Malta Fortress Squadron, Royal Engineers

Last updated

Malta Fortress Squadron, Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers badge.png
The Cap badge of the Corps of Royal Engineers worn by the Malta Fortress Squadron.
Founded1892
Disbanded1970
Headquarters Valletta
Personnel
ConscriptionVolunteer and Territorial Force
Bomb damage to the streets of Valletta in 1942, illustrating the intensity of bombardment the Island suffered and the scale of the engineering tasks the RE faced. The British Army on Malta 1942 GM655.jpg
Bomb damage to the streets of Valletta in 1942, illustrating the intensity of bombardment the Island suffered and the scale of the engineering tasks the RE faced.
A replica of the Axis bomb that penetrated the dome of Mosta's church without exploding. Mosta Dome Bomb.jpg
A replica of the Axis bomb that penetrated the dome of Mosta's church without exploding.
Soldiers from a living history group wearing WW2-era Khaki Drill uniforms and carrying .303 SMLE rifles on a parade in Valletta in 2008 Valletta-IMG 1175.jpg
Soldiers from a living history group wearing WW2-era Khaki Drill uniforms and carrying .303 SMLE rifles on a parade in Valletta in 2008

The Malta Fortress Squadron was a locally recruited Royal Engineers unit based on Malta and on the British Army colonial list prior to Malta's independence. Its history is intimately tied to the succession of engineer and sapper units that were formed and reformed to support the extensive fortifications on the island of Malta. [1] However a distinct Maltese Sapper force is raised in 1892 and remains until 1970.

Contents

Initially on the British Establishment, in 1951 it was transferred to the Malta Territorial Force before becoming part of the Malta Land Force on Malta's independence in 1964. The regiment was disbanded in 1970 with its personnel and equipment being handed over to the Maltese Government.

History

Victorian and Edwardian Era

In 1892 the Maltese Militia Division Submarine Miners Royal Engineers was raised on a territorial (part-time) basis, utilising the skills and knowledge of the harbour boatmen. This small part-time volunteer force was commanded by a small permanent staff of a Lieutenant, a Company Sergeant Major, three Sergeants and a clerk. Volunteers agreed to performing a 120 days of paid duty annually for five years. [2] [3]

In 1907 the London Gazette recorded the following:

"War Office, 26th March, 1907."His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the Royal Engineers '(Militia) Submarine Miners, Malta Division,' being in future designated 'Royal Engineers (Militia) Malta Division'." [4]

World War 1

The Royal Engineers (Militia) Malta Division title would survive as an entity throughout the Great War and until 1921. [5]

At the beginning of the war the strength of the RE on the island (including Maltese servicemen) was 21 officers and 394 other ranks. [6]

The Inter-war Years

In the period between the two World Wars there were British and Maltese Fortress Companies based on the Island (16 and 24 (Fortress) Companies). Their role was to provided searchlight support to anti-aircraft and anti-shipping artillery batteries and engineer works in and around the harbour areas of Malta.

In 1923 Royal Engineers (Militia) Malta Division was noted as having a strength of 7 officers and 70 other ranks, most of whom were in 24 (Fortress) Company RE.

In 1935 the RE units were commanded by Headquarters Fortress RE Malta and it and 24 Company were located in Floriana barracks. 16 Company was based at Marsamxett Barracks. [7]

World War 2

During World War 2 the Fortress RE Malta units would have performed a range of engineer tasks. They included Bomb Disposal - a vital task given the intensity of bombing Malta and the Valletta and Sliema areas suffered. One to two officers and a maximum of 30 men dealt with 7300 unexploded bombs in two years (1940-42). [8]

Post War Service

After the war the unit would suffer a tragedy when a Handley Page Hastings C-2 (WD498) carrying one of the unit crashed on take off at RAF El Adem in Libya on 10 October 1961. [9] [10] Fifteen soldiers from the Squadron would lose their lives they are commemorated and some buried at the Pembroke Military Cemetery.

On 30 September 1970 HQ RE Malta, the Fortress Squadron and 72 (Malta) Support Squadron RE on 30 September 1970, the Maltese Sappers ceased to serve alongside the British Royal Engineers and joined the Malta Land Force. Forming a 50-strong Engineer Troop within the MLF's Logistic Unit. The MLF would go on to be part of the Armed Forces of Malta. [11] [12]

WW2 Uniforms and Equipment

During World War 2 the Fortress Squadron RE wore the same uniform as the British Army.

MakeOriginType
Khaki Drill Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Summer Uniform
Battle Dress Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Winter Uniform
Side cap Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Headgear
Brodie helmet Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Helmet
1937 Pattern Web Equipment Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Webbing

WW2 Small Arms

During World War 2 the RE used the same personal and crew-served weapons in service with the British Army.

MakeOriginType
Lee–Enfield (Mk III)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Bolt-action Rifle
Webley Revolver Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  British Empire Service Revolver
Bren light machine gun Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Light machine gun
Thompson submachine gun Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Submachine gun
Sten Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom Submachine gun

The RE units on Malta used a range of UK/US manufactured support vehicles as general duties and logistics support.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Artillery</span> Artillery arm of the British Army

The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises thirteen Regular Army regiments, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and five Army Reserve regiments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Engineers</span> Engineering arm of the British Army

The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is headed by the Chief Royal Engineer. The Regimental Headquarters and the Royal School of Military Engineering are in Chatham in Kent, England. The corps is divided into several regiments, barracked at various places in the United Kingdom and around the world.

Bermuda Militia Artillery Military unit

The Bermuda Militia Artillery was a unit of part-time soldiers organised in 1895 as a reserve for the Royal Garrison Artillery detachment of the Regular Army garrison in Bermuda. Militia Artillery units of the United Kingdom and Colonies were intended to man coastal batteries in times of war, which were manned by under-strength numbers of regular army gunners in peace time. The unit was embodied during both world wars, fulfilling its role within the garrison, and also sending contingents overseas to more active theatres of the wars.

British Expeditionary Force order of battle (1914)

The British Expeditionary Force order of battle 1914, as originally despatched to France in August and September 1914, at the beginning of World War I. The British Army prior to World War I traced its origins to the increasing demands of imperial expansion together with inefficiencies highlighted during the Crimean War, which led to the Cardwell and Childers Reforms of the late 19th century. These gave the British Army its modern shape, and defined its regimental system. The Haldane Reforms of 1907 formally created an Expeditionary force and the Territorial Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bermuda Volunteer Engineers</span> Military unit

The Bermuda Volunteer Engineers was a part-time unit created between the two world wars to replace the Regular Royal Engineers detachment, which was withdrawn from the Bermuda Garrison in 1928.

1st Durham Engineers Military unit

The 1st Durham Engineers, later Durham Fortress Engineers, was a Volunteer unit of the British Army's Royal Engineers. First founded in 1868 it was sometimes united with the Tyne Electrical Engineers, at other times it formed an independent unit. Although its main role was defence of the North East Coast of England, the unit sent detachments on active service to the Suakin Expedition, the Second Boer War, and the Western Front and Italy during the First World War.

The Tyne Electrical Engineers (TEE) is a Volunteer unit of the British Army that has existed under various titles since 1860. It has been the parent unit for a large number of units fulfilling specialist coastal and air defence roles in the Royal Engineers (RE) and Royal Artillery (RA), many seeing service during both World Wars. TEE companies currently form part of the RE and of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in the Army Reserve.

The City of Edinburgh (Fortress) Royal Engineers was a volunteer unit of the British Army under various titles from 1886 until 1999. Its main role was defence of the Firth of Forth, but it also provided detachments for active service in the field during both World Wars.

The Renfrewshire Fortress Royal Engineers was a Scottish volunteer unit of the British Army under various titles from 1888. Its main role was defence of the ports and shipyards on the River Clyde, but it also provided detachments for active service in the field during both World Wars. Its successors continue to serve in the Army Reserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dundee Fortress Royal Engineers</span> Military unit

The Dundee Fortress Royal Engineers was a Scottish volunteer unit of the British Army formed in 1908. Its main role was the defence of the harbours and shipyards on the River Tay, but it also provided a detachment that saw active service in North Russia at the end of World War I. In the 1930s, it was turned into an air defence unit, in which role it served in World War II. A brief postwar revival ended in disbandment in 1950.

The Lancashire (Fortress) Royal Engineers was a volunteer unit of Britain's Royal Engineers formed in 1884 to defend the Mersey Estuary. As well as serving in this role it also provided specialist engineer units in both World Wars, losing many men in a shipping disaster during the Greek Campaign. Its descendants continued to serve in the Territorial Army until 1967.

East Riding Fortress Royal Engineers Military unit

The East Riding (Fortress) Royal Engineers was a volunteer unit of Britain's Royal Engineers formed for the defence of the Humber Estuary in the East Riding of Yorkshire. As well as serving in this role it also provided field and specialist engineer units in both World Wars. Its successors continued to serve in the Territorial Army until 1991.

The North Riding (Fortress) Royal Engineers was a volunteer unit of Britain's Royal Engineers formed for the defence of the Tees Estuary in the North Riding of Yorkshire. As well as serving in this role it also provided specialist engineer units in both World Wars. Its descendants continued to serve in the Territorial Army until 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornwall Fortress Royal Engineers</span> Military unit

The Cornwall Fortress Royal Engineers, was a volunteer unit of Britain's Royal Engineers formed in 1908. It helped to defend the coastal towns of Cornwall and sent engineer units to work on the Western Front. Converted to an air defence role before World War I, it served as a searchlight unit during the Battle of Britain, the Blitz, then, as a light anti-aircraft gun unit, it served in the most heavily attacked part of the South Coast of England throughout 1942–44, including the V-1 flying bomb campaign.

Pembroke Military Cemetery Malta is a burial ground for military personnel and their dependants. It is located close by the former St Patrick's Barracks in the Pembroke Council area, on a minor road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Malta Artillery</span> British artillery unit

The Royal Malta Artillery (RMA) was a regular artillery unit of the British Army prior to Malta's independence. It was formed in 1889, having been called the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery from 1861 until 1889.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malta Command</span> British military command

Malta Command was an independent command of the British Army. It commanded all army units involved in the defence of Malta. Once mobilised the Command deployed its headquarters to underground hardened shelters and its combat units were deployed to fixed points in the Maltese countryside, from where they operated from. This mobilised, but largely static army garrison would be tested by aerial bombardment and naval blockade during the Second World War. Whilst Malta Command was already a functioning command structure before 1939, it had existed in the Great War and was specifically mentioned in a House of Commons debate of 12 February 1917; the Second World War would see the Command operate as a genuine war-fighting headquarters, albeit in a static defensive role.

The Glamorgan Fortress Royal Engineers was a Welsh Territorial Army (TA) unit of Britain's Royal Engineers, first raised in 1885 as a Volunteer unit of Submarine Miners to defend the Severn Estuary. During World War I it carried out defence work in England and Gibraltar, and detachments served on the Western Front. In World War II it served in the North African campaign, including the Second Battle of El Alamein, and the Allied invasion of Sicily. Postwar, the unit continued in the TA until 1961.

Militia Artillery units of the United Kingdom and Colonies Military unit

The Militia Artillery units of the United Kingdom and Colonies were military reserve units made up of volunteers who served part-time during peacetime, training to take over responsibility for manning fixed artillery batteries from the regular Royal Artillery during times of war.

Imperial fortress

Imperial fortress was the designation given in the British Empire to four colonies that were located in strategic positions from each of which Royal Navy squadrons could control the surrounding regions and, between them, much of the planet.

References

  1. "Armed Forces". Maltese History & Heritage. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  2. "The Royal Engineers". www.maltaramc.com. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  3. National Archives. "Formation of Malta Militia, Submarine Miners, Royal Engineers. Ordinance and Regulations". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  4. "THE LONDON GAZETTE, 26 March 1907. Page 2099" (PDF). The London Gazette . Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  5. Castillo, Dennis Angelo (2006). The Maltese Cross: A Strategic History of Malta. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 137. ISBN   9780313323294.
  6. Rinaldi, Richard A. (2008). Order of Battle of the British Army 1914. Ravi Rikhye. p. 352. ISBN   9780977607280 . Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  7. "1863448 Warrant Officer Class 2 G.A. Moore, Royal Engineers". www.reubique.com. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  8. UXB Malta: Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal 1940-44, S A M Hudson, History Press 2010/2012
  9. Allied Newspapers Ltd. "Anniversary of El-Adem crash: Fateful toss of a coin". Times of Malta . Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  10. Simmonds, Donald. "Hastings WD498 Crash 1961". www.don-simmonds.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  11. Castillo, Dennis Angelo (2006). The Maltese Cross: A Strategic History of Malta. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 220. ISBN   9780313323294 . Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  12. "A Commemorative Masonry Arch for Finsbury Circus Park | Engineers". www.militaryarchitecture.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.