Military Nostalgia – HMS Forth A 187 at Malta

One of the most notable naval vessels when Malta served as a British Naval Base was no doubt the Submarine Depot Ship HMS FORTH with pennant number as A 187. At Grand Harbour back to February, 1948. Laid down on 30th June 1937, launched on 11th August 1938 and Commissioned on 14th May, 1939, she […]
Military Nostalgia – Tank Landing Ship HMS REGGIO L 3511 at Malta

HMS REGGIO L 3511 was a a tank landing ship (LST) Mk 3, of which 80 were built by Canada and the UK. She was built as LST 3511 by Davie Shipbuilding and Repairing Co. Ltd. at Lauzon, Quebec, Canada and was launched in November 1944, commissioning in mid-September 1945 and thus missed the Second […]
Military Nostalgia – Gay Class Gunboats stationed at Malta used for Adverts

The third advert in the series featured Coastal Forces , follows a flotilla of small boats in action, destroying a hulk somewhere off the coast. The narrator describes the action as the MTBs and MGBs separate to carry out attacks on the hulk, which is left sinking whilst the officers break out the tobacco. After […]
Military Nostalgia – Dark Class Gunboats at Malta

A total of 27 Dark Class Fast Attack Craft were ordered for the Royal Navy between December 1951 and January 1952 , but only 18 were completed, the remainder being cancelled in 1955. Fitted with 2 shaft Napier Deltic 16 cylinder diesels, the Dark Class were the first diesel engined fast patrol boats, the earlier […]
Military Nostalgia – JDS ARIAKE DD 183

The Fletcher Class Destroyer named for Admiral Frank F. Fletcher was the largest destroyer class ordered. It was also one of the most successful and popular with their crews. Compared to earlier classes built for the United States Navy, the Fletchers carried a significant increase in lethal firepower, including anti-aircraft (AA) weapons and increased Armor plating; this contributed to greater displacement and overall […]