Maltese Labour Corps

Maltese Labour Corps
Maltese Labour Corps
	October 1917 poster calling for recruits to form the 2nd battalion
Active	August 1915 – after May 1920
Country	Malta
Allegiance	British Empire
Branch	Army
Type	Labour
Role	Support
Size	2 battalions, 3 independent companies
Engagements	Battle of Gallipoli, Macedonian front

Last updated October 04, 2024

The Maltese Labour Corps (MLC) was a labour unit raised in Malta during the First World War to support the British Army. It comprised two battalions of labourers and stevedores; two companies of cooks, waiters, and servants; and a company of miners. The units served at Gallipoli, Salonika, Italy, and in Turkey (after the armistice). There may have been a further independent labour company that served in Malta. Many of the units' commanding officers were drawn from the King's Own Royal Malta Regiment of Militia. More than 5,000 men served in the corps, with members receiving the British War Medal in bronze. In the course of their service 124 members died, at least one killed in action with many of the remainder dying during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918.

First Battalion

In August 1915, there was a request for 750 volunteers from Malta to form a labour battalion for service with the British Army. More than 1,000 applied and by the start of September 864 of these had been selected. The excellent rate of pay (2 shillings 6 pence per day, plus 6 pence a day if married and one penny for each child) and flexible 3-month contract was very attractive.^[1]^: 3 The men were allocated roles as labourers, drivers, and stevedores and placed under the command of Major JV Aspinall of the King's Own Royal Malta Regiment of Militia.^[1]^: 3^[2] Many of the unit's other 14 officers were also drawn from the island's militia.^[1]^: 3

The unit served at Mudros, a Greek port being used to support the Gallipoli Campaign from September 1915. Some 234 men volunteered to serve close to the front at Gallipoli as stevedores.^[1]^: 3 These were accompanied by a quartermaster, sergeant, corporal and five men from the Malta Corps of the St John Ambulance Brigade and three Roman Catholic chaplains.^[3] The unit suffered one man killed in action and two slightly wounded.^[1]^: 5^[4]

The men at Gallipoli returned to Malta on 28 November and the members were encouraged to sign new contracts.^[1]^: 3 Captain FM Stivala (attached from the militia) of the unit was mentioned in dispatches whilst Second Lieutenant Henry Curmi and Lieutenant AG Dandria also received praise for their actions. The corps was said to have performed well under Turkish shellfire.^[1]^: 4 The unit worked closely with the ANZAC forces during the campaign and two of the officers who led the MLC at Gallipoli later served as Maltese commissioners to Australia.^[4]

The remainder of the battalion at Mudros returned to Malta on 17 February 1916. Major-General Walter Campbell, on behalf of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, wrote to the Governor and Commander-in-Chief, Malta (Paul Methuen, 3rd Baron Methuen) that "I have much pleasure in informing you that the Battalion performed most excellent work, both at ANZAC and elsewhere, and I shall be grateful if you will be good enough to express to the Commanding Officer, and through him to the NCOs and men of the Battalion, my high appreciation of the services they have rendered".^[1]^: 4

In 1916, the British Salonika Army was formed to support the Serbian Army fighting German, Austrian and Bulgarian forces on the Macedonian front and to resist the Bulgarian invasion of Greece. In August, it was decided to reform the 1st Battalion MLC to serve in this theatre.^[1]^: 5 The unit, under Major S. Samut-Tagliaferro (from the militia) and comprising a dispenser, six hospital orderlies, 502 labourers, and 307 stevedores, arrived in Salonika on 26 September 1916 and established themselves at the Ordnance Depot. A further 216 men arrived in October. All of the British Army's supplies had to be transported by boat and landed at Salonika whereas the Central Powers could make use of shorter overland supply routes.

The 1st battalion MLC is believed to have assisted in the construction of two new deep-water piers near the Standard Oil Depot, these being known as Malta Pier and Pinto Pier. The 1st Battalion remained in Salonika beyond the initially intended 9-month period and it is believed that many of its personnel re-engaged there for further duties.^[1]^: 6 The unit served outside of Salonika on the lines of communication and suffered 49 deaths during the deployment.^[1]^: 6^[2]

Second Battalion

In October 1917 a call was made for 750 recruits to form a 2nd Battalion of the corps on a 6-month contract with a 3-month re-engagement. Recruitment took place between 23 and 16 October, primarily on the less developed island of Gozo as farming skills were in high demand in Salonika. The unit was due to leave for Italy on 20 October but a shortage of transport caused a delay and the unit's members were returned home. The opportunity was taken to recruit a further 250 volunteers, and the reinforced unit left for Salonika on 5 December under the command of Major F Stivala of the Maltese militia.^[1]^: 7 The battalion was attached to XVI Corps with smaller detachments serving with XII Corps and others placed on separate agriculture and anti-malaria duties.^[1]^: 8

The 2nd Battalion headquarters was established at Janes with detachments working at Causica, Snevkem Guguni, Saraklu and Salsamani. Around 100 men worked on the Decauville Railway with many of the remainder assisting with the loading and unloading of stores for the Royal Engineers.^[1]^: 7 To provide replacements for those men returning home at the end of their contract who chose not to re-engage, a further recruitment of 926 labourers from Malta and Gozo was authorised in May 1918.^[1]^: 7–8 Three men of the 2nd Battalion died on active service prior to February 1918.^[1]^: 7

Independent companies

Following the entry of Italy into the war as an ally in May 1915 the Royal Navy began to use the port at Taranto, an important logistics link between Southern France, Northern Italy and the Mediterranean ports. The city was also used after November 1917 as a base and a rest camp for British and Commonwealth forces. The MLC, recognised as the best of the foreign-raised labour units, was asked to provide detachments from both battalions to man the docks at Taranto from spring 1918.^[1]^: 10

Additional companies were raised for service in Salonika. On 9 February 1918 a new unit, the 1st Employment Company was raised. This comprised 14 cooks, 42 waiters, 63 servants, two corporals, and three sergeants commanded by Acting Captain Charles F Von Brockdorff. Arriving in Salonika on 23 February 1918, a further 18 waiters, 100 servants, three NCOs and an officer joined the unit on 10 March to bring it up to full strength. The 2nd Employment Company was later raised, arriving in Salonika in September 1918 and comprising 200 men under 19-year-old Acting Captain W L Bonello.^[1]^: 9 The employment companies saw service in Turkey (including at Constantinople) and the Black Sea Region after the armistice. One unit remained in the area until at least May 1920, when it was possibly based near the Russian border.^[1]^: 8–9^[2]

A mining company was also started, serving at Montecchio Precalcino and Treviso in Northern Italy under the command of King's Own Royal Malta Regiment of Militia officer Lieutenant Frank Gollcher, KOMRM.^[1]^: 2, 10 Two members of this unit died of disease in Italy.^[1]^: 10 Another labour company seems to have served in Malta.^[1]^: 8

Legacy

Around 5,621 volunteers served in the Maltese Labour Corps, with each veteran receiving the British War Medal in bronze.^[1]^: 2, 13 There were 124 men killed in service during the war, forming a large proportion of the 592 total Maltese deaths in the war.^[1]^: 2 Of those that died at least 52 were serving with the 1st Battalion, 41 with the 2nd Battalion, 8 with the 1st Employment Company, 3 with the 2nd Employment Company and 2 with the Mining Company.^[1]^: 11 The dead were named on a stone cross at the War Memorial in Floriana, Malta but this was removed at some point after the Second World War and the monument rededicated to the dead of that war also.^[1]^: 2 Disease was the main cause of death, with many potentially dying during the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. In addition to the death at Gallipoli, another man may have been killed in action in Turkey after the end of the war.^[1]^: 11

Related Research Articles

The 10th (Irish) Division, was one of the first of Kitchener's New Army K1 Army Group divisions, authorized on 21 August 1914, after the outbreak of the Great War. It included battalions from the various provinces of Ireland. It was led by Irish General Bryan Mahon and fought at Gallipoli, Salonika and Palestine. It was the first of the Irish Divisions to take to the field and was the most travelled of the Irish formations. The division served as a formation of the United Kingdom's British Army during World War I.

Australian Light Horse were mounted troops with characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry, who served in the Second Boer War and World War I. During the inter-war years, a number of regiments were raised as part of Australia's part-time military force. These units were gradually mechanised either before or during World War II, although only a small number undertook operational service during the war. A number of Australian light horse units are still in existence today.

The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during the First World War. It was formed as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) following Britain's declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division and one light horse brigade. The infantry division subsequently fought at Gallipoli between April and December 1915, with a newly raised second division, as well as three light horse brigades, reinforcing the committed units.

The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, and the First and Second World Wars. It had many different titles throughout its 280 years of existence.

The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was originally a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the Gallipoli campaign. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which primarily consisted of troops from the First Australian Imperial Force and 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force, although there were also British and Indian units attached at times throughout the campaign. The corps disbanded in 1916, following the Allied evacuation of the Gallipoli peninsula and the formation of I ANZAC Corps and II ANZAC Corps. The corps was re-established, briefly, in the Second World War during the Battle of Greece in 1941. The term 'ANZAC' has been used since for joint Australian–New Zealand units of different sizes.

The 1st Division, also known as the 1st (Australian) Division, is division headquartered in Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane. The division was first formed in 1914 for service during the First World War as a part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). It was initially part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and served with that formation during the Gallipoli campaign, before later serving on the Western Front. After the war, the division became a part-time unit based in New South Wales. During the Second World War it undertook defensive duties in Australia. It was disbanded in 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment</span> Australian Army infantry battalion

The 9th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment is a Reserve light infantry battalion of the Australian Army, raised and based in the state of Queensland. It is part of the Royal Queensland Regiment and is currently attached to the 11th Brigade of the 2nd Division. 9 RQR can trace its history as far back as 1867 with the establishment Queensland Volunteer Rifle Corps, although it was not until 1911 that it was designated as the "9th Battalion". Over the course of its history, the battalion has served Australia in a number of conflicts including The Boer War, World War I and World War II, while more recently, members of the battalion have been involved in various peacekeeping operations and exercises around the Pacific region.

The Hampshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 37th Regiment of Foot and the 67th Regiment of Foot. The regiment existed continuously for 111 years and served in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. An Army Order of the 28 November 1946 stated, due to distinguished service in the Second World War, the regiment would be re-titled as the Royal Hampshire Regiment.

The 1st Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Although its numerical name was designated during the First World War, the 1st Battalion can trace its lineage back to 1854, when a unit of the Volunteer Rifles was raised in Sydney. This unit has since been redesignated a number of times, but through its links with the units of the colonial NSW defence force, the battalion's history includes services in Sudan and South Africa. During the First World War, the 1st Battalion was raised for overseas service in 1914 as part of the First Australian Imperial Force. Attached to the 1st Brigade, the battalion served in Egypt initially before taking part in the fighting in Gallipoli against the Turks. Later the battalion was sent to the Western Front where it fought in the trenches in France and Belgium as part of the Australian Corps. Following the end of the war the battalion was disbanded in 1919.

The 2nd Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was initially raised for service during the First World War as part the Australian Imperial Force and saw action at Gallipoli before being sent to the Western Front in mid-1916, where it spent the next two-and-a-half years taking part in the fighting in the trenches of France and Belgium. Following the conclusion of hostilities, the battalion was disbanded in early 1919 as part of the demobilisation process.

The 5th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Raised in Victoria as part of the First Australian Imperial Force for service during World War I, the battalion formed part of the 2nd Brigade, attached to the 1st Division. It participated in the landing at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915, coming ashore in the second wave, before taking part in the fighting at Krithia and then at Lone Pine. In December 1915, the battalion was withdrawn from the peninsula and returned to Egypt where it was involved in defending the Suez Canal until being transferred to the Western Front in France in early 1916. After that, over the course of the next two and a half years the 5th Battalion was rotated in and out of the front line and took part in a number of significant battles including at Pozieres, Ypres, Amiens and the Hindenburg Line. Following the end of the war, the battalion was disbanded and its personnel returned to Australia. The battalion was re-raised during the inter-war years as a part-time unit and was later mobilised during World War II, but did not serve overseas. During the post war period, the battalion has existed at various times before being subsumed into the 5th/6th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military history of Australia during World War I</span>

In Australia, the outbreak of World War I was greeted with considerable enthusiasm. Even before Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, the nation pledged its support alongside other states of the British Empire and almost immediately began preparations to send forces overseas to engage in the conflict. The first campaign that Australians were involved in was in German New Guinea after a hastily raised force known as the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force was dispatched in September 1914 from Australia and seized and held German possessions in the Pacific. At the same time another expeditionary force, initially consisting of 20,000 men and known as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), was raised for service overseas.

The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th (West Middlesex) and 77th (East Middlesex) Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.

The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (until 1921 known as the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Lancashire Regiment to form the Queen's Lancashire Regiment which was, in 2006, amalgamated with the King's Own Royal Border Regiment and the King's Regiment (Manchester and Liverpool) to form the Duke of Lancaster Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border).

The 13th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised for the 1st Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, it was formed just six weeks after the start of the war. Along with the 14th, 15th and 16th Battalions which were recruited from New South Wales, it formed the 4th Brigade. The battalion saw service initially at Gallipoli before being transferred to France in 1916. For the next two years it fought in the trenches of the Western Front, earning numerous battle honours in the process.

The 14th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the Australian Army. Originally raised in 1914 as part of the Australian Imperial Force for service in World War I, the battalion served at Gallipoli initially before being sent to France where it served in the trenches along the Western Front until the end of the war, when it was disbanded. It was raised again in 1921 as a part-time unit of the Citizen Forces based in Victoria. Later, during World War II the battalion was called up for defensive duties to guard against possible Japanese invasion, but in late 1942 it was merged with the 32nd Battalion to become the 14th/32nd Battalion.

The 2nd Light Horse Regiment was a mounted infantry regiment of the Australian Army during the First World War. The regiment was raised in September 1914, and by December as part of the 1st Light Horse Brigade had moved overseas. During the war the regiment only fought against the forces of the Ottoman Empire, in Egypt, at Gallipoli, on the Sinai Peninsula, and in Palestine and Jordan. After the armistice the regiment eventually returned to Australia in March 1919. For its role in the war the regiment was awarded nineteen battle honours.

The Australian Army was the largest service in the Australian military during World War I. The First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) was the Army's main expeditionary force and was formed from 15 August 1914 with an initial strength of 20,000 men, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Meanwhile, the separate, hastily raised 2,000-man Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF), landed near Rabaul in German New Guinea on 11 September 1914 and obtained the surrender of the German garrison after ten days; it later provided occupation forces for the duration of the war. In addition, small military forces based on the pre-war Permanent Forces and part-time Citizen Forces were maintained in Australia to defend the country from attack.

The Australian Cycling Corps was formed in Egypt in 1916 as part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), and fought on the Western Front in France and Belgium during World War I. They were used mainly as despatch riders, while also conducting reconnaissance and patrolling. It was disbanded in 1919.

The 1st Garrison Battalion, Essex Regiment, was a unit formed from older or unfit men for line of communication duties during World War I. It served at Gallipoli, carrying out a multitude of tasks both at the bases and under fire on the beaches. The battalion continued serving at the bases in Egypt and at Salonika until after the end of the war.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Caruana, Albert; Zammit, William (2011). "The Maltese Labour Corps during World War I". Symposia Melitensia. 7. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
1 2 3 Darmanin, Denis A. (24 February 2010). "Maltese Labour Corps during World War I". Times of Malta. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
↑ Galea, Michael. "Malta and its protagonists during World War I". Times of Malta. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
1 2 "Malta And the Anzacs - The Malta Independent". Malta Independent. Retrieved 24 October 2017.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[mlc-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Caruana, Albert; Zammit, William (2011). "The Maltese Labour Corps during World War I". Symposia Melitensia. 7. Retrieved 24 October 2017.

[times-2] 1 2 3 Darmanin, Denis A. (24 February 2010). "Maltese Labour Corps during World War I". Times of Malta. Retrieved 24 October 2017.

[3] Galea, Michael. "Malta and its protagonists during World War I". Times of Malta. Retrieved 24 October 2017.

[anzac-4] 1 2 "Malta And the Anzacs - The Malta Independent". Malta Independent. Retrieved 24 October 2017.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]