A very special day will be held next Sunday at Fort Rinella which will be jam-packed with activity, historical re-enactments and live action. An open-day is being held at this historic fort in Kalkara by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna between 10am and 5pm. Throughout the day various activities will be held by volunteer members of FWA including guided tours of the fort, viewing of audio visual, historical re-enactments and hands-on sessions. A number of novelties are also being introduced during this event.

Indeed, FWA will be launching for the first time a brand new 25-minute audiovisual in English covering the history of the fort and its monstrous gun. This production combines an excellent script with novel footage and computer reconstructed imagery that gives the viewer a unique opportunity to see how the 100-ton gun was built, worked and fired when it was in use till 1905. Copies of this production will be on sale on the day.

Also for the first time, FWA will be premiering the cavalry element of its re-enactment team with a number of horse-mounted troops representing mounted infantry from the late 19th century. These will hold a dedicated display in military horsemanship skills illustrating how one fought on horseback using a whole myriad of period weaponry from the sword to the lance. An interactive military swordsmanship display will be held wherein the public will be offered rare insight into the art and skill of 19th century military sword fighting. An expert in the field will provide a short interactive lecture on the subject using different examples of swords in use at the time. A sword fighting team will show how one fought with the different weapons too.

The programme will include a display in field-exercises showing how the infantry fought in the field in the late 19th century. This display will show how a large body of men would manoeuvre under battlefield conditions and how an attack would evolve from frontal attack to skirmishing. Also on the day a display in military signalling showing the way that the military communicated at great distances using different methods and equipment, and the firing of an original cannon from the time. The programme will be as follows: 10am till 1pm guided tours and viewing of the audiovisual display on the hour; 2pm – military signalling display; 2.30pm – military swordsmanship display; 3pm – field exercises display; 3.30pm – cavalry display, 4pm – artillery display; 4.20pm – last guided tour and viewing of audio-visual display.

Entrance for this event will be e12 for adults only. Children under 16 years and FWA members will go in for free. Funds generated from this event will go towards the ongoing restoration and upkeep of Fort Rinella. For further details please visit www.wirtartna.org. Fort Rinella is best reached following all main roads to Cottonera and then onto Kalkara. Alternatively one can take Bus number 4 that stops directly by the entrance of the fort.