HMS Forth in Pieta
HMS Forth berthed in Pieta. The year was 1958 or 1959. Original photo by group member Liz Mardel, many thanks for sharing it, posted in 2015 or possibly in 2010 by my father on our group Sharing Historical Information on Old Photographs.
The image has been enhanced and enlarged.
The image has been enhanced and enlarged.
Information: The quay and road seen in the photo match the layout of Pietà Creek, which lies along the Marsamxett Harbour. This area was often used for naval operations and housed several British naval assets before Malta’s independence.
-
As a submarine depot ship, HMS Forth provided maintenance, supplies, and support to submarines stationed in Malta, a critical hub during and after World War II.
-
The presence of the ship indicates the British military’s strategic use of Malta well into the 1950s and 1960s.
-
At that time, they tied up between the ship and the road.
-
It seems that HMS FORTH (A187) never served as a hospital ship but mainly served at HOLY LOCH on the Clyde, later for a brief period in CEYLON at the end of the war for operations in the Indian ocean.
Vehicles and Urban Setting:
-
The old Maltese buses in the background, along with classic British cars, confirm the mid-century timeframe.
-
The road leading from Pietà toward Valletta would have been a main route for transport and logistics.
