British attacking a French defensive position. Photo: Dominic Cachia

Between June 6 and 10, Malta will serve as a backdrop to the largest re-enactment the island has ever seen to mark the 220th anniversary of the French occupation of Malta.

Organised by the Historical Re-Enactment Group of Malta, the event will bring together some 550 re-enactors from 60 different associations in 17 countries.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines logistics as “the branch of military science relating to procuring, maintaining and transporting material, personnel and facilities”.

Military strategy, in fact, holds logistics as its most crucial element and some of the most successful historical leaders such as Hannibal, Alexander the Great and the Duke of Wellington are considered to have been geniuses of logistics.

Express Trailers is behind the logistics of this re-enactment and has been entrusted with transporting 84 boxes of material including uniforms and other equipment, from across Europe, including Poland, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain.

Artilleryman – Order of St John.

The event will commemorate the episodes that changed Maltese history, and will shed light on the birth of the movement that eventually brought about Maltese nationhood.

“It can safely be said that behind every great battle won, there is a great logistics plan. Logistics planning and transport are our main areas of expertise so we felt we had to associate ourselves with this commemorative event by supporting the huge logistics operation to help make this event possible,” said Franco Azzopardi, chairman and CEO of Express Trailers.

“We are also delighted that this event is being commemorated this year, which also happens to be our 40-year anniversary of delivering to and from France.

“This goes to further emphasize our strong business relationship with France.”

The re-enactment will portray the arrival of the French and the invasion of Malta that took place 220 years ago in June and will terminate with the French surrender in Gozo, which took place at the end of October of 1798.

Militia in Gozo