RN veterans visit Fort Manoel

A group of 23 Royal Navy veterans from the Lascaris Malta Communicators Association were recently given a tour of Fort Manoel, their former base, by developers MIDI.

The Lascaris Malta Communicators Association organises a reunion in Malta every four years.

Terry Parker, the association's president, said members were saddened over the years to see the fort fall into a derelict state.

The Lascaris Malta Communicators Association is made up of ex-servicemen who were in charge of the liaison and intelligence division of the navy and were headquartered at Fort Lascaris.

During their time of service in Malta they were also seconded to the other areas, including Fort Manoel, and the then Royal Navy submarine base, HMS Phoenicia.

While in Malta, the association's members are visiting other forts where they served, including Fort Lascaris, Fort St Angelo, Fort Rinella and Fort Ricasoli.

Over the last decades, Fort Manoel had lain abandoned and had fallen into a derelict state. Since being taken over by the MIDI consortium in 2001, more than 500 truckloads of rubble and rubbish have been removed from the site.

The restoration phase of the fort, which was constructed in 1723, will be completed by 2006.