MALTA (CAPUCCINI) NAVAL CEMETERY
Kalkara
Malta
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 35.88777, Longitude: 14.53637
Image © Geerhard Joos
Location Information
The Cemetery is about 2 kilometres south-east of Rinella, a bay and hamlet opposite Valletta across the mouth of the Grand Harbour and on the southern outskirts of the village of Kalkara.
Just before entering Kalkara on the main bus route, the Cemetery is signposted along the road "Triq Santa Liberta" to the street of "Triq San Leonarda" and "Triq Santa Rokku" where the Cemetery is located. On 'Google Maps' this cemetery is indicated as Kalkara Military Cemetery.
Cemetery address: Triq Santa Rokku, Kalkara.
Visiting Information
Opening times:
The cemetery stays open Monday to Friday until dusk, and on weekends and public holidays 08.30 to dusk, but is only staffed at the following times:
April - June 06.30 - 16.30
July - September 06.30 - 13.00
October - March 07.00 - 16.00 (except Wednesdays 07.00 - 13.00)
NOTE: The earth is shallow on Malta and during both wars, many joint or collective burials were made as graves had to be cut into the underlying rock. During the Second World War, such work was particularly hazardous because of air raids. Most of these graves are marked by recumbent markers on which several inscriptions could be carved, and for the sake of uniformity, the same type of marker was used for single graves.
Historical Information
From the spring of 1915, the hospitals and convalescent depots established on the islands of Malta and Gozo dealt with over 135,000 sick and wounded, chiefly from the campaigns in Gallipoli and Salonika, although increased submarine activity in the Mediterranean meant that fewer hospital ships were sent to the island from May 1917.
During the Second World War, Malta's position in the Mediterranean was of enormous Allied strategic importance. Heavily fortified, the island was never invaded, but was subjected to continual bombardment and blockade between Italy's entry into the war in June 1940 and the Axis defeat at El Alamein in November 1942. At the height of Axis attempts to break Malta's resistance in April 1942, the island and her people were awarded the George Cross by King George VI.
Malta's defence relied upon a combined operation in which the contributions made by the three branches of the armed forces and Merchant Navy were equally crucial. Although heavily pressed in defence, offensive raids launched from the island by air and sea had a crippling effect on the Axis lines of communication with North Africa, and played a vital part in the eventual Allied success there.
Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery, which once belonged to the Admiralty, is divided into two sections, Protestant and Roman Catholic. Most of the 351 Commonwealth burials of the First World War form a triangular plot in the Protestant section, the rest are scattered elsewhere. Among those buried in the cemetery are 44 men from HMS "Egmont", the Depot ship at Malta, and 22 who died when HMS "Russell" was sunk by a mine off Malta in April 1916.
Most of the 694 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War are also in the Protestant section in a plot near the entrance, but there is another group in the Roman Catholic section. The rest are scattered.
The Commission also cares for 1,445 non-war burials in the cemetery, and 137 war graves of other nationalities.
Total Burials: 2,656.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 343, Germany 27, Australia 3, Greece 2, Bulgaria 1, Russia 1. Total 377.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 630, Canada 26, Australia 24, Poland 8, New Zealand 7, South Africa 6, Greece 3, Italy 3, India 1, Netherlands 1. Total 709.
The Cemetery is about 2 kilometres south-east of Rinella, a bay and hamlet opposite Valletta across the mouth of the Grand Harbour and on the southern outskirts of the village of Kalkara.
Just before entering Kalkara on the main bus route, the Cemetery is signposted along the road "Triq Santa Liberta" to the street of "Triq San Leonarda" and "Triq Santa Rokku" where the Cemetery is located. On 'Google Maps' this cemetery is indicated as Kalkara Military Cemetery.
Cemetery address: Triq Santa Rokku, Kalkara.
Visiting Information
Opening times:
The cemetery stays open Monday to Friday until dusk, and on weekends and public holidays 08.30 to dusk, but is only staffed at the following times:
April - June 06.30 - 16.30
July - September 06.30 - 13.00
October - March 07.00 - 16.00 (except Wednesdays 07.00 - 13.00)
NOTE: The earth is shallow on Malta and during both wars, many joint or collective burials were made as graves had to be cut into the underlying rock. During the Second World War, such work was particularly hazardous because of air raids. Most of these graves are marked by recumbent markers on which several inscriptions could be carved, and for the sake of uniformity, the same type of marker was used for single graves.
Historical Information
From the spring of 1915, the hospitals and convalescent depots established on the islands of Malta and Gozo dealt with over 135,000 sick and wounded, chiefly from the campaigns in Gallipoli and Salonika, although increased submarine activity in the Mediterranean meant that fewer hospital ships were sent to the island from May 1917.
During the Second World War, Malta's position in the Mediterranean was of enormous Allied strategic importance. Heavily fortified, the island was never invaded, but was subjected to continual bombardment and blockade between Italy's entry into the war in June 1940 and the Axis defeat at El Alamein in November 1942. At the height of Axis attempts to break Malta's resistance in April 1942, the island and her people were awarded the George Cross by King George VI.
Malta's defence relied upon a combined operation in which the contributions made by the three branches of the armed forces and Merchant Navy were equally crucial. Although heavily pressed in defence, offensive raids launched from the island by air and sea had a crippling effect on the Axis lines of communication with North Africa, and played a vital part in the eventual Allied success there.
Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery, which once belonged to the Admiralty, is divided into two sections, Protestant and Roman Catholic. Most of the 351 Commonwealth burials of the First World War form a triangular plot in the Protestant section, the rest are scattered elsewhere. Among those buried in the cemetery are 44 men from HMS "Egmont", the Depot ship at Malta, and 22 who died when HMS "Russell" was sunk by a mine off Malta in April 1916.
Most of the 694 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War are also in the Protestant section in a plot near the entrance, but there is another group in the Roman Catholic section. The rest are scattered.
The Commission also cares for 1,445 non-war burials in the cemetery, and 137 war graves of other nationalities.
Total Burials: 2,656.
World War One Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 343, Germany 27, Australia 3, Greece 2, Bulgaria 1, Russia 1. Total 377.
World War Two Identified Casualties: United Kingdom 630, Canada 26, Australia 24, Poland 8, New Zealand 7, South Africa 6, Greece 3, Italy 3, India 1, Netherlands 1. Total 709.
Cemetery images in gallery below © Geehard Joos
Image © Geerhard Joos
ALLAN John Jack - Private 28 Army Cyclist Corps 52nd Lowland Div. Cyclist Coy. - Died of Wounds 25 August 1915 Age 18. Buried in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery Prot. 275. Son of Alexander and Margaret Allan, of 1034, Maryhill Rd., Glasgow. Born at Fort William, Inverness-shire.
Brother of ALLAN Alexander Innes - Private 70144 26th Bn. Canadian Infantry. - Died of Wounds 1 July 1916 Age 17. Buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery Plot VIII. B. 118. (France). Son of Alexander and Margaret Allan, of 38, West Campbell St., Glasgow, Scotland.
Also brother of ALLAN George H. - Private 200981 5th Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) - Died 28 October 1916 Age 19. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 4 D. (France). Son of Alexander and Margaret Allan, of 38, West Campbell St., Glasgow.
Image © Geerhard Joos
DAVEY Horace Henry - Private 2429 1st/4th Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment. - Wounded at Suvla Bay and died in military hospital on Malta 23 Augustus 1915 Age 20. Buried in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery Prot. 270. Son of James and Mary E. Davey, of Vine Cottage, Bolney, Hayward's Heath, Sussex.
Brother of DAVEY George William Thomas - Private 47099 Northamptonshire Regiment transf. to (240965) 436th Agricultural Coy. Labour Corps. Died of influenza at home 6 November 1918 Age 25. Buried in Bolney (St. Mary Magdalene) Churchyard (Sussex UK). Son of James and Mary Davey, of Vine Cottage, Bolney.
Cemetery images in gallery below © Geehard Joos
Image © Geerhard Joos
FISHER Frederick - Private 47924 2nd Bn. Essex Regiment. Died 20 January 1920 Age 20. Buried in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery Plot F. Grave 171. Son of Mrs. Sarah Fisher. Born at Wellingborough.
Brother of FISHER Arthur Daniel - Lance Corpora 9272 2nd Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment. Died 11 March 1917 Age 25. Buried in Bray Military Cemetery Plot II. F. 55. (France). Son of Alfred and Sarah Fisher, of Wellingborough.
Image © Geerhard Joos
ROBERTS Henry - Private PLY/678(S) Deal Bn. R.N. Div. Royal Marine Light Infantry. Died of wounds 10 June 1915 aged 26 years in hospital on Malta from a gun shot wound to his left thigh whilst in action in the Dardanelles. Buried in Malta (Capuccini) Naval Cemetery Prot. 248. Son of James and Sarah Ann Roberts, of The Leasowes, Clent, Stourbridge, Worcs.
Brother of ROBERTS Major William - Lance Corporal PS/7132 2nd Bn. Royal Fusiliers. Killed in Action 1 July 1916 Age 31. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A. (France). Son of James and Sarah Ann Roberts, of The Leas Drive, Clent, Stourbridge, Worcs,.
Image © Geerhard Joos
