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SLR's - British drill and music...............now thats the way to keep nostalgia going and recognise the best way forward with the right training kept alive, with the best rifle money can buy. Great memories of the island ;)
Official Video - Passing Out Parade- Recruit Intake 132 - YouTube
Could almost be a passing out parade in Britain in the 1980's without the No2 dress - but with the plain lightweight trousers, shirts, green etc etc. Are the Maltese a National Service Army I wonder? Do they have any military allegiance with the UK? To think that after we left the Island, they went socialist and sided with the Comblock armies in the Med area. The Royal Malta Artillery served in BAOR in the 70's(?)
Interesting clip. Was that also the UK drill for fixing and unfixing a bayonet to an SLR? Never seen a weapon placed between the legs in that fashion.
Peter,
Yes. It was Dom Mintoff who got rid of all UK forces in 1971 finally, with 57 Sqn RAF the Canberrras being the last to leave I understand, who eventually came back to RAF Wyton.
Once he allowed the Russian Fleet in and others across the way like Ghaddafi etc it spolied the island, and the damage was done.
I went back with a Parachute Regiment delegation in 2015 to have a gravestone re done by the CWWG Commission for one of the 3 PARA lads who died of Meningitis in 1969 when 3 PARA were stationed there for 3 years, and the original grave stone was a right mess and needed sorting under GRAVEWATCH.
The reason I mention that is I asked for Maltese Armed Forces assistance, and Colonel Borg and two trumpeters came along to the re commemoration of the new Portland stone. He told me they have a very strong allegiance to the UK, and still pride themselves in keeping their standards up from what they were taught many years ago by us.
Bruce HMX,
Yes exactly the same as SLR drills used by UK Forces back in the day. They send SNCO's over to the UK who were attached to the Drill and Duties Cadre at Pirbright.
Looking at another cap badge on another video, it looks as though their Artillery badge is just ours - with the crown chopped off! I suppose that with Cyprus and Italy available, Malta had no serious strategic importance in the Med area. Many years ago my friend Charlie Witcher was an R-Navy diver based in Malta. They used to use sunken German ships for their training exercises including a couple loaded with tanks as deck and hold cargo for the Afrika Corps. Even then, during the 60's the ship decks were collapsing and dangerous places
They use a very strange assortment of weapons. SLR's are for parade use only. Primary weapon is the AK-47. It pretty much looks like they are armed by NATO, Russia and China. Weird has to make the logistics folks crazy. Pulled another clip of them on the rifle range with AK's. You could tell the range was very old with concrete firing positions. Which I would assume were built by the UK. Uniforms were also an odd assortment of UK and US with the US rip stop cammies from the late 90's.
There were a couple things though...goose stepping, point the toes...butts back...waddling...(slow time)
That sequential drill is too ragged. Better to do the move as one man.
Sadly, thats what happens when there are so many outside influences. I lived on the island from 66-69 when John Frost of Arnhem fame was the GOC Maltese Army.
Their artillery cap badge was an offshoot of anti air batteries during WW2, but now without the crown.
They were using 25 pounders during my stay there and I did see them and the SLR on guard duty outside Government House in 2015, so you may be right SLR's and drill UK style, and AK47's for ops jobs.......I'll have to ask when I go back as I often do. If there was ever a place for me to live away from England, it would be Malta;)
I'll bet you sat chatting for hours and listened very closely, then imagined what that exit must have been like. "Hold until relieved..."Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
That was the FIX and UNFIX bayonet drill Bruce. I was taught it when I was a 'real' recruit at the end of my 3 year apprenticeship at Carlisle - and never had to use it thereafter, even at Sandhurst. Except for one solitary instance......... And that was as a member of the Quarter Guard during a royal visit in 1970. But we were all different units and all trained to an equally low standard. I think after the full dress rehearsal the day before, it looked such a shambles that we marched on and off with bayonets fixed. The problem was that UNfix bayonets was done without looking down, with the rifle between your legs - as you see and say. Our bayonets had a recessed catch and it was touch and go whether you even managed it.......... But at least it gave the RSM and a couple of CSM's a chance to really bawl and shout at everyone.
Never take your eyes off the enemy...Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
Jim,
Never met the man personally, but have walked in his shadow, but never knew it!!
He was a true legend of young British commanders in WW2, who was gifted the Bruneval Raid, of which he made a great success, and probably took us to a better understanding of radar by stealing the new technology right from under the Germans noses.
When you way up the cross winds and size of the DZ to do a drop near the cliffs at Bruneval, and rally his men, it all came together for him on the night, and he suceeded in his task, as he did getting to the Bridge at Arnhem 3 years later.
A real shame swifter movements by other units didn't materialise on their respective paths to Arnhem, it would have shortened the war incredibly. With all things Military it is always a great element of luck, right place at the right time, that gets you through IMHO!!!
Exactly, and remember what he told the Germans..."We don't have the room to take you all prisoner...Sorry!"Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
Is anyone able to positively identify the large guns each side of the parade ground, please? I wondered about German 88mm but after comparing them to photographs of 88mm in a book I don't think that they are.
Must be Brit anti aircraft guns as it befitted "their" role as Royal Artillery in WW2 defending the island. As Peter said earlier they were Royal until 1971 when the crown was dropped by mistake from their cap badge. They wish they still had us I'm sure on reflection.
That would make them 90mm then...Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
That would probably be about right looking at their posture.
I don't think that they are the old 3.7" AA guns. I did look at them and think that they're soviet. Could be wrong of course never having been with the gungy gunners
Soviet 76mm then?
Nope..... I say heavy soviet artillery. The Malta Artillery were a Heavy Field Regiment when based in Soltau, NW Germany as I recall. I think that they're field guns as opposed to AAA
I can only speak for myself and what I saw when I lived there in the sixties.
The gun ALWAYS being towed around by the AEC Matador was the Bristol Bofors guns as per the picture. All in sand colour. I know as Peter said they did a stint at Dortmund BAOR and raised a few eye brows as most of their kit was 10 years behind the times, but very much operational and in good capable hands.
The guns on the parade square look heavier agreed, but still think they look British.
This should help, they're 3.7 heavy AA guns. Apparently museum pieces. Read on... Times of Malta The Busbesija secret
Jim,
Thanks for that. Knew we would get there eventually.
Ta-Qali Airfield was a secondary runway near Mosta Town where a 500Ib bomb still sits on full public display where it landed through the church dome on the floor.
Many AA units operated around Mosta and Mdina as clear line of site compared to operating with limited view in and around the walled City of Valetta on one side of the harbour, and St Angelo the other side where the Royal Navy were based.
Albeit, many AA gun emplacements can still be found on the walls today erected by the Knights of St John's & Templars and have stood the test of time and against many invaders.
Great island steeped in history and very pro British even now.
The 40/70 guns referred to in thread 21 were the 60's L7 automatic/upgraded 40mm Bofors that were joystick controlled and radar guided* for azimuth and height.
*archaic radar control it has to be said!
The guns subject to the original Q must be 3.7's less their wheel/transport platforms. It looked to me as though they had trails fitted - as per the old 5.5" heavy guns. but I can't get anything to come up with your prompt BAR.
K, let's do this then. Also the stolen text as quoted..." The emplacements are safe for the time being and the four 3.7-inch guns held by the AFM at Luqa Barracks would be a perfect fit .The guns were kindly donated by Stan Fraser who had served in HAA in Malta during the siege; he had found them in a UK scrapyard."Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
So, they're actually what we called 3" 70's... If you hunt up Luqa Barracks on Google earth you see the guns. Also there's the text package showing the museum and the 500lb bomb referred to.
So would I be correct in thinking that this type of heavy AA gun would normally be placed onto a thick circular concrete base? In more recent years I have noticed one or two such circular concrete bases where I suspect there could have been an AA emplacement during WW2.
You are correct when the gun was in a 'fixed' or long term placement. More mobile guns - those that moved with the troops, i.e. during the Desert Campaign, etc. basically set up where needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying10uk
Oddly, they don't look like the 3.7" AA gun on the sea front at Southsea............
The caption on the phot, said;
British troops training. Firing with a 3.7 inch anti-aircraft gun. Probably late 1940.
Of course that doesn't make it correct.
They look different from ours that were one the warships too...Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
Ain't that the truth?Quote:
Originally Posted by gsimmons