When World War I polluted humanity in 1914, the French and the UK navies agreed to share their responsibilities. Their joint fleets in the North Sea would fall under British authority, while their Mediterranean navies would be under the supreme command of a French admiral. That was possibly the only time in history when a foreigner commanded the mighty British Mediterranean Fleet.

Tourville, a French submarine support and post office ship, in Grand Harbour in 1915.

The French navy opted for Malta as its principal base and soon Grand Harbour swarmed with French and British warships. Thousands of French officers and sailors ended up stationed for long periods in Malta. Local photo studios and postcard publishers rushed to cash in on this bonanza.

The French warship Jurien de la Graviere in Grand Harbour in 1916.

Literally thousands of postcards designed specifically for use by French servicemen in Malta flooded the market, mostly hand-coloured real photos mass-produced in Italy. 

A real-photo, hand-coloured postcard, printed in Italy for the French fleet in Malta.

One of the numerous postcards published for use by French servicemen in Malta. Note ‘French’ misspelt as ‘Frence’.

The lion’s share went to Umberto Adinolfi, an Italian photographer and publisher from Cottonera who enjoyed good connections with the UK navy, eventually acquiring British nationality.

Other Maltese publishers included Fratelli Foti, about whom virtually nothing has emerged so far.

Most images emphasised the newly discovered friendship between the British and the French – the entente cordiale. Crossed flags of the two nations underscore the patriotic spirit shared by their armed forces. Photo studios had special joint-banner backdrops in use for single and, just as frequently, group portraits of French and British sailors fraternising.

Group photo of French and British sailors taken by Chretien, The Empire Studio.

Group portrait of two British and two French sailors taken in Malta in World War I.

By summer 1917, the French navy suddenly disappeared from the Maltese harbours and moved to the Ionian islands. It gave no official reason for this move.

Unofficially, however, it was recorded that too many French sailors were being disabled by syphilis and gonorrhoea gifted against payment by Maltese prostitutes.

All postcards are from the author’s collections.

A group of French naval servicemen leaving St Barbara church in Strada Reale, Valletta, after Mass. St Barbara was assigned to the French navy during World War I.