Ex-British servicemen tour Manoel Island

A group of ex-Royal Navy servicemen and women recently paid a nostalgic visit to what was to them HMS Phoenicia and is now Fort Manoel.

The ex-servicemen and women are members of the Lascaris Association, which was set up to re-unite communicators who worked at the Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Fleet's Communications Centre in Lascaris buildings.

The armed forces personnel were based at the Camarata Barracks, HMS Ricasoli, HMS St Angelo and HMS Phoenicia as well as WRNS Communicators. Some were stationed at Fort Manoel.

The group also visited the ex-Fleet Signalling Centre and the once NAAFI building.

Other places remembered were the chapel of St Patrick in Fort Manoel and the Drop Inn pub, situated in one of the barrack blocks.

Edward Said, organiser of the visit said: "Listening to these people who almost 50 years ago, in the prime of their youth, slept, ate, worked and played on Manoel Island, will play a vital role in collating Manoel Island's history, which will hopefully one day take the form of a museum and a book."