Dates: 1933 - 1979
The Royal Navy Establishment
H.M.S. St Angelo, 1933 – 1939
In 1933 the Royal Navy changed the name of Malta’s shore establishment from H.M.S. Egmont to H.M.S. St Angelo.
After World War One the Mediterranean Fleet enjoyed its heyday and increased in size to become one of the largest fleets of the Royal Navy. During the interwar period the operations staff at H.M.S. St Angelo were responsible for the co-ordination of the fleet during the Abyssinian War (1935) and Spanish Civil War (1936 – 1939).
By 1935 the Mediterranean Fleet consisted of flagship H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, five R class battleships, five cruisers, 27 destroyers and seven submarines. In addition, the fleet could call upon the battlecruisers H.M.S. Hood, H.M.S. Renown and H.M.S. Repulse, aircraft carriers HM ships Courageous and Glorious, as well as nine cruisers and a flotilla of mine sweepers.
H.M.S. St Angelo during World War Two
Just before the outbreak of World War two the Navy moved the Headquarters of the Fleet to Alexandria, Egypt. The Admiralty felt that Malta’s close proximity to Italy meant that the island was in serious threat of air strikes.
The Royal Navy reduced Malta’s naval presence to just 20 destroyers, eight sloops, minesweepers and a flotilla of submarines and its depot ship.
Predictions of the threat of Italian bombing strikes proved correct. Between March and May 1942 alone the area around Grand Harbour received hits from a total of 6 700 tons of bombs. The raids caused the sinking of 21 ships, four fleet destroyers and four submarines in the harbour or its approaches.
To aid the Maltese people and the service men and women based on the island, the Royal Navy mounted several operations to convey essential supplies into Malta. Read about the Malta Convoys Operation Magic Carpet (1942) and Operation Pedestal (1942).
In 1943 Malta was central to the preparations for the Allied Invasion of Sicily – Operation Husky. Dockyard workers cleared the wreckage from the dockyard and prepared the dry docks and berths in order to assemble and make any repairs to the invasion fleet.
Malta became the major base for all types of landing craft with specialist repair facilities.
H.M.S. St Angelo Post World War Two.
It was only after the war in July 1946 that the Commander in Chief Mediterranean re-established his HQ in Malta again.
Between 1952 and 1967 the Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet also had the role of NATO C-in-C Mediterranean, in charge of all forces assigned to NATO in the Mediterranean area.
As the focus of world security focused on Cold War operations in the North Atlantic, the Royal Navy gradually reduced the size of the Mediterranean Fleet and by 1967 the Admiralty abolished the post of Commander in Chief Mediterranean.
The Mediterranean Fleet amalgamated with the Home Fleet to become the Western Fleet responsible for the safeguarding of UK home waters, the North and South Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The Fleet Command was based in Northwood Middlesex and the Commander in Chief of the Western Fleet also took on the NATO role of Commander in Chief Allied Channel Command.
The responsibilities of H.M.S. St Angelo dwindled as the Royal Navy retracted from Malta. In 1969 the last permanent squadron of frigates and in shore minesweepers departed. The establishment finally closed on 31 March 1979 after Malta gained its independence and the British forces withdrew from the island.
The Vessel
H.M.S. St. Angelo was also a little known auxiliary tug, she was built by Scott Bowling and was used for harbour duties in Valetta, transporting Royal Navy Officers from Fort St Angelo to other destinations.
During the war duties included initially rescue and later minesweeping.
Sadly H.M.S. St. Angelo sunk on Saturday 30th May 1942 in the Grand Harbour Valetta it is possible that the victims on that day included.
Debattista Joseph L/Sea E/JX 146442
Farrugia Vincent AB E
