Dellia Battery (), also known as Vendôme Battery () or Pwales Right Battery (), was an

artillery battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to f ...

Xemxija Xemxija (, pronounced ''shem-shee-ya'') is a suburb in the western part of St. Paul's Bay in the Northern Region, Malta. It is a quiet resort, surrounded by the countryside and some of the most fertile valleys in Malta. There is also a picturesq ...

Bay, limits of

St. Paul's Bay Saint Paul's Bay () is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta in the Northern Region. It is a major residential and commercial area and a centre for shopping, bars, dining, and café life. As per the 2021 population census, it has also ...

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

. It was built by the

Order of Saint John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic Church, Catholic Military order (religious society), military order. It was founded in the Crusader states, crusader K ...

in 1715 as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the coasts of the Maltese Islands. It was demolished in 1924, but the coats of arms and inscription which were located above the main entrance still exist and are now a monument.

History

Dellia Battery was built in 1715 as part of the Order of Saint John's first building program of batteries and redoubts around the coasts of Malta. It was one of two batteries defending

Bay, the other one being

Arrias Battery Arrias Battery (), also known as Xemxija Battery () or Pwales Left Battery (), is an artillery battery in Xemxija, limits of St. Paul's Bay, Malta. It was built by the Order of Saint John in 1715–1716 as one of a series of coastal fortification ...

, which is still in existence. The battery consisted of a mostly rectangular gun platform with a rounded end, ringed by a low parapet. Its gorge was closed off by a rectangular blockhouse. The doorway was surmounted by the coats of arms of the Order, Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful and the

Langue Langue is a municipality in the Valle Department, Honduras. The town is located near the border of El Salvador and is a regional Hammock making center. Most of the town is made up of sharecroppers and day laborers. There are usually Mormon miss ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The latter represented

Philippe de Vendôme Philippe is a masculine given name, cognate to Philip, and sometimes also a surname. The name may refer to: * Philippe of Belgium (born 1960), King of the Belgians (2013–present) * Philippe (footballer) (born 2000), Brazilian footballer * Prince ...

, who had a leading role in the construction of batteries in Malta. In 1770, the battery was armed with six 6-pounder iron guns, and was supplied with 420 rounds of roundshot and 90 rounds of grapeshot. Three of its guns were removed by 1785. In the early 20th century, the battery was a summer residence for the consul-general of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

, Antonio Muscat Fenech. At this point, an extension was added to the battery, and it flew the

Union Jack The Union Jack or Union Flag is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. The Union Jack was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags. It is sometimes a ...

and Austro-Hungarian ensign. Most of Dellia Battery was demolished in 1924 to make way for a new road, but the three escutcheons with coats of arms and a commemorative marble plaque which stood on the doorway were retained. The parapet was also retained, but it was eventually demolished after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

when a

roundabout A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...

was built in its place. Delija Redoubt as monument

Today, the only remains of the battery are the coats of arms and plaque which formerly stood on the doorway. These are mounted on a plinth on the side of the road. In addition, the foundations possibly still exist, buried under the modern road. The plinth containing the coats of arms and inscription is listed on the

National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands The National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands (NICPMI) is a heritage register listing the cultural property of Malta. The inventory includes properties such as archaeological sites, fortifications, religious buildings, mon ...

References

Notes

External links

National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
{{Batteries in Malta Artillery battery fortifications in Malta St. Paul's Bay Hospitaller fortifications in Malta Military installations established in 1715 Buildings and structures demolished in 1924 Demolished buildings and structures in Malta Limestone buildings in Malta National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands 18th-century fortifications 1715 establishments in Malta 18th Century military history of Malta

History

Further reading

References

External links