The idea of writing a series of articles accompanied by photos of World War II pillboxes and other field defences in Malta has always been on my mind. My aim is to record as many as possible of the remaining pillboxes and bring them to the public’s attention. The series started with a three-part feature about the pillboxes and other field defences of Mellieħa (see part 1, part 2 and part 3 here). It continued with similar features about Mosta and Mġarr. The sixth place to visit is Naxxar.

Building of the first group of pillboxes, 1935-39

Although the first building programme of pillboxes and other field defences began in 1935, when Italy invaded Abyssinia, the first real pillboxes were built around August 1938. Land began to be bought from civilians or ceded by the government to the War Department for the building of pillboxes and other type of defences.

It seems the real building programme of pillboxes started in 1938 because this is the earliest date that the first defences of this type were built in Malta. These pillboxes were built by the Royal Engineers and many of those built during this period were beach-posts and depth-posts.

Building of the second group of pillboxes, 1939-42

As a result of the growing threat of war, after the occupation of the whole Czechoslovakia in March 1939, the previous type of pillboxes was discarded. The stone-cladding camouflage and curved fronts had to be abandoned and, so, a new type of pillbox, which was similar to the shape of a box, was introduced.

Pillbox (Beach-post) SB.3(L) defending the right side of the entrance to Salina Bay. Unfortunately, this military structure was demolished when the coast road was widened. Only the Lyons Light emplacement survived. Photo: Author’s collection

Like the previous ones, the new type of pillboxes was built by the Royal Engineers. The building of the previous type of pillboxes was found to take a lot of time and, since the threat of war was increasing, an easy model of building pillboxes was introduced. This time, most of the new pillboxes were build inland and some of them still exist.

There were three main types of pillboxes built during this period and many of them were not camouflaged. Those that were painted were camouflaged to look like rubble walls or even painted to appear as rural farmhouses; in the latter case, even doors and windows were painted. As already stated, the pillboxes built during this period were box-shaped. Nearly all of them have four rectangular machine-gun portholes in the four corners of the structure.

They had also an observation turret either in the middle of the pillbox roof or in the front, the latter generally consisted of a high-rise turret that is raised from the ground floor. The observation cupola was reached by a ladder. In the middle of each wall, there were two rifle loopholes and the pillboxes had an entrance hatch at the rear. Although the first raids on Malta began on June 11, 1940, the building of pillboxes continued till the siege was lifted, in mid-1942.

Għallis Tower was incorporated in the defence of the approaches to Salina Bay. Photos show a close-up of the tower and a view of it in the context of its surrounding environment. Photo: author’s collection

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Qalet Marku Tower defended the approaches to both Qalet Marku and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq bays. Photo: Author’s collection

Map of the position of L.51 at T’Alla w Ommu: Photo: National Archives

According to a wartime map, if we observe the modern limits of Naxxar, there were around 11 pillboxes and other field defences. These were L.02 (St Michael chapel), L. 51, L.53, L.54, R.15 (T’Alla w Ommu), SB.3 (L), GP.5, KM.3 (Ras il-Qrejten) and three other non-numerated military structures.

How the pillboxes were armed and supplied

A reinactment of a soldier on guard the entrance to R.15 during an open-day of pillbox R.15 in early 1999 after it had been restored by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna. Photo: author’s collection

A reinactment of a two soldiers manning a Bren gun on a tripod against low flying enemy aircraft. Photo: author’s collection

The beach-posts were generally armed with Vickers 0.303-inch heavy machine-guns while the depth-posts and reserve-post were armed with Bren light machine-guns. Apart from these small arms, soldiers could also use their Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE) rifles from the small loopholes that all pillboxes had.

All the machine-gun portholes and rifle loopholes had a shutter that could be closed in colder days. Every pillbox had sufficient ammunition so that, in case of an invasion, they could resist for a number of days.

Many of the pillboxes had also a Bren gun mounted on a tripod to be used against low-flying enemy aircraft. These Bren guns were surrounded with sand bags against enemy bullets. Every pillbox had also a small water tank for the soldiers’ daily needs.

Inside every pillbox there were wooden beds where the soldiers could sleep during the night. The soldiers were also supplied with skimmed milk, coffee and other food items. They had also kettles, mugs, bowls and kitchen pots, all made of enamel.

Each structure had a telephone connected with other pillboxes and the headquarters. Each pillbox was surrounded with double barbed wire in case of an invasion by enemy soldiers. This would have prevented them from reaching the structure.

In ‘normal’ situations, 33 per cent of the garrison of each beach-post would ‘stand to’ from one hour before sunrise to full light and 20 per cent from sunset to one hour after sunrise. (The entire garrison would serve only in case of an invasion.)

At night, sentries would be posted at key beach-posts selected by brigades commanders and active patrolling of the coastline would be carried out. However, if a storm hit Malta, there will be a reduction of patrols as decided by the brigade commanders. On the other hand, all troops were to ‘stand to’ from one hour before sunrise to full light and from sunset to one hour after sunrise.

Italian/German preparations for the invasion of Malta, 1942

While the British authorities were building pillboxes and other field defences in Malta in the late 1930s and early 1940s, the Italian naval authorities continued to prepare their plans to invade Malta. They knew every detail of the Maltese islands; obviously this was helped by air photography (and probably Maltese who remained in Italy helped them too). 

In his book Operazione C3: Malta, Mariano Gabriele includes in the appendices a résumé of a meeting, dated March 6, 1942, which consisted of the presentation of studies made by the Italians, including Admiral Tur and General Sogno, Comando Supremo Italiano and a group of Japanese experts. The latter already had vast experience of seaborne invasions and successful landings in the Far East, against Allied colonies, between December 1941 and March 1942.

By mid-April 1942, the Germans had begun to take a more practical interest and a joint German-Italian staff was set up. New plans jostled one another but certain firm agreements were gradually reached. 

The Italians, in conjunction with the Germans, knew that the islands needed to be bombarded heavily to soften the military installations. By May, the definite plan was prepared for the invasion of the islands by the Regio Ezercito (Italian Royal Army), Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) and Regia Aeronautica (Italian Royal Air Force) in conjunction with the Germans. According to these plans, the main target in the invasion was going to be the southern part of Malta.

Naxxar was included in the latest Italian invasion plan, code-named Operazione ‘C3’. It says that the Italian Superga division was to disembark between the Għallis and Qalet Marku coastline. 

Besides, a feint attack was to be launched next to this zone, that is, from Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Bay to Madliena Tower. The Italians were to drop mannequins inside the Naxxar confines to alienate the defences that paratroops had landed behind the above-mentioned landing zone.

Anti-invasion defences at Naxxar

In Naxxar, there were around 11 military structures, divided into beach-posts, depth-posts, reserve-posts, gun-posts and the unnumerated, unidentified defensive fortifications.

A pillbox (Beach-post) without a code behind the Splash & Fun at Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Photo: author's collection

A front view of the same pillbox (beach-post). Photo: author's collection

The Naxxar coastline starts from Salina till the rear of the Splash and Fun Park. There were: beach-post SB.3 (L) at the foot of Għallis Tower now totally demolished (only the searchlight emplacement survives); GP.5, a gun post at the left entrance to Qalet Marku; an unidentified structure at the mouth of Qalet Marku; KM.3 at Ras il-Qrejten; another unidentified structure not far from Qalet Marku Tower; a beach-post at the rear of the Splash and Fun. The depth-posts included L.51, L.52, L.53 and L.54. There was only one reserve-post, R.15, which still exists. It was restored in 1995.

These military structures were mostly built on civil government land. For this reason, the military authorities had to obtain the latter’s approval to acquire the necessary land. For example, on May 5, 1940, the headquarters, Malta command wrote to the secretary to government, E. J.B. de P, informing him that the War Department had taken possession of Plot L.51 and that the former knew that the civil government owned the land.

R.15 at T’Alla w Ommu in July 2023. It was painted to look like a rural farmhouse, even fake doors and windows were painted. Photo: author's collection

A close-up of pillbox (depth-post) L.53 that defended the road from Salina to T’Alla w Ommu. Photo: author's collection

Two months later, the secretary to government replied by saying that the land on which L.51 was built was government property, which was let on short lease, but could only be transferred to the War Department by direct sale. However, it seems it was not possible for L.51 to be occupied on encroachment terms. 

At the end of August 1940, the Public Works Department estimated the value of plot L.51, which measured 45 square canes, at £25. After this estimation, it seems that the land was purchased and depth-post L.51 was constructed.

The ‘Great Fault’ was still considered to be an important in-depth (fallback) line of defence in the event of a successful enemy landing in the north of Malta. As in the cases of Mġarr and Mosta, where the Victoria Lines formed part of the depth defences of these villages, part of the lines also passed through Naxxar. These included the Hospitallers’ era inland entrenchments, which had been incorporated in the Victoria Lines. 

Inside a pillbox, wooden bunk beds would accommodate the garrison. Photo: author's collection

The reserve-post R.15 was constructed opposite the mentioned lines and, so, it formed part of this defensive system. The function of this pillbox was to hinder the enemy from advancing from beneath the Great Fault up to the higher ground above, from where they could break through in the direction of the Valletta harbour area.

Isolated parts of the mentioned coastline were mined in case of an enemy attempted landing. A map, dated 1941, shows how the north-east coast of Malta was mined. In the case of Naxxar, mines were laid at the shores of Ras il-Għallis, opposite Blata tal-Għallis, at the left entrance of Qalet Marku, Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Bay and parts of Blata il-Bajda coastline.

At the beginning of the war, the headquarters of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers, was at San Pawl tat-Tarġa, overlooking the Victoria Lines, where it stayed until leaving Malta. The 2nd Battalion made a modest contribution in the defence of Malta when, on April 11, 1941, at about 10.34pm, it claimed to have brought down a Junkers Ju87 B-2 Stuka with small-arms fire. The 9./Sturzkampfgeswader 1 Ju87 crashed into a farmhouse at Il-Magħtab. The Stuka pilot, Leutnant Werner Zűhlke and his wireless operator, Obergefreiter Hans Feldeisen were killed.

By July 1942, we know, according to a period map, that the coastline from Salina to Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq was defended by the ‘D’ Company of the 2nd Battalion, King’s Own Malta Regiment (KOMR). Therefore, the pillboxes and other military structure found there and probably the depth-posts and the reserve-post were manned by the same company. This battalion, together with the 1st Battalion, KOMR, 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers and the 8th Battalion, The Manchester Regiment, formed part of the Northern Infantry Brigade.

A ladder would take soldiers to the first ‘floor’ of the pillbox and the central turret.

The Royal Malta Artillery/Royal Artillery (RMA/RA) had at their disposal two field artillery guns. These were two 18-pounders positioned at Ras il-Qrejten (KM.3). The two 18-pounders at Ras il-Qrejten (KM.3) defended both the entrances to Qalet Marku and Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq Bay. On a map of the locations of field and beach defence artillery, dated January 1, 1942, we know that the two field guns had the code XDN 19 and XDN 2 and both were manned by the 48/71 Defence Battery (Mobile Coast). This battery was composed of men from the RMA and RA.

Map showing the laying of landmines on Malta’s northeast shores. Photo: National Archives

By February 23, 1943, XDN 19 had the duty to cover the coastline to Madliena Tower, while XDN 20 had the duty to cover the coastline to Qawra Point. These field guns were manned by the 13th Defence Battery, RMA.

A re-enactment during an open-day of pillbox R.15 in early 1999 showing two soldiers on duty on the lookout in case of appearance of low-flying enemy aircraft.

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Anthony Rogers and the staff of the National Archives, Rabat, for their continuous assistance.

Author’s note

It is hoped that this series of articles will help readers understand these priceless military structures and not take possession of any of these pillboxes for their own use. Anyone wishing to assist the author in any way regarding pillboxes in their village, town and city may e-mail him at charles.a.debono@gov.mt.