The Defense of Gudja 12th November 2023
A day truly to remember, full of activities such as rifle drill, bike rides, reenactment battles, firearms firing displays, historical talks, and a pillbox tour augmented by a large selection of displays of equipment such as the L60 Bofors Light anti-aircraft gun, a German paratrooper drop canister, a range of firearms and four different war time vehicles.
This event provided the attendees with a glimpse of war time activities and fighting methods from both British and German military perspectives in relation to the invasion of Malta. It also showcased different facets of Malta at war through ARP and Bomb disposal displays.
Sabaton Film Premiere 11th November 2023
On this occasion Battlefront Malta partnered with MCAST CSR & Events to host Sabaton’s new film – The War to End all Wars which was globally premiered by museums and entities. The turnout of our supporters and Sabaton fans was amazing and it was truly a pleasure to take part in such a project.
Battlefront Training Camp 20th October 2023
Our annual training camp enables our members to brush up and refine a vast range of skills crucial in delivering accurate handling of equipment and drill during our events and displays. Such skills include rifle drill, firearm maintenance, and physical exercises just to name a few. This camp also saw the introduction of a new skill – semaphore signaling, an alternative to radio communication through the use of signal flags. Squads were split up and managed to relay messages across a half kilometer stretch unaided from binoculars.
The women of the George cross island – Battlefront Malta was responsible for providing professional extras complete with accurate uniforms and equipment ranging from the ARP to British army soldiers. The group also advised the stage setup and contributed to the best possible depiction of the scenario.
Vickers Photoshoot
We took our research and put it into action using an inter-war trench we cleaned up within the limits of Wardija and a second world war era pillbox in Manikata. Reenactment opportunities were endless and we seized the moment to re-create both second world war and inter-war depictions.
Battlefront members participated in a cleanup on the outskirts of Imdina with the aim of improving the preservation of our local history and heritage whilst also contributing to a cleaner and healthier environment.
This time in the locality of Zejtun, Battlefront Malta members put up a show to remember, featuring wartime vehicles a full bomb disposal display, an anti-aircraft setup, an ARP talk and a Luftwaffe pilot setup. The parish square was lit up in the sounds of war and the public experienced, if at all brief, a small window into wartime Malta. This event commemorated some of the deadlier attacks of the war especially those on this locality.
Battlefront members undertook a two-day war exercise on the island of Gozo featuring marching over rough terrain, patrols, battles and a whole lot more. Several types of equipment were put to the test in simulations ranging from mortar fire, setting up of explosives, recovering supply drops, clearing of explosives, map reading and range finding. Overall, this event provided our members with a hyper-realistic reenactment giving tactile depth to the experience of the soldier at war.
Battlefront Malta with the help of AMACS, organized a show and tell to provide the chance for collectors to share knowledge about interesting pieces from their collections. A number of very interesting, some never before seen items were exhibited and their stories shared among the community of collectors present.
Battlefront members were asked to visit the Salesian Brigade during their Christmas camp where talks and demonstrations were given about several wartime experiences including the role of the ARP, bomb disposal, and REME. Through innovative visual displays the present audience got to learn about a small part of the history of the Second World War.
Gudja Pillbox 23rd October 2022
In collaboration with a local NGO (SKALI Gudja), Battlefront Malta manned an airfield defence post on the outskirts of the town of Gudja. This event gave the public a unique experience to enter the defence post and see how it would have been armed during the defence of Malta during the Second World War.
This event also boasted an uncommon machine gun (Vickers heavy machine gun) as part of the display along with a short battle between a British patrol and German parachutists in a simulated airborne attack on Malta.
For this event Battlefront Malta shipped put to the island of Gozo in a range of World War 2 vehicles including a Bedford OY, a Standard Utility, and Austin Utility, A Willis Jeep, and a Standard Flying Nine. The aim of this event was to commemorate the bombings of Gozo and the 150 Gozitans who died during the war, through several displays and a number of artifact and relic exhibits.
Fort St Elmo Demonstrations 24th April 2022
In preparation of this event, Battlefront offered five different scenarios.
In hindsight, this was a pretty interesting event for anyone interested in history and we could tell that the people in the audience had fun and were greatly satisfied by our work.
This event was a collaboration between Battlefront Malta and the Association for Maltese Arms Collectors and Shooters (AMACS) for the annual FESAC conference held this year in Malta. This conference presents a valuable opportunity for firearm advocates from all over Europe to meet up and discuss important matters including gun laws, reforms, and rights. This event was mainly a machine gun exhibition, with Battlefront members both caretaking the exhibition and reenacting the different impressions of the soldiers and units who would have made use of such firearms.
The Comino War Game
After months of preparation from both sides, the British and Germans headed out to Comino for a standoff. Each side was provided its objectives and orders and was on its own. Victory could only be determined by teamwork and sweat. The event took 2 days in which the British were camped in the tower whilst the Germans took a hold of the coastal battery.
During the windy night of the encampment, the British took advantage of the darkness and led out a strike team to rid the Germans of their rest and base and headed out towards the battery. After a long march on the rocks to avoid the mined paths of Comino, the British attacked the battery taking the tired Germans by surprise, bombarding them with a quick two minute siege and retreating back to base with a Victory.
It was a close game, in the end however, the war game was won by the Germans for having done more objectives and order efficiently.
Historical March: Victoria Lines
Battlefront Living History’s British Section marched from Bahrija to Victoria Lines (Rabat) and back in full uniform. This march was conducted in preparation of the upcoming war game against the German section and helped our members to get in better shape and get used to the heavy equipment. During our march along the lines, we stopped to reenact its defense lines and inspect its buildings and historic value, whilst taking the chance for a small photoshoot.
Battlefront Living History with the help of AMACS, organized a show and tell to provide the chance for collectors to share knowledge about interesting pieces from their collections. The event was opened for anyone interested in historic items. Its safe to say, a lot of interesting items where brought to the table and their stories are astonishing.
Training and Workshops
As part of our team building efforts, we tend to create our own events by taking our members out in natural hikes wearing full uniforms, giving out objectives and carrying them out as a team while being as historically accurate as we can.
We also have several workshops designed to practice our drills and maintain our equipment to make sure we put our 100% in any event.
History on Wheels 2022: Cycle Edition
Battlefront Living History Group’s journey throughout the COVID-19 pandemic was not a quite one. A revolution in reenacting had to happen in order to keep history alive. This event was an initiative to challenge the traditional way that reenacting was exhibited by going to the people directly and amalgamating a range of historical attributes into one event. The main protagonists of the event were the world war two period vehicles some sporting the infamous Malta camouflage with a highlight on bicycles – subjects of importance in future events.
Our members took their early Sunday drives to the northern section of our island, where we volunteered to clean up the historical area around Ras il-Qammieh once again. Overall, we managed to round up a Rusted Boiler and 20 Garbage Bags full of glass, plastic, and anything imaginable from the surrounding buildings and natural areas over the course of a couple of hours.
We would like to thank the Mellieha Local Council for supporting us with the equipment needed and the after-work trash delivery service.
It was a pleasure for BLHG members to meet his excellency George Vella at MCAST today. A very fitting end to our stand. We will surely be visiting again next year
In the second edition of history on wheels Battlefront Living History Group traveled a route along the southern villages of Malta. Apart from displaying a wide variety of vehicles ranging from trucks to jeeps to motorcycles to bicycles BLHG also setup an informative public exhibition that was focused on some artifacts that we can still commonly find to this day in Maltese homes.
During this event BLHG wanted to highlight the dead who, served fought and paid the ultimate price here in Malta. Several members took part in lighting a candle for every grave in the war cemetery as a form of remembrance of their sacrifice. Let their memory and sacrifice be cherished forever.
In the summer months BLHG members set off for their routine training camp. On this particular weekend, several old photos from the battle of Crete were re-created using authentic equipment and uniforms.
Historical March 2020
Battlefront Living History Group’s journey throughout the COVID-19 pandemic was not a quite one. A revolution in reenacting had to happen in order to keep history alive. This event was an initiative to challenge the traditional way that reenacting was exhibited by going to the people directly and amalgamating a range of historical attributes into one event. The main protagonists of the event were the world war two period vehicles some sporting the infamous Malta camouflage with a highlight on bicycles – subjects of importance in future events.
First History on Wheels
Battlefront Living History Group’s journey throughout the COVID-19 pandemic was not a quiet one. A revolution in reenacting had to happen in order to keep history alive. This event was an initiative to challenge the traditional way that reenacting was exhibited by going to the people directly and amalgamating a range of historical attributes into one event. The main protagonists of the event were the world war two period vehicles some sporting the infamous Malta camouflage with a highlight on bicycles – subjects of importance in future events.
We were invite to partake in a social event with multiple other historical reenactment groups. The experience involved both British and German sections camped out for the night in period-accurate tents. We also organized a battle scenario involving a German offensive on a British Trench Set-Up and multiple Weapon Firing Demonstrations which can be found on our YouTube Channel.
Show and Tell 2020
Each Section, including British, German and Civilian contributed in setting up a display for St Elmo Visitors. BLHG Members performed Drills and Firing Exhibitions which is always an attraction to the public and an opportunity to brush up our skills.
Military Mtarfa
An event where Battlefront along with other local reenactment groups holds large-scale reenactments. Past editions saw the group field British Mortar teams and multiple fallschirmjäger squads.
Military Mtarfa
An event where Battlefront along with other local reenactment groups holds large-scale reenactments. Past editions saw the group field British Mortar teams and multiple fallschirmjäger squads.
Throughout the course of this event Battlefront Malta reenactors provided the attending public with several impressions of spotters and anti-aircraft gunners. Both German and British impressions were displayed to show the different types of equipment and how they operated during the Second World War.
Mtarfa School Visit 2018
Battlefront was invited to give a short talk in uniform to primary school students in Mtarfa. As an educational organization, we strive for such opportunities to extend the memory of the second world war.
During this event Battlefront members displayed highly accurate impressions such as that of a British mortar team and German Fallschirmjager units equipping themselves. Throughout this event, several firing demonstrations of World War 2 firearms including the MP40, Mauser 98k, Lee-Enfield rifle, Webley Revolver and M38 Beretta Submachinegun, were done to give the attending public an audiovisual experience of the sounds of war.
A yearly event where Battlefront along with other local reenactment groups holds large-scale reenactments. Past editions saw the group field British Mortar teams and multiple fallschirmjäger squads.
George Cross Commemoration 2017
A national event extending the memory of the George cross award to the people of Malta in 1942.
