A second home

I write to share some memories of mine with other readers.

Born in London's Westminster in 1930, I joined the Royal Navy in 1946 and served in the West Indies and in Germany. Eventually, in 1949, at last I came to Malta, which I had always been told was the navy's "second home".

I joined HMS Forth in Pietà Creek and on several occasions enjoyed the dancing at the Chalet which jutted out over the water in Sliema.

I can remember the police station where the law courts now stand. Opposite there used to be a huge basement bar called The Britannia, entered via steps.

The Barrakka lift was where the majority of crew landed for shore leave at Custom House Steps.

Another pub I remember well was The London Bar, down at Balluta Bay. I also spent time in Ricasoli (pictured above), which served as a Royal Navy transit area for those of us who inadvertently missed their ships' departure!

I was also unfortunate enough to need to spend time in the Naval Hospital, Vittoriosa, being treated for a broken collarbone.

Another milestone for me in Malta was passing my driving test in 1949, which secured me an international driving licence. I took my test in a Morris Minor and remember its double de-clutch!

All of this remains strongly in my memory to this day.

I next returned to Malta aboard the HMS Belfast en route to Korea in early 1951. On this trip the ship performed gun trials off the island of Filfla. Among other things, this exercise involved target shooting at scrap cars aboard pontoon floats.

While in the Far East, I had the opportunity to visit Hiroshima where I took eerie photographs of the site, including one of the first ever memorial plaques commemorating the atrocity. This simple wooden sign detailing the loss to buildings and population was shocking in its simplicity, notwithstanding such a high-technology destructive act.

On leaving the navy, I returned to London, where I met my dear wife Clemmie Sultana whose family are from Xaghra. Following our marriage in London, we subsequently honeymooned with her family in Gozo in 1961. I distinctly remember us being the only people on Ramla beach in the height of summer; something almost hard to believe today!

Twenty years later, in 1981, Clemmie and I returned to the island, making it our home for good. I became a Maltese citizen in 1990.

Inevitably, as we get older, we tend to look back on our years and, in writing, I really just wanted to make the point how Malta has been a second home to me for over 50 years.