Architect and ex-SAS soldier hails Maltese architecture

An architecture student whose studies were interrupted by war fell in love with Malta when he landed here at the height of World War II.

Quentin Hughes, 83, distinguished himself in the promotion of Malta as an important centre of baroque and military architecture. His works earned him the National Order of Merit, which was conferred on him last month. He is one of the authors of a new book, Malta - the Baroque Island, produced by Midsea Books Ltd. Conrad Thake is the co-author of the book and photography is by Daniel Cilia.

The lavish publication contains a representative survey of the rich mosaic of the island's architectural legacy from the rule of the Order of St John between 1530 and 1798.

Prof. Hughes, who came here for an informal public discussion about the general aspects of baroque architecture in Malta, yesterday told The Times about his impressions of Malta during the war.

Life is full of twists of fate, and the young soldier was given a posting with the navy for the Malta convoy as the navy wanted someone to stand on the bridge and identify enemy aircraft. He was posted to HMS Arethusa, a light cruiser.

"I used to identify the Stukas and other enemy aircraft coming at us. We were alongside HMS Belfast when she was torpedoed. So when I set foot on Malta, I breathed a sigh of relief to be on solid ground, even though it was the height of the blitz.

"I fell in love with Malta and started going around drawing people and buildings. Mdina used to be really a silent city as there was not a soul in sight there during the war," Prof. Hughes recalled.

He stayed in Malta until 1943. "When the siege was over and it got a bit boring I joined the SAS and went to Italy.

"I was badly injured and my colleague was killed when we were blowing up a reconnaissance installation at an airfield to stop the Germans from detecting the landings at Anzio. I lost my right eye and ear and suffered a very badly damaged leg.

"I was kept in solitary confinement in a German officers' hospital in Perugia and the Gestapo were always asking if I was fit enough to be moved so I could be shot but I was rescued by the doctor who always said I was unwell and we used to drink at night with the officers there.

"Field Marshal Kesselring's nephew eventually sent me to a POW camp on a train but I did not wait to get there and jumped off close to Modena, when the train was moving at 30 miles an hour. I joined the Italian partisans and taught them sabotage techniques. Then I sailed in a boat down the Adriatic and got back behind our lines," Prof. Hughes said.

After the war, he resumed his studies. His service in the army made him more interested in military architecture and he wrote a book about military architecture which spanned from Greek times to the 20th century.

"Malta has a lot of important military buildings, spanning from 1530 to the British period and featured prominently in that book," he said.

A scholarship in 1956 enabled him to write The Building of Malta, his first book about the country.

Prof. Hughes feels the interiors of St John's Co-Cathedral and Mdina cathedral are among the finest pieces of baroque architecture existing on the island.

"After Rome, Malta has the richest concentration of baroque architecture anywhere in the world," he said.

Valletta's fortifications and the Fortini and Rinella forts are among the most interesting pieces of military architecture. But he feels Malta's assets are not marketed well enough with tourists.

"Sometimes I meet people in England who do not know where Malta is. That should tell you something," he said.

His greatest regret is that Malta was over populated and there are many cars, many roads and more urbanisation that destroyed the integrity of villages. Valletta has become a nine to five city. "It could be good if you get students to live in the city. They keep the place alive and are strong enough to walk up stairs. They don't need a lift like I do," he said jokingly.

Prof. Hughes, a former lecturer at the Universty of Malta, says his new book contains research that has been carried out over many years. "Both of us worked at it for some two-and-a-half years but we both had an extensive baggage".

The book highlights the works of both local and foreign architects and military engineers who contributed to shaping the Maltese urban landscape and should prove to be a standard reference work on Maltese baroque architecture.

It is a tribute to the works of diverse architects such as Francesco Buonamici, Lorenzo Gafà, Romano Carapecchia and others who produced some of the most endearing works of architecture of this period.

Both authors will hold a discussion about the general aspects of baroque architecture in Malta, which will be accompanied by a visual presentation by Mr Cilia.

The discussion, organised by Midsea Books Ltd, in association with Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna (Malta Heritage Trust) and the British Cultural Association, will be held at the Manwel Dimech Hall, Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Further information is obtainable from Midsea Book on 2149 7046.