Former Armed Forces of Malta Commander Maurice Calleja has passed away. He was 87 years old.

Calleja was born in Msida and studied at St Edward’s College and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, UK.

He served with RMA regiments between 1954 and 1964, before being posted to Germany with the British Army of the Rhine as transport major up to 1968.

He later served as major of the Malta Land Force up to 1970, and was later second in command of the Pioneer Corp Battalion.

In 1980, Calleja was appointed deputy commander of the newly-formed Task Force, being promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1982 and colonel in 1986. In 1988, he was promoted to deputy commander of the Armed Forces of Malta, and AFM brigadier in 1991.

Calleja specialised in weapons, ballistics and sharpshooting.

Source: Dictionary of Maltese Biographies, Michael J. Schiavone