Fort St Elmo & the National War Museum

15/08/2026

🇲🇹 F’dan il-jum, 84 sena ilu, it-tanker SS Ohio wasal fil-Port il-Kbir wara waħda mill-aktar battalji ħorox fuq il-bahar fit-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija. L-Ohio bilkemm kien qieghed iżomm fuq wicc l-ilma.

Hekk kif dahal fil-Mediterran fl-10 ta’ Awwissu 1942, bhala parti minn Operation Pedestal, l-Ohio sofra attakki kontinwi u garrab ħsarat kbar. Nhar il-15 ta’ Awwissu, bl-assistenza ta’ tliet destroyers tar-Royal Navy, huwa rnexxielu jidħol bil-mod fil-Port il-Kbir, mgħobbi b’fjuwil u provvisti krucjali għal Malta li kienet taħt assedju mill-qawwiet tal-Assi.

Ir-ritratt fuq din il-plakka kommemorattiva juri dak il-mument straordinarju: l-Ohio rmunkat lejn il-Port il-Kbir mid-destroyers HMS Penn u HMS Bramham.

Il-plakka, li ġiet ippreżentata mis-Sur Simon Cusens, ghandha il-firem ta’ 105 veterani li attendew għal-laqgħa kommemorattiva tas-60 anniversarju ta’ Operation Pedestal f’Malta, fl-2002. Il-firem tagħhom jippreservaw mhux biss il-memorja tal-konvoj, iżda wkoll l-istejjer personali ta’ dawk li għexu din l-esperjenza.

Illum, infakkru l-kuraġġ, is-sagrifiċċju u d-determinazzjoni tagħhom.

🇬🇧 On this day, 84 years ago, the tanker SS Ohio finally reached Grand Harbour, battered and barely afloat, after one of the most intense convoy battles of the Second World War.

Having entered the Mediterranean on 10 August 1942 as part of Operation Pedestal, Ohio was repeatedly attacked and severely damaged. On 15 August, supported and towed by three Royal Navy destroyers, she limped into Valletta carrying vital fuel and supplies for Malta, who had been besieged by Axis forces.

The image on this commemorative board captures that extraordinary moment: Ohio being towed into Grand Harbour, towed by the destroyers HMS Penn and HMS Bramham.

The board, donated by Mr. Simon Cusens, was signed by 105 veterans who attended the 60th Anniversary Operation Pedestal Reunion in Malta in 2002. Their signatures preserve not only the memory of the convoy, but the personal stories of those who lived through it.

Today, we remember their courage, sacrifice and determination.

07/08/2026

🇲🇹 Heritage Malta u l-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Gwerra jirringrazzjaw lis-Sur Simon Cusens għad-donazzjoni ġeneruża tiegħu ta’ erba’ oġġetti relatati ma' Operation Pedestal u mal-laqgħat tal-veterani ta’ Malta li huwa organizza fl-2002 u l-2003.

Id-donazzjoni tinkludi bord kommemorattiv iffirmat minn 105 veterani li ħadu sehem f' Operation Pedestal, ritratt tal-grupp ta’ dawk li attendew għal-laqgħa, kopja stampata f’edizzjoni limitata tax-xogħol ta’ Edwin Galea dwar il-Konvoj ta’ Santa Marija (iffirmata mill-artist u minn disa’ veterani), kif ukoll poster iffirmat minn veterani li hadu sehem fil-glied fuq Malta waqt laqgħa oħra f’Londra.

Dawn l-oġġetti notevoli mhux biss jippreservaw it-tifkira tal-konvoj, iżda wkoll jirriflettu l-ħbiberiji, ir-rikonċiljazzjoni u t-tifkira ta’ dawk li għexu t-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija minn naħat opposti tal-konflitt. Issa dawn jiffurmaw parti mill-Kollezzjoni Nazzjonali, fejn se jiġu ppreservati għall-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri.

Grazzi, Sur Cusens, tal-impenn kontinwu tiegħek biex tippreserva l-wirt ta’ Malta fi żmien il-gwerra.

🇬🇧 Heritage Malta and the National War Museum extends its sincere thanks to Mr. Simon Cusens for his generous donation of four items relating to Operation Pedestal and the Malta veterans' reunions he organised in 2002 and 2003.

The donation includes a commemorative board signed by 105 veterans involved in Operation Pedestal, a group photograph of those who attended the reunion, a limited-edition print of Edwin Galea's Santa Marija Convoy signed by the artist and nine veterans, and a poster signed by veterans from another reunion in London.

These remarkable objects capture not only the memory of the famous convoy but also the friendships, reconciliation and shared remembrance of those who experienced the Second World War from different sides of the conflict. They now form part of the National Collection, where they will be preserved for future generations.

Thank you, Mr. Cusens, for your continued commitment to preserving Malta's wartime heritage.

29/07/2026

Meet Michaele Zammit - Coordinator at Fort St Elmo & the National War Museum

26/07/2026

🇲🇹 Tista titfa lilek innifsek fiż-żarbun ta' suldat stazzjonat fil-𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭'𝐈𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐮 fis-siegħat bikrin ta' 𝟐𝟔 𝐭𝐚' 𝐋𝐮𝐥𝐣𝐮 𝟏𝟗𝟒𝟏, hekk kif fl-4.48 ta' filgħodu tisma splużjoni qawwija li tkisser is-skiet kwiet ta' filgħodu? Tista timaġinak tara l-pont tal-breakwater jiġġarraf u jaqa' fil-baħar, ftit metri l-bogħod minnek, u f'dak il-ġenn, tingħata l-ordnijiet biex tibda tispara kontra l-Flotta Taljana? 💥

Għas-suldati tat-𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 tar-Royal Malta Artillery, din kienet għodwa li qatt ma kienu se jinsew. Dan kien l-ewwel u l-uniku attakk bil-baħar li sar mill-Italja kontra Malta u aħna llum qiegħdin infakkru l-𝟖𝟓 anniversarju tiegħu!

📷 Ir-rittratt juri l-fizzjali u s-suldati tat-3rd Coast Battery RMA fl-1945.

🇬🇧 Can you put yourself in the shoes of a soldier stationed at 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐭 𝐄𝐥𝐦𝐨 in the early hours of 𝟐𝟔 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟗𝟒𝟏 when at 4:48am, a massive explosion shatters the peaceful, morning silence? Could you imagine watching the breakwater bridge collapse into the sea a few metres away from you and in the midst of the madness, you are given orders to open fire against the Italian navy? 💥

For the men of the 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲, Royal Malta Artillery, it was a morning they would never forget. This was Italy’s first and only seaborne attack on Malta and today we are marking its 𝟖𝟓𝐭𝐡 anniversary!

📷 The photo below shows the officers and soldiers of the 3rd Coast Battery in 1945.

15/07/2026

🇲🇹 Fil-15 ta’ Lulju 1565, l-armata Ottomana nediet assalt kbir fuq l-Isla matul l-Assedju l-Kbir. Madankollu, id-difensuri ma nqabdux b’sorpriża.

Fil-lejl tat-30 ta’ Ġunju, suldat Ottoman għażel li jabbanduna lill-Ottomani u jaqsam għan-naħa tad-difensuri.. Wara li ltaqa’ mal-Gran Mastru Jean Parisot de Valette, huwa żvela informazzjoni siewja, inklużi pjanijiet għal attakk ikkombinat bl-art u bil-baħar.

L-informazzjoni tiegħu malajr ġiet ikkorroborata mill-akkumulazzjoni ta’ opri tal-baħar Ottomani fil-Marsa. Bi tweġiba, id-difensuri ħolqu linja ta’ difiża tal-injam, ħadid u ktajjen ftit il-bogħod mix-xatt biex eventwalment jostakolaw dawn id-dgħajjes. Diorama mill-Kollezzjoni Nazzjonali, li tista’ taraha hawn: https://emuseum.heritagemalta.mt/objects/214, turi din il-miżura difensiva fl-azzjoni.

Magħruf wara l-assedju bħala Philip de Lascaris, l-eks suldat Ottoman kellu rwol ftit magħruf iżda sinifikanti f’wieħed mill-mumenti ewlenin tal-Assedju l-Kbir, fejn fakkarna li l-intelliġenza setgħet tkun importanti daqs ix-xwabel u l-kanuni.

🇬🇧 On this day in 1565, the Ottoman army launched a major assault on Senglea (Isla) during the Great Siege. However, the defenders were not caught by surprise.

On the night of 30 June, an Ottoman soldier defected to the defenders. After being received by Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette, he revealed valuable intelligence, including plans for a combined attack by land and sea.

His information was soon corroborated by the steady build-up of Ottoman vessels at Marsa. In response, the defenders erected a barrier of timber, iron and chain some distance from the shoreline to obstruct the approaching boats. A diorama from the National Collection, viewable here: https://emuseum.heritagemalta.mt/objects/214, illustrates this ingenious defensive measure in action.

Known after the siege as Philip de Lascaris, the former Ottoman soldier played a little-known but significant role in one of the Great Siege's defining moments, reminding us that intelligence could be as important as swords and cannon.

16/06/2026

🇲🇹 Il-Ġimgħa li għaddiet organizzajna tour waqt l-inżul tax-xemx, 𝑮𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒂 𝑬𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆, u kienet tassew serata sabiħa!

Hekk kif kienet qed tinżel ix-xemx🌅, il-parteċipanti esploraw l-istorja tal-Carafa Enceinte qabel gawdew tazza nbid offruta minn Taste History.🍷

Grazzi lil kull min ingħaqad magħna, u nieħdu gost naraw uċuħ familjari! Ninsabu kuntenti ħafna bil-kummenti pożittivi li rċevejna u nħarsu ’l quddiem biex norganizzaw aktar avvenimenti bħal dawn fil-futur!🤩

🇬🇧 Last Friday we held our sunset tour🌅, 𝑮𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒂 𝑬𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆, and what a lovely evening it was!

As the sun set, participants explored the history of the Carafa Enceinte before enjoying a glass of w**e courtesy of Taste History🍷

Thank you to everyone who joined us, we love seeing familiar faces! We're delighted by the positive feedback and look forward to hosting more events like this in the future!🤩

11/06/2026

🇲🇹 Tista’ timmaġina tkun xogħol u f’daqqa waħda tisma’ l-ħsejjes tal-bombi niżlin ħdejk?💥

Għas-sitt suldati li mietu fuq il-kavallier tal-forti, dak il-mument żgur kien devastanti. Proprju f’dan il-jum fl-1940, it-Taljani tefgħu l-ewwel bombi tagħhom fuq il-gżejjer tagħna! Apparti l-forti, intlaqat il-mitjar ta' Ħal Far ukoll, iżda l-ewwel sitt vittmi tal-gwerra kienu dawn is-suldati tar-Royal Malta Artillery li kienu stazzjonati fil-Harbour Fire Command.

Dakinhar, is-sirena daqqet tmien darbiet. It-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija kienet laħqet lil Malta.

🇬🇧 Can you imagine being on duty when you suddenly hear the shattering sounds of bombs falling next to you? 💥

For the six soldiers who died on the fort's cavalier, that moment was devastating. On this very day in 1940, the Italians dropped their first bombs on our island. Alongside Fort St Elmo, the airfield in Ħal Far was also hit. However, the first war victims were these six soldiers from the Royal Malta Artillery stationed in the Harbour Fire Command.

That day, the siren sounded eight times. The Second World War had reached Malta

09/06/2026

🇲🇹 Grazzi kbira lil Show of Arms talli ngħaqdu magħna fl-avveniment Museums by Candlelight tagħna u talli taw donazzjoni tal-ktieb il-ġdid tagħhom lill-librerija tal-mużew tagħna!😁🤩

🇬🇧 A big thank you to Show of Arms for joining us in our Museums by Candlelight event and for donating their new book to our museum's library! 😁🤩

02/06/2026

🇲🇹Curtis Callus, l-assistent kuratur tagħna fil-Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Gwerra għadu kemm jingħata d-Dean's Award, mill-Università ta’ Malta, premju li jirrikonoxxi l-eċċellenza akkademika, hekk kif temm it-tieni masters tiegħu! Kburin ħafna bil-kollega tal-ġenn tagħna! 🎉👏

🇬🇧 Curtis Callus, our assistant curator at the National War Museum was recently awarded the Dean's Award from the University of Malta, an award that recognises academic excellence. He received this following the completion of his second masters! We are super proud of our incredible colleague 🎉👏

So proud of the four students from our department who got the Dean's Award during a ceremony held on Friday 29 May 2026 at the University of Malta. Congratulations go to Curtis Callus, Jeremy Debono, Maria Ferranti and Christopher Giordano.