitably visit some, but I'm primarily there to do a little walking, some uninterrupted reading and some sleeping. To that end I'm staying in Melliah which I trust will be reasonably quiet. Suggestions though about WW1 will be very much appreciated.

Keith

[Anneca]

Keith,

I would thoroughly recommend the National War Museum in the building known as the Old Drill Hall off Lower Fort St Elmo, Valetta, where is a collection focusing on the two World Wars. You can follow the years marked on the floor to find the events and there is much information on the walls.

Also The Malta Experience is a must - http://www.themaltaexperience.com/

The National Library is very interesting and the staff helpful but if you wish to research you will need to produce your passport. http://www.unescomalta.org/nationallibrary.asp

Enjoy your trip.

Anne

[xv229]

Hi Keith,

To add to Anne's reply, some of Malta's main roles during WW1 were:

(1) French naval base

(2) military hospitals for the wounded from Gallipoli and Salonika

and (3) PoW Camps.

Very little evidence of the French Naval involvement remains, although records at the National Archives in Rabat provide some detail of ship movements. Their base ship was moored in French Creek alongside Fort St. Angelo from 1914-1917. The Naval Commissioner had offices in Auberge de Baviere, alongside his Royal Navy counterparts.

Similarly, most of the military hospitals were temporary (including one at Mellieha) and rapidly disappeared. Buildings that do remain include Bighi Naval Hospital, Imtarfa Hospital, Cottonera Hospital (now St.Edward's College) and Valletta Hospital (Sacra Infermeria - now the Mediterranean Conference Centre).

Most of the PoW Camps were in Cottonera and here the majority of the buildings are still in existence. Verdala Barracks housed officer PoWs and has public access. Across the road, St.Clement's Camp was mainly tented, although various WW1 buildings still exist in what is now St. Margaret's College. Quite distinctive is the former PoW Dining Hall with it's cupola that can be seen from many locations - now the School Hall. Just down the hill (on Triq San Nicola) is the former Polverista PoW Camp that was mainly used to house Turkish Deportees. A little further away to the north is Fort San Salvatore that housed most of the combatant PoWs, including the crew of SMS Emden - not sure if this has any public access, though. Cottonera makes for an interesting walking tour - I did it last month. A local map 'Discover Cottonera' is very useful and can be obtained free from the Tourist Office in Valletta.

Hope this is of use.

[xv229]

A quick update - the French base ship was moored in Dockyard Creek alongside Fort St. Angelo, not French Creek, as I posted earlier. Apologies!

[eairicbloodaxe]

I second Anne's recommendation that The National War Museum is well worth a visit.

In the exit hall there are rows and rows of drawers underneath the display cabinets. Do make sure you open them - they are full of displayed medals, each with the soldier's story attached. Some are for gallantry, MMs, DFCs etc. But there are also plain old Pip Squeak and Wilfreds on show, none the less worthy of attention.

We got there later than anticipated, so were being hurried out - but I could have stayed for ages and opened each drawer in turn.

If you like aviation there's also a great Aviation museum but it's near Medina city (and not really very WW1 related).

Regards

Ian

[paul@bolton]

Keith

if you're up for a challenge, you might like to visit/find the memorial to Sir Walter Congreve VC. As you probably know, he was the Governor of Malta after the war and died there. He was buried at sea in the channel (known as the Congreve Channel) between the main island and the island of Filfla off the south coast. The monument overlooks the place of burial.

There are some prehistoric ruins nearby which a taxi driver might be more likely to know and might be of added interest.

Paul

[keithmroberts]

Thanks for all these ideas - I'll do some serious planning to make sure that my walks and bus journeys take in as many of these suggestions as possible.

Keith

[NeilEvans]

How shortly Keith? I'm off to meliha in feb.

[keithmroberts]

I couldn't wait that long - I'm off on the 19th

Keith

[NeilEvans]

I don't want to wait that long. Thank you though for the topic, some good suggestions.

[Kath]

Keith, do you know this website?

http://website.lineone.net/~remosliema/maltese_merchant_seamen.htm

Kath.

[David J Hedges]

Bill Fulton of the WFA Essex Branch gives lectures on Malta in WW1 - I'm sure he would be happy to chat to you

[seaJane]

I have recently been in communication with the staff of the former Royal Naval Hospital Bighi in Kalkara - now being taken over and renovated by The Malta Council for Science and Technology. They are planning an exhibition space for visitors to learn about the naval hospital building and naval medical history as it relates to Malta.

The history page here http://www.mcst.gov.mt/content/history says, "During the First World War (1914 - 1918), Bighi Hospital accommodated a very large number of casualties from the Dardanelles, the patients being bedded down in corridors and ditches."

As far as I know the exhibition isn't up and running yet, but if you like I can check. It is a magnificent building, whatever.

[keithmroberts]

That last looks to be a splendid building. If you have a contact Jane it would be good to know about their development. I'll certainly be around there, as Kalkara is the location of the Capuccini Naval Cemetery. Kath - yes thank you, I have used the parent website, and it has an amazing image of a postcard showing the frontage of the Turkish Military Cemetery at Marsa.

All these suggestions might just make my holiday more energetic than I had anticipated, but I shall do my best to see as much as possible.

Keith

[keithmroberts]

For those who haven't seen it, this link, shows the postcard that I mentioned in my last post: http://website.lineone.net/~remosliema/Marsa.htm The cemetery holds 11 CWGC graves.

Keith

[CarylW]

I'm heading off shortly for 10 days of relaxation, with only a couple of definite Great War visits planned (see photo offers), but cemeteries and the Grand Harbour apart are there any other Great War related locations that I really should visit. I'm pretty much aware of WWII sites, and will inevitably visit some, but I'm primarily there to do a little walking, some uninterrupted reading and some sleeping. To that end I'm staying in Melliah which I trust will be reasonably quiet. Suggestions though about WW1 will be very much appreciated.

Keith

This might be interesting Keith. The forgotten memorial. A memorial plaque inside a church to a nurse who served and died in Malta

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100504/books/a-forgotten-memorial.305806#.Un15LTDFIv4

Mary Walshe. CWGC details here:

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/116344/WALSHE,%20M%20A

We went last year and looked around some historic sites, but for various reasons not a lot pertaining to WW1. Enjoy the R & R and don't try to fit too much in.