Wardija Battery

Wardija Battery
Batterija tal-Wardija
St. Paul's Bay, Malta
Coordinates	35°56′36.8″N 14°23′59.9″E / 35.943556°N 14.399972°E
Type	Artillery battery
Site information
Condition	Intact
Site history
Built	1915
Built by	British Empire
In use	1915–1938
Battles/wars	World War I
Garrison information
Garrison	Western Section Royal Garrison Artillery

Wardija Battery (Maltese: Batterija tal-Wardija) was an artillery battery on the Wardija Ridge in the limits of St. Paul's Bay, on the northern coast of Malta. It was built by the British in 1915, and saw use during World War I. It became obsolete following the construction of Fort Campbell in 1938.

History

In October 1914, the British authorities made St. Paul's Bay an examination anchorage, and decided to build a battery to identify shipping on the way to the Grand Harbour, and fire warning shots to ships who were not obeying the regulations. In May 1915, two submarines were sighted off Malta outside the range of coastal artillery, hastening the need to build a battery in the north of the island.^[1]

Between 30 November and 10 December 1915, the Royal Malta Artillery removed two 6-inch QF guns from the obsolete Wolseley Battery in the south of Malta, and mounted them in a position on the eastern end of the Wardija Ridge. The site was naturally protected so no permanent fortifications were built, and the battery only consisted of two gun emplacements.^[2] The two guns were designated Wardija Battery on 31 December 1915, and fell under the command of the Western Section Royal Garrison Artillery. The battery remained in active service throughout the course of World War I.^[3]

Wardija Battery became obsolete in 1938, when its role was taken over by Fort Campbell.^[4] In World War II, a gun Laying radar set was established on the site of the battery.^[2]

Wardija Battery's two gun emplacements are still intact today.

References

1. Debono, Charles (26 April 2015). "Major land, sea, air offensives during the first half of 1915". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 12 June 2015.
2. "Wardija Battery". Geocaching. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015.
3. Debono, Charles (19 July 2015). "The western, eastern, Italian fronts in the latter half of 1915". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015.
4. Spiteri, Stephen C. (2004–2007). "A general overview of the fortifications in the locality of Mellieha" (PDF). Arx – Online Journal of Military Architecture and Fortification (1–4): 44. Retrieved 14 November 2015.