Fort Delimara is one of a ring of forts and batteries protecting Marsaxlokk harbour. It still houses the world’s last remaining four 38-ton guns mounted on dwarf carriages. After being used as a pig farm for about 15 years, in 2005 the government handed the fort over to Heritage Malta. It is in danger of collapse. Anthony Zarb Dimech writes

There is a 3.5 mile walk round Delimara Point and along the east coast of the peninsula and back to Marsaxlokk along rocky tracks and lanes.

Fort Delimara was built by the British between 1876 and 1880 with a deep ditch all round and a fine look-out over Marsaxlokk Bay to the Kalafrana new port and the anchorage for the Bush/Gorbachev warships during the summit Conference. The area is exposed to the Gregales.

Across the bay one can see the Knights’ Fort San Luciano built by Aloph de Wignacourt in 1610. The fort’s guns were successful in destroying numerous Turkish galleys attempting a landing in the bay. This fort was further strengthened by the British, together with Fort Benghisa (also in 1880). These three forts protected this fine harbour.

Among the most popular weekly papers during the 20th century Britain was The Penny Illustrated Paper published in London between 12 October 1861 – 24 May 1913 and The Graphic, also a London weekly which was in print from 1 January 1870. It continued to be published weekly under this title until 23 April 1932 and then changed title to The National Graphic between 28 April and 14 July 1932; it then ceased publication after 3,266 issues. From 1889 it also published The Daily Graphic.

As the name suggests The Graphic carried illustrated events in the British colonies and elsewhere and the issue of Saturday 14 November 1885 carried a front cover page illustrating life in Fort Delimara, Malta.

The eight illustrations reveal the following aspects of life which all have the characteristic tinge of British humour in them:

• A Great Event: The Governor’s Inspection: - “I don’t think much of this drawbridge of yours, Colonel.”

• Arrival of the mess cart from Headquarters with mail.

• The Officers’ Mess and its three members.

• Working the big guns: hauling up the shell, infantry garrison assisting and learning gun drill.

• Talking to other forts.

• Officers’ servants cooking lunch with charcoal and “Chatty” (a Maltese stove made of soft stone).

• Duty and pleasure: The latest news from Valletta

• Garrison hair cutter by special appointment.

The frontispiece of The Graphic

of 14 November 1885

The British gave much publicity to the manoeuvres of their troops in whatever part of the globe they were stationed. These manoeuvres resembled more closely year by year the real “game of war”. Two miniature armies took the field against each other and the operations were carried out on a quite a large scale. Regiments were not to be judged so much by the smartness of their ceremonial drill, and the steadiness with which they pass the saluting base but rather by their movements in the field. To this end, the defenders by land were drilled annually in military tactics.

A 38-tonne muzzle-loading

gun at Fort Delimara

By 1879 there were four large warships and a garrison of 6,500 men in Malta. Ten years later Malta held 10,777 men, strongest of all garrisons in the English colonies. By 1904 it was nearly 17,000. Malta was needed as a British stronghold. Throughout this period capabilities, both in attack and defence, rapidly developed. Large cannons had to be forged in England and shipped out to Malta where new platforms and expensive magazines had to be constructed.

Asked by a local newspaper to rate 10 forts on their state of deterioration and accessibility were three Maltese experts, Stephen Spiteri (historian of military architecture), Stanley Farrugia Randon (Din L-Art Helwa council member) and Mario Farrugia (Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna chairman) .

According to Dr. Spiteri, Malta has 20 major forts. Those built by the knights contain 76 bastions, over 100 curtain walls and 27 gateways. Fort Rinella is the only one that is restored and accessible to the public.

Apart from the forts, there are eight fortified cities, three defensive lines, 24 towers, 36 coastal batteries, 10 coastal entrenchments and more. Quoting Dr. Spiteri who is also the Superintendent of Fortifications, said:

“In every sense, a prodigious mass of buildings and structures that requires enormous resources, both financial and trained personnel, to enable all the components to be restored, repaired, managed, and maintained.”

The various aspects of life shown in The Graphic of 1885 may be seen in Victorian Military Re-Enactments which are held at Fort Rinella (1884) (Kalkara) where re-enactors representing late 19th century Victorian soldiers present different interactive displays which include:

• Victorian Military Signaling Display,

• Musketry Display,

• Sword and Bayonet Display,

• Display in British military foot drill and skill at arms, using the standard equipment of the British Victorian infantry man in the field, and,

• Live firing of an original late-19th century British rifled muzzle loading siege gun, and other activities.

These displays combine expert commentary with lively interpretation using original weapons and equipment from the era.