Degree Miniatures

INTRODUCTION

CASTINGS

RE-ENACTMENT

HISTORICAL
SUMMARY

REFERENCES

LINKS

CONTACT

HISTORICAL SUMMARY

Maltese Regiments of the British Army

The Royal Malta Regiment of Militia, 1889-1904.

In 1888, the Governor of Malta, Sir Lintorn Simmons (on whose reports when Inspector of Fortifications, Fort Rinella knows its origin), had proposed the formation of a Maltese Militia Force. Its over all strength was to be of three companies distributed into Headquarters and seven Companies. The Cadet Company was the First Company of the Regiment which was approved in March 1889, while the officers were gazetted on lst May. The first person to enlist was Dr. E.L. Vella, a member of the Council of Government. The uniform was as the same as for royal regiments of infantry and in October 1889 was granted to show the date "MDCCC" on its appointments as a distinction in commemoration of the Maltese Light Infantry during the Blockade of Valletta in 1800.

Authority was granted in for a second battalion, while in 1904, while on a visit to Malta, H.M. King Edward VII had conferred his patronage to the Regiment with the title "King's Own".

Extract from a brief by Denis A. Darmanin.