The Malta Coast Artillery was a

coastal artillery Coastal artillery is the branch of the armed forces concerned with operating anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. From the Middle Ages until World War II, coastal artillery and naval artillery in the form of ...

unit in the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

which existed from 1802 to 1815 in

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 ...

, then a

British protectorate British protectorates were protectorates under the jurisdiction of the British government. Many territories which became British protectorates already had local rulers with whom the Crown negotiated through treaty, acknowledging their status wh ...

and later a

colony A colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule, which rules the territory and its indigenous peoples separated from the foreign rulers, the colonizer, and their ''metropole'' (or "mother country"). This separated rule was often orga ...

. According to the

Treaty of Amiens The Treaty of Amiens (, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France, the Spanish Empire, and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition. It marked the end of the French Revolutionary Wars; after a short peace it set t ...

of 1802, Britain was to evacuate Malta and restore the islands to the Order of St. John. The treaty also stated that at least half of Malta's garrison had to consist of 2000 Maltese soldiers led by native officers. Although the treaty was not implemented and the British did not evacuate Malta, the garrisons were readjusted, with the existing Maltese Light Infantry,

Maltese Militia The Maltese Militia or Malta Militia was a militia unit in the British Army which existed from 1801 to 1802, and again from 1852 to 1857. The first incarnation was a volunteer unit of 900 men raised in the British protectorate of Malta. The secon ...

and

Maltese Militia Coast Artillery The Maltese Militia Coast Artillery was a coastal artillery militia unit in the British Army which existed from 1801 to 1802 in Malta, then a British protectorate. After the French blockade ended and the British took over Malta in September 1800, ...

being disbanded. The Malta Coast Artillery was set up in accordance with the treaty in 1802, taking over the role of the Maltese Militia Coast Artillery which had been set up in 1801. The unit manned the batteries located at

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 ...

and Marsa Scirocco, while detachments manned the coastal towers. Their duties included anti-smuggling operations. In February 1803, the Malta Coast Artillery consisted of 170 men. By 1804, this had increased to three companies of 100 men each, raised to 150 men in 1806. The unit was commanded by Captain John Vivion of the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

, who had set up the Maltese Militia Coast Artillery. Men from the Malta Coast Artillery wore the same uniform as that of the Royal Artillery, consisting of dark blue coats with red facings. The Malta Coast Artillery was amalgamated with the

Maltese Provincial Battalions The Maltese Provincial Battalions were infantry battalions in the British Army which existed from 1802 to 1815 in Malta, then a British protectorate and later a colony. According to the Treaty of Amiens of 1802, Britain was to evacuate Malta and ...

and the

Maltese Veterans The Maltese Veterans, also known as the Corps of Veterans, was a corps in the British Army which existed from 1803 to 1815 in Malta, then a British protectorate and later a colony. According to the Treaty of Amiens of 1802, Britain was to evacuat ...

to form the

Royal Malta Fencible Regiment The Royal Malta Fencible Regiment was an infantry battalion of the British Army which existed from 1815 to 1861 in Malta, then a British colony. The regiment was recruited and organised by Francesco Rivarola in 1815; Rivarola had proved himself ...

on 16 February 1815.

References

{{reflist Artillery units and formations of the British Army Coastal artillery Military history of Malta Military units and formations established in 1802 Military units and formations disestablished in 1815 1802 establishments in Malta 1815 disestablishments in Malta