Malta. The Kalkara Military (also known as Naval) Cemetery
Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 9:08 am
Malta. The Kalkara Military (also known as Naval) Cemetery:
The topic fits well to the 11th November solemn occassion
Last year I was in this CWGC Cemetery while on leave to Malta.
Supplied ourselves with a dozen of small candles (Polish way of...hm, I do not know, just for hundreds of years my folks tradition when one go to a gravestone).
Found the place on a map , got to the Cemetery by bus (some 50min ride) from the hub.
No surprise as of status of this CWGC location.
In excellent codition and couple of gardeners at work to keep everything beautiful.
Started with looking for the Polish servicemen who had been buried there.
There are eight of them - six PL AF plus their a/c RAF mechanic - the crew of the Halifax II NF-Q from the 138 Special Duty Sqn.
They were on the way to Gibraltar on the 17DEC 1942. There were also on transit 5 mechanics from the 138th and five British officers on the board.
The a/c took off at 0200hrs from Lunga and soon after crashed killing all on the board.
What is unusual due to problem with digging graves in the rocky ground many KIAs found their last rest in one graves.
Two more are seamen from the Polish submarine (ex HMS Urchin) ORP Sokol (then member of the 10th Submarine Flot).
One was killed in the Axis air raid the other very unlucky PO killed in 1943 by "friendly fire" of a British soldier who showed him a trophy Italian weapon.
Intended to see my countrymen graves only and just might be a short look at the names of the British servicemen but it was barely possible.
I was visiting, stopped for awhile (if this is proper word) also hundreds of other good men lying there which took me couple of hours.
Most of the HMN personnel lying there are from the ships sunk/damaged in the LaValetta harbour.
HMSs Penelope, Kingston, Nubian. Orion, Cleopatra, Indomitable, Rodney among other.
One of the exceptions is a stoker (casualties were only from the "black gang of that ship) from HMS Manchester - apparently one of survivors rescued by the destroyers.
Location of Malta seen as WW2 historical place made clear for me why it was so easy accessible for so many axis AF raids.
My Rayanair 737 started descending over Sicyly and in some 20 minutes(? as remembered) the island was sighted, gear down and landing at Lunga. Pretty short distance from Sicily.
Regards,
GD
The topic fits well to the 11th November solemn occassion
Last year I was in this CWGC Cemetery while on leave to Malta.
Supplied ourselves with a dozen of small candles (Polish way of...hm, I do not know, just for hundreds of years my folks tradition when one go to a gravestone).
Found the place on a map , got to the Cemetery by bus (some 50min ride) from the hub.
No surprise as of status of this CWGC location.
In excellent codition and couple of gardeners at work to keep everything beautiful.
Started with looking for the Polish servicemen who had been buried there.
There are eight of them - six PL AF plus their a/c RAF mechanic - the crew of the Halifax II NF-Q from the 138 Special Duty Sqn.
They were on the way to Gibraltar on the 17DEC 1942. There were also on transit 5 mechanics from the 138th and five British officers on the board.
The a/c took off at 0200hrs from Lunga and soon after crashed killing all on the board.
What is unusual due to problem with digging graves in the rocky ground many KIAs found their last rest in one graves.
Two more are seamen from the Polish submarine (ex HMS Urchin) ORP Sokol (then member of the 10th Submarine Flot).
One was killed in the Axis air raid the other very unlucky PO killed in 1943 by "friendly fire" of a British soldier who showed him a trophy Italian weapon.
Intended to see my countrymen graves only and just might be a short look at the names of the British servicemen but it was barely possible.
I was visiting, stopped for awhile (if this is proper word) also hundreds of other good men lying there which took me couple of hours.
Most of the HMN personnel lying there are from the ships sunk/damaged in the LaValetta harbour.
HMSs Penelope, Kingston, Nubian. Orion, Cleopatra, Indomitable, Rodney among other.
One of the exceptions is a stoker (casualties were only from the "black gang of that ship) from HMS Manchester - apparently one of survivors rescued by the destroyers.
Location of Malta seen as WW2 historical place made clear for me why it was so easy accessible for so many axis AF raids.
My Rayanair 737 started descending over Sicyly and in some 20 minutes(? as remembered) the island was sighted, gear down and landing at Lunga. Pretty short distance from Sicily.
Regards,
GD