Pembroke Army Garrison

Last updated

Pembroke Garrison
Pembroke, Malta
Coordinates 35°55′30″N14°28′30″E / 35.92500°N 14.47500°E / 35.92500; 14.47500
Type Fortifications, Barracks, military families' quarters and Wartime Military Hospitals in WW1 and WW2
Height Low rise
Site information
Owner Government of Malta
Controlled byPembroke Town Council
ConditionLargely intact with some derelict buildings
Site history
Built1862 with several development phases up til 1941
Built by British Empire
In use1869–1977
Materials Limestone
Battles/warsLogistic and medical support to World War I and the Siege of Malta (World War II)

Pembroke Garrison is a dispersed collection of former British Army barracks built in the vicinity of Fort Pembroke, [1] northern Malta.

Contents

History

Pembroke Garrison developed around a Victorian fortification (Fort Pembroke), a gun emplacement, a barracks, a tented musketry camp, rifle ranges and training areas. [2] St George's Barracks [3] was built first, followed by Fort Pembroke, then St Andrew's Barracks and finally St Patrick's Barracks; built by the British in four main building phases 19th and 20th centuries. [4] Part of the garrison (St Andrew's Barracks) was used as a military hospital during the First World War; [5] during the war Malta's military hospitals and convalescent camps, particularly those at Pembroke, dealt with over 135,000 sick and wounded, most of whom were casualties of the Gallipoli and Salonika campaigns. [6] It remained in use by the British military until 1977. [7] St Patrick's Barracks was not constructed until World War Two. [8]

Today the former British garrison sits inside the Pembroke Local Council administrative area (shown in red). Pembrooke in Malta.svg
Today the former British garrison sits inside the Pembroke Local Council administrative area (shown in red).

Army units based at Pembroke Garrison between 1954 and 1967 would have been subordinate to Headquarters Malta and Libya. [9]

At the height of its occupancy the British garrison at Pembroke included St George's, [10] St Patrick's [11] and St Andrew's Barracks, [12] places of worship, [13] firing ranges and Fort Pembroke itself; as well as a military repair base, a medical centre, a military cemetery, [14] a garrison school [15] and other soldier and family welfare facilities (i.e. a NAAFI shop, military post office and beach club (the 'Robb Lido' along the northern edge of St George's Bay [16] ) and regimental messes).

In May 1940 naval and army families living on the island were moved to Pembroke Garrison (into St George's and St Andrew's Barracks). [17] Once St Patrick's barracks were constructed in 1941 Pembroke Garrison would be a critical medical support base for the island. [18]

St Patrick's Barracks in the background, it is now a girls secondary school. Malta - Pembroke - Triq Martin Luther King + St Clare College 01 ies.jpg
St Patrick's Barracks in the background, it is now a girls secondary school.
The entrance to Fort Pembroke, now housing the Verdala International School. Fort Pembroke 11.jpg
The entrance to Fort Pembroke, now housing the Verdala International School.
The now derelict Australia Hall at St Andrew's Barracks, built as a theatre and cinema after World War I. Australia Hall, Pembroke.jpeg
The now derelict Australia Hall at St Andrew's Barracks, built as a theatre and cinema after World War I.
The Pembroke Ranges looking out to sea; the ranges are still being used by the Maltese Government, but this is already ear-marked as a unique conservation area. Malta - Pembroke - Triq Martin Luther King - Rifle Ranges 02 ies.jpg
The Pembroke Ranges looking out to sea; the ranges are still being used by the Maltese Government, but this is already ear-marked as a unique conservation area.

British Army and Royal Marines units based at Pembroke Garrison

This is not an exhaustive list of the British Army and Royal Marines (RM) units that occupied the Pembroke Garrison, but it represents those that are recorded:

St Georges Barracks - constructed between 1859 and 1862
St Andrew's Barracks - not occupied until April 1905 [29]
St Paul's Hutments
St Patrick's Barracks - constructed in 1941

Although the Pembroke Garrison was nominally an Army facility able to house three infantry battalions, it is clear that the Royal Marines had a long post-war association with Pembroke.

Transfer of ownership to the Maltese Government

The bulk of the garrison's sites were decommissioned and handed to the Government of Malta in 1977. The barracks and their environs are now divided into a thriving community of Pembroke made up public and private housing; and a number of notable colleges and schools, many of them located in re-purposed original British Army barrack blocks. [40]

The limestone karst countryside around promotes a unique ecology called garigue which the local authorities are keen to promote as a visitor attraction, along with the military heritage. [41]

Legacy Pembroke site reuse noted

St George's Barracks (the oldest of Pembroke Garrison's unit location) has not survived intact (as did St Andrew's and St Patrick's) and this probably reflects the fact that after British withdrawal from Malta there was not the imperative and funds that there is now to preserve and use heritage imperial building stock. Australia Hall, [51] the former REME workshops and the White Rocks Officers' Quarters [52] areas are still in need of development and restoration.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">45 Commando</span> Battalion sized formation of the Royal Marines

45 Commando Royal Marines is a battalion sized unit of the British Royal Marines and subordinate unit within 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, the principal Commando formation, under the Operational Command of the Fleet Commander.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Forces Overseas Hong Kong</span> United Kingdom military forces in the colony of Hong Kong

British Forces Overseas Hong Kong comprised the elements of the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force stationed in British Hong Kong. The Governor of Hong Kong also assumed the position of the commander-in-chief of the forces and the Commander British Forces in Hong Kong took charge of the daily deployment of the troops. Much of the British military left prior to the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997. The present article focuses mainly on the British garrison in Hong Kong in the post Second World War era. For more information concerning the British garrison during the Second World War and earlier, see the Battle of Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pembroke, Malta</span> Local council in Northern Region, Malta

Pembroke is a town in the Northern Region of Malta, and it is considered to be the country's newest locality. To the east is Paceville, the nightlife district of Malta. The coastal town and tourist hub of St. Julian's lies to the southeast, and the residential area of Swieqi lies to the south. The hilltop village of Madliena is to its west, and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq lies to the northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Armoured Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)</span> Inactive British Army formation

The 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army with a long history including service during both the First and the Second World Wars. It was based at Tidworth Camp. Previously, it has been designated 1st (Guards) Brigade, 1st Infantry Brigade, 1st Mechanised Brigade, and under the initial Army 2020 reforms assumed the title of 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade. Under the Future Soldier programme, the brigade merged with the 1st Artillery Brigade to form the 1st Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colchester Garrison</span> Military installation in Essex, England

Colchester Garrison is a major garrison located in Colchester in the county of Essex, eastern England. It has been an important military base since the Roman era. The first permanent military garrison in Colchester was established by Legio XX Valeria Victrix in AD 43, following the Roman conquest of Britain. Colchester was an important garrison town during the Napoleonic Wars and throughout the Victorian era. During the First World War, several battalions of Kitchener's Army were trained there.

St. Andrew's is an area, formerly part of Għargħur, at the borders of Swieqi and Pembroke in Malta. It takes its name from St Andrews Barracks which were part of the Pembroke Army Garrison in the 1900s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Service Children's Education</span> UK education service for children of the Armed Forces

Service Children's Education (SCE) is an organisation of the United Kingdom government responsible for the education of the children of British Armed Forces families and Ministry of Defence (MoD) personnel serving outside of the United Kingdom. They provide schools and educational support services from Foundation Stage through to sixth form. They are headquartered at Trenchard Lines, Upavon, Wiltshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tidworth Camp</span> Military installation at Tidworth in Wiltshire, England

Tidworth Camp is a military installation at Tidworth in Wiltshire, England. It forms part of the Tidworth, Netheravon and Bulford (TidNBul) Garrison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Pembroke</span> Polygonal fort in Malta

Fort Pembroke is a polygonal fort in Pembroke, Malta. It was built between 1875 and 1878 by the British to defend part of the Victoria Lines. The fort now houses the Verdala International School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Verdala</span>

Fort Verdala, also known as Verdala Barracks, is a fortified barracks in Cospicua, Malta. It was built by the British in the 1850s within part of the bastions of the 17th century Santa Margherita Lines. The fort was used as a prisoner-of-war camp in both World Wars, and was later known as HMS Euroclydon. It remained in use by the British military until 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Structure of the British Army</span> Organisation of the British Army

The page contains the current structure of the British Army. The British Army is currently being reorganised to the Future Soldier structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Regiment (Malta)</span> Military unit

The 1st Regiment is a light infantry battalion of the Armed Forces of Malta. The Regimental Headquarters is at Lyster Barracks in Ħal Far. Lyster Barracks was a former Royal Navy and Royal Air Force barracks and originally named after Vice Admiral Sir Arthur Lumley St George Lyster. Admiral Lyster commanded the Fleet Air Arm force that protected the Operation Pedestal convoy force to Malta during World War 2. The current barracks site includes some of the original British military architecture and four of the accommodation blocks are named after famous Royal Navy aircraft carriers, some of whom were frequent visitors to Malta; i.e. Glorious, Courageous, Eagle and Hermes

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Andrew's Service Children's Primary School (Malta)</span>

St Andrews's School was a primary school located within the British Army garrison at Pembroke on the island of Malta. The school opened in 1908 as part of St Andrew's barracks an integrated garrison development at Pembroke It would serve as a primary school for army and families based in the Pembroke Garrison, closing in 1978 as the UK drew down its forces on Malta. After 70 years of educational activity at the site the school buildings and grounds were handed over to the Maltese Government.

<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 Fortress Squadron, Royal Engineers</span> British Royal Engineer unit

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. However a distinct Maltese Sapper force is raised in 1892 and remains until 1970.

<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. 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, the Second World War would see the Command operate as a genuine war-fighting headquarters, albeit in a static defensive role.

The Maltese Veterans, also known as the Corps of Veterans, was a corps in the British Army which existed from 1803 to 1815 in Malta, then a British protectorate and later a colony.

The Royal Malta Fencible Regiment was an infantry battalion of the British Army which existed from 1815 to 1861 in Malta, then a British colony. The regiment was recruited and organised by Francesco Rivarola in 1815; Rivarola had proved himself loyal to the British Crown in fighting France. In 1861 the regiment was disbanded as an infantry unit and designated as a coastal artillery defence regiment, becoming the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imperial fortress</span> One of four key British colonial military outposts

Lord Salisbury described Malta, Gibraltar, Bermuda, and Halifax as Imperial fortresses at the 1887 Colonial Conference, though by that point they had been so designated for decades. Later historians have also given the title "imperial fortress" to St. Helena and Mauritius.

References

  1. Darmanin, Denis A (2010). Pembroke From a British Garrison to a Modern Civilian Town. ISBN   9789993208631.
  2. "Pembroke Heritage Project - Visitors' Site Guide". Issuu. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  3. "Military Hospitals of the Malta Garrison - Pembroke Camp District - Forrest Hospital St Julian's". archive.li. 11 January 2016. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. "About Pembroke". www.maltatogo.org. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  5. "The ANZAC experience in Malta - Page 7" (PDF). Australian High Commission Valletta. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  6. "Military Cemetery, Pembroke". Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features. MEPA. Retrieved 11 July 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. Ltd, Allied Newspapers (15 September 2013). "Pembroke: from war symbol to spacious modern town". Times of Malta. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  8. "Malta Garrison 1941". maltaramc.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  9. UK, The National Archives. "War Office, Headquarters Malta and Libya". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. UK Government. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  10. Archives, The National. "St George's Barracks, Malta". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Suffolk Regiment Archives. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  11. Ltd, Allied Newspapers (11 February 2010). "Protecting the most significant buildings, monuments and features of Pembroke (9)". Times of Malta. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  12. "St Andrew's Barracks". MEPA. Retrieved 8 July 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. Archives, The National. "Christ Church, Pembroke Garrison, Malta". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  14. "PEMBROKE MILITARY CEMETERY". Cemetery Details. CWGC. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  15. "Malta Garrison 1903 - Army Education Department, List of School Masters/Mistresses". maltaramc.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  16. "Environment and Transport World, Pages 6 & 7" (PDF). The Department of the Environment and the Department of Transport. Retrieved 10 July 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  17. "Malta Garrison 1940 - Medical Aid Posts". maltaramc.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  18. "Malta Garrison 1941". maltaramc.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  19. "Loyal North Lancashire Regiment". www.maltaramc.com. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  20. BMJ, Military Health (September 1909). "AN OUTBREAK OF SIMPLE CONTINUED FEVER ASSUMING EPIDEMIC FORM AMONGST NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN OF C COMPANY, 4TH BATTALION RIFLE BRIGADE" (PDF). BMJ Military Health. 13 (3): 252–258. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  21. 2 Apr 1911, England & Wales National Census - Overseas Regimental Returns
  22. "The ANZAC Experience in Malta" (PDF). Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  23. Leese, James (2013). Going for a Soldier. Lulu.com. pp. 49–50. ISBN   9781291407334.
  24. Felton, Mark (2013). China Station: The British Military in the Middle Kingdom, 1839–1997. Pen and Sword. ISBN   978-1-4738-2960-2 . Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  25. The National Archives. "The Suffolk Regiment at St George's Barracks, Malta". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. The Suffolk Regt. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  26. "40 Commando RM, 'A' Troop, July 1949". gallery.commandoveterans.org. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  27. "Heavy Air Defence Regiment - Regiment History, War & Military Records & Archives". www.forces-war-records.co.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  28. "Royal Marines Aviation". www.aviationinmalta.com. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  29. "Malta Garrison 1905 - Barracks". maltaramc.com. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  30. "Malta Garrison 1941". maltaramc.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  31. "The Royal Marines". maltaramc.com. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  32. "X Troop St Andrews Barracks Malta 1957". www.40commandoassociation.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  33. "About Pembroke". www.maltatogo.org. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  34. "St Paul's Hutments". MEPA. Retrieved 11 July 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  35. Allied Newspapers (13 April 2003). "Their skills helped to defend Malta". Times of Malta . Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  36. "Malta Garrison 1941". maltaramc.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  37. "The Royal Marines". maltaramc.com. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  38. "36 Regt RA Associated Units". www.36reg.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  39. "Royal Leicestershire Regiment - Looking back - Various photos page 1". sites.google.com. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  40. Mitev, Georgi. "Pembroke, Malta - Information and interests". www.malta.com. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  41. "Pembroke Heritage Project - Visitors' Site Guide". issuu. Pembroke Heritage Project. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  42. "Contact Us". www.its.edu.mt. ITS Malta. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  43. "Verdala International School Malta - VIS Malta". www.verdala.org. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  44. "Kunsill Lokali Pembroke - Dħul" [Pembroke Local Council - Income]. www.pembroke.gov.mt (in Maltese). Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  45. "Malta | Middlesex University London". www.mdx.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  46. "Home". STC Higher Education. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  47. "Home". www.stmeduc.org. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  48. Malta, Sprachcaffe. "Sprachcaffe Malta". www.sprachcaffe-malta.com. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  49. "National Sport School". nss.skola.edu.mt. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  50. "St Clare College Pembroke Secondary School". edumalta.gov.mt. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  51. "The Ruined Australia Hall in Pembroke, Malta - Urban Ghosts Media". Urban Ghosts Media. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  52. "White Rocks project hits the rocks". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 10 July 2017.