The Victoria Lines are a series of fortifications in Malta built by the British military during the last quarter of the 19th century. Their defining feature is a continuous infantry wall that connects three forts (at Binġemma, Mosta and Madliena), an almost two-kilometre-long entrenchment (the Dwejra Lines), two batteries and other ancillary military facilities, to form a single line of defence. This is some 12 kilometres in length, and it follows the contour of the Great Fault, a natural escarpment that cuts across Malta from coast to coast, specifically, from Fomm ir-Riħ in the west to Madliena in the east.

Map showing the locations of the seven howitzer batteries in relation to the Victoria Lines infantry wall. Photo: Victoria Lines Record Plan, UK National Archives Ref. WO 78/5301

Complementing the above fortifications were seven howitzer batteries, built a short distance to the rear of the infantry wall. A howitzer is a gun with a relatively short barrel for firing shells at high angles in a similar manner to a mortar but with the added benefit of being able to adjust the angle of fire. This allowed for indirect, plunging fire onto the enemy, who could be engaged at a greater range.

The construction of the infantry wall was undertaken between 1895 and 1899, and the howitzer batteries were built between 1898 and 1900.

Timeline and cost of the Victoria Lines infantry wall and the howitzer batteries Photo: Victoria Lines Record Plan, UK National Archives Ref. WO 78/5301

A typical howitzer battery along the Victoria Lines consisted of four emplacements for field (i.e. movable) howitzers, separated from one another by earthen traverses. Each traverse ended in a masonry revetment fitted with a small, concrete ammunition cubicle. Howitzers were not placed permanently on site but would be towed to the battery on wheeled carriages if and as required.

Drawing of a howitzer battery. Photo: British Military Architecture in Malta, by Dr Stephen C Spiteri, 1996

Not long after they were built, the seven howitzer batteries were abandoned and their surrounding land was returned to agricultural use

The Victoria Lines were meant to function as a linear defensive front in the eventuality of an enemy landing in one of the many bays in the north of Malta. The objective of these fortifications would be to prevent the enemy from advancing in the direction of Valletta and the Grand Harbour, home to the all-important naval facilities. It was a system of defence composed of various elements, among which were also the howitzer batteries.

The Victoria Lines were not protecting a frontier such as, for example, had been Hadrian’s Wall in Britain. Hence, the Victoria Lines were not manned throughout their length or even continuously patrolled. Instead, troops were garrisoned in barracks at Mtarfa and Pembroke, to be deployed along the Victoria Lines if there was the presumption of a possible enemy threat.

An eight-inch RML howitzer on a travelling siege carriage, restored by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna. Photo: Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna

In the same manner, field howitzers would be moved to the batteries when required. Annual, large-scale military manoeuvres were held to test and review this defensive set-up. Some army units, typically including also Royal Navy detachments, would be detailed to play the part of an enemy force that had landed in one of the bays in the north of Malta, and their objective was to penetrate the Victoria Lines and march towards the Valletta harbour area. The rest of the troops were assigned the task of countering this threat. This included the deployment of field howitzers to cover the approaches to the Victoria Lines.

Location

The record plan of the Victoria Lines (compiled in 1901) shows the location of these howitzer batteries, all built some distance behind the infantry wall.

Numbered one to seven (from east to west), the location of these batteries was as follows: (1) to the rear of Tarġa Gap; (2) to the rear of Tarġa Battery; (3) to the rear of Falka Gap; (4) to the rear of the Dwejra Lines; (5) near the Nadur Tower, in the Binġemma area; (6) in the Tas-Santi area; (7) in the Kunċizzjoni area.

Remains of Howitzer Battery no. 4, to the rear of the Dwejra Lines. Photo: Facebook page of the Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail

Remains of Howitzer Battery no. 7, in the Kuncizzjoni area. Photo: Facebook page of the Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail

Remains of Howitzer Battery no. 6, now integrated within a boundary wall in the Tas-Santi area. Photo: Facebook page of the Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail

Little remains of these batteries because they were largely constructed out of earth, which has long since been reclaimed to replenish the topsoil in the nearby fields; it is only some of the stone and concrete elements that have survived. These are not readily visible, but if one knows where the locations of the howitzer batteries were, it is possible to identify these remnants.

Howitzer models

Two howitzer models deployed along the Victoria Lines were the eight-inch RML (rifle muzzle loading) howitzer of 70 hundredweight (cwt) and the 6.6-inch RML howitzer of 36cwts. Both would be mounted on so-called ‘travelling’ siege carriages, although these guns were quite heavy and unwieldy to move.

A few were positioned within the Dwejra Lines (entrenchment) that featured ramps specifically intended for field artillery. They were eventually superseded by breach loading (BL) howitzers on wheeled carriages, in particular the six-inch and five-inch howitzers. These were referred to as ‘movable armament’ and were earmarked for deployment within the howitzer batteries and elsewhere as required.

In 1898/99, two sheds were built close to Fort Mosta, specifically to accommodate these BL howitzers. These buildings have since been the subject of various modifications but they are still extant today in the service of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), although they are no longer used for the storage of field guns. 

Ammunition magazines

Layout of the ‘Right’ ammunition magazine near the Tal-Isperanza bridge at Mosta. Photo: UK National Archives Ref. WO 78/5322

The record plan for the Victoria Lines shows the location of two ammunition magazines (stores) situated some distance behind the infantry wall. Designated simply as ‘Left Magazine’ and ‘Right Magazine’, they were intended for the storage of ammunition in support of the seven howitzer batteries.

Each compound consisted of an underground gunpowder (cartridges) magazine, a shell-store and the caretaker’s quarters. These were set inside an enclosure within which some other ancillary facilities were located, such as a large water tank.

The ‘Left Magazine’ was situated in the Binġemma area, some distance from the Nadur Tower, and the ‘Right Magazine’ in the then outskirts of Mosta, near the Tal-Isperanza Bridge that spans Wied il-Għasel. The buildings that housed this latter magazine may still be seen today in Triq l-Isperanza, which has become a residential area. The site is currently used by the Old Motors Club of Malta.

Location of Howitzer Battery no. 5, near the Nadur Tower, Binġemma area. Also shown is the location of the Left (ammunition) Magazine. Photo: Victoria Lines Record Plan, UK National Archives Ref. WO 78/5301

At no time did the Victoria Lines come under enemy attack, and the howitzer batteries never saw action. Not long after they were built, the seven howitzer batteries were abandoned and their surrounding land was returned to agricultural use.

Today, the Victoria Lines no longer serve a military purpose but they delineate the route for one of Malta’s prime trekking trails. The vestiges of these forgotten batteries are another element waiting to be discovered by those who choose to walk this trail.

Ray Cachia Zammit is author of the book The Victoria Lines (Midsea Books 2021) and co-founder of the Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail.