Stravaigin's Adventures: MALTA - a trip down memory lane in March

As Mike’s memorable time here in the Royal Navy was in the 1960’s, first in HMS Ashton, 108^th Mine Sweeping Squadron and later in the Med Fleet Clearance Diving Team - during which time there had been much water-ski-ing, carousing and general enjoyment, I was naturally a bit nervous about going back and spoiling all his recollections and also not too sure what I would make of Malta myself.

Note for visitors from Sicily. The bus from Ragusa stops a good distance from

the ferry port, for some illogical reason – if you aren’t a good walker at the

moment, get a cab from the bus stop!! By the time we realised that

oh, about 1km along there” was a gross underestimate, it was too late.

I wasn’t prepared for Grand Harbour as we approached in the ferry after dark [I know, the name was a hint] – it really is magnificent. The taxi ride to our hotel in Sliema was disorientating for Mike – familiarity followed by confusion as landmarks jostled with new roads & buildings. We picked up our Fiat Uno [a bargain at £25 for 3 days!] at the Phoenecia Hotel – the opening of its swimming pool attended by Mike & reported as a “wild evening” - in Valletta and made our way round the Bastions

until we were close to Victoria Gate – and Mike’s old office! The buildings were unchanged.

It’s now a government department and the ladies were fascinated to learn that their visitor had been Flag Lieutenant to Rear Admiral Dudley Davenport whose office now houses the Minister of Finance.

The Lascaris War Rooms close by, accessed by a tunnel which Mike used to walk down to work when Flag Lieutenant. Here Eisenhower co-ordinated the Sicily landings with Admiral Cunningham & Generals Patten & Montgomery ~ the Generals loathed each other!

Our guide was the son of one of those who excavated the rock to form the Rooms and he was a mine of historical information.

Patten & Monty landed on two different beaches, near Gela and Syracuse respectively, the Brits making their way up the coast, Patten using the Roman Road straight across the island to Palermo, both forces then heading for Messina. [If any real historians are reading this, please forgive!]. This formed a pincer movement on the Germans who were on Etna and became the blueprint for the Normandy landings.

The Rooms, hewn from solid rock

The picture on the right was

an interesting find, showing Italian Navy Human Torpedoes. There was one particular attack on Malta which was unsuccessful. In 1966 a sports diver reported he had seen a large torpedo shaped object in the entrance to Marxamasett - it transpired this was the nose of a "chariot" which contained the high explosive with which to attack R N Vessels in harbour. (They would detach this nose under the target ship and set a delayed action detonator before retreating on the "chariot" - brave men). Mike was given the task of lifting and counter-mining it further off shore when, apparently the shock wave registered [faintly] in Sicily! Not long after this exercise, Mike was in La Spezia with the Italian Navy Mine Counter Measures Group ~ it transpired that the Captain of this unit was the young wartime Lieutenant who had had to abandon the attack and surrender after swimming ashore onto St. Elmo Point. He was exceptionally proud of his attempt and thrilled to learn the outcome.

The former RN diving centre in Manoel Island is abandoned – but still recognisable.

As expected, the bays where Mike and his colleagues had so much fun

The Dragonara Casino - those were the days!!

are now towered over by pretty ugly hotel & apartment developments, but we still had a couple of great days’ driving, going up to Mdina

and then over to Gozo on the ferry [taking the car at the last minute, for a princely €20 – very glad we did], where the citadel is just as impressive and not quite so touristy.

The Blue Grotto in Gozo - nowadays only accessible by tripper boat - there's one holding about 12 visitors under the arch, which gives you an idea of its size

Children enjoying the fountains which spout in time to classical music outside the palace
[I think it was Tales of Hoffman when we were there]

Tax collectors - ever with us

Despite the many visitors, Valletta is still magnificent – history just pouring out of every corner [we spent a couple of hours in the extraordinary Armoury which was in the Palace]. The British influence is still strong and we were made most welcome everywhere.