Members of the Civil Protection Department will be assisting in the restoration of a 1940 Fordson7v Fire tender, under the direction of Heritage Malta officials.

The vehicle, which was used during the war-time in Malta, forms part of the national collection managed by Heritage Malta.

The pumping appliance was built in around 1940 and was standard issue from the Home Office in Britain for the Auxiliary Fire Service in the UK from 1939 until 1943. Many hundreds were built for the fire brigade but some were then diverted to the Armed Forces.

The vehicle now held by Heritage Malta was at the time diverted to the Royal Air Force. It was powered by a Ford V8 ‘Flathead’ engine, as was the Sulzer Pump carried on the rear of the vehicle, thereby having two Ford V8 engines.

The fire engine was also equipped with an Ajax 20ft ladder on the roof. It was painted in Royal Air Force (RAF) colours and was used in one of the three local RAF aerodromes and airstrips of World War II.

Eventually, the restored fire engine will be exhibited at Fort St Elmo which hosts the National War Museum. Heritage Malta will also provide professional technical advice to the CPD, while the latter will provide fire-fighting courses to Heritage Malta staff.

Meanwhile, Heritage Malta will assist in the restoration of the old air traffic control tower at Ħal Far.

Both initiatives follow a memorandum of understanding signed between Heritage Malta and the CPD.

CPD director general Emanuel Psaila said this collaboration was one of a series of agreements taking place with a number of entities to enhance co-ordination.

Heritage Malta acting CEO Noel Zammit welcomed this agreement saying such collaborations with experts outside the agency were welcome.