Delle Grazie Battery
The Della Grazie Battery is a fortification in Malta . It was built from 1888 to 1893 during the British rule over the islands. It is located on the northeast coast of the island about 3.1 km southeast of Fort St Elmo and 7.6 km north of Delimara Point. The battery is an almost completely preserved example of the coastal fortifications from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
prehistory
Immediately after the British took over the islands in 1800, the fortifications built by the Order of St. John were used almost unchanged. In accordance with the military theoretical ideas of the time, the Royal Navy operating in the Mediterranean was seen as the most reliable protection against an invasion of the islands. The situation changed, however, with the merging of the fleets of Sardinia , the Bourbons, Sicily and the Papal States on November 17, 1860 and the establishment of the Regia Marina Italiana on March 17, 1861. The beginning of the armament of the Italian fleet was seen by the British as a threat to them felt dominant role in the Mediterranean. In 1873 the Regia Marina laid the battleships of the Caio Duilio class on keel. These were equipped with four 450 mm cannons each and were also heavily armored. In addition, the introduction of large-caliber shells instead of the previous bomb shells led to a revolution in heavy ship artillery.
The emerging development made it clear that the fortifications on Malta had to be strengthened. After securing the entrances to the ports with the Rinella and Cambridge Batteries and strengthening the fortifications in the Grand Harbor area , securing the relatively flat north coast, which is therefore well suited for landings, had top priority. A number of forts were built here between 1872 and 1878. From the eighties of the 19th century, concrete was available as a building material for fortifications. Breech loading cannons were introduced at the same time. These cannons could be loaded more easily and thus faster and had a longer range than the muzzle-loading guns previously used. Both the protection and the effectiveness of coastal fortifications could be sustainably improved. From 1888, therefore, the fortifications on Malta were reinforced by several coastal batteries. The Delle Grazie Battery and the Żonqor Battery were built in the northeast part .
construction
The Delle Grazie Battery got its name from one of the Wignacourt towers that was in the immediate vicinity. The battery has the shape of a very flat hexagon and is approx. 175 m wide and approx. 75 m deep. It is surrounded by a ditch about 5 m wide. There were two caponiers in the trench itself . The walls were originally made of quarry stone and reinforced with concrete. The covers of the caponiers were made bulletproof in concrete according to the ideas of the time. The fixed firing positions were set back by approx. 25 m within the battery. The entrances to the firing positions and the ammunition store are below the level of the surrounding area and are therefore largely protected against fire. The battery is accessed through a gatehouse in the southern wall. The system was optimized for maximum protection and the greatest possible effect against larger sea targets over long distances. To fight against smaller sea targets and above all against landed enemies, she needed support.
The battery was initially equipped with two BL 10 inch guns (caliber 254 mm). Developed in response to a request by the British Committee on Ordnance in 1879, these cannons were among the first breech-loading guns introduced into the Royal Navy from 1885. They had a range of about 9 km and fired shells with a projectile weight of 227 kg (500 pounds). From 1889 development and production were given up in favor of the favored 9.2 and 12 inch calibers.
The battery's two guns were replaced by BL 9.2 inch guns. With a projectile weight of 170 kg (380 pounds), the range could be increased to 26,700 m. These cannons should serve to defend against larger surface units.
Use in World War II
The armament was dismantled before the beginning of the Second World War. During the war a unit with searchlights (4th Searchlight Rgt. RA / RMA) was stationed here.
However, several machine gun bunkers were built between the battery and the coast . These MG bunkers have a square floor plan and have two floors inside. The reinforced concrete ceiling was 381 mm thick, the side walls made of the same material 254 mm. Access was through a steel door on the ground floor. The main armament, usually two water-cooled Vickers machine guns , fired through diagonally opposite slots on the first floor. Both floors were also provided with loopholes, which, like the slots for the machine gun, could be closed with sheet steel panels. The fire was directed by an observer who found his place in a slotted turret on the roof of the building. The crew consisted of this observer and one gunner and one loader for each machine gun. These bunkers could develop enormous firepower against dismounted enemies, but were ineffective against armored vehicles. They were unprotected against direct hits from heavy artillery. Protection against the use of warfare agents could only be ensured by the gas masks of the crew. The crew of these towers was able to repel weak enemies and stop stronger enemy forces, but required the support of the coastal artillery.
Use after the Second World War
Due to the changed geostrategic situation of Malta and the further development of armament and equipment, the Delle Grazie Battery, like the other coastal fortifications of Malta, quickly lost its value and was abandoned. The site is currently administered by the City of Xgħajra and is open to the public. However, part of the fortification is privately owned and cannot be entered or photographed.
See also
literature
- Ernle Bradford : The Shield of Europe. Ullstein Buchverlag, ISBN 3-548-34912-9 (from the English, title of the original edition The Great Siege, Malta 1565 )
- Charles Stephenson: The Fortifications of Malta 1530-1945. Osprey Publishing Limited, 2004, ISBN 1-84176-836-7 .
- Denis Castillo: The Maltese Cross, a Strategic History of Malta.
Web links
- Palmerston Forts Society ( October 8, 2009 memento on the Internet Archive )
Coordinates: 35 ° 53 ′ 9 ″ N , 14 ° 32 ′ 58 ″ E