Victorian Military Graveyards in Malta

[clarkej]

Hello again everyone,

My Great Grandfather William Clark and his wife Laura was stationed in Malta for a time before being sent to India with the Royal Irish for almost 14 years in the mid 1880's.

It's whilst on Malta they had a child that died either in child birth or as an young infant and I'm trying to track a grave or a church down to possibly go and visit it in a few years time.

I know its a bit of a long shot but does anyone have any ideas of a Victorian Military Graveyard's on Malta? As I say its a real long shot but any help will be most appreciated.

Have a Great weekend

Jason

[Mark]

Hi Jason

There are no dedicated 'Victorian' military cemeteries in Malta as such. There are, however, a number of military graveyards for the First and Second World Wars. That said the Pieta cemetery, which is mainly First World War burials, also contains memorials to men of the 64th Foot who died while they were stationed on the islands in the Victorian period. I did take some photos and post them on the forum a while back but after a technical glitch they were lost - I will repost when I get chance.

The Ta Braxia cemetery, while predominantly civillian burials, contains quite a few British military graves from the Victorian period. Most of the ones I saw while there were officers or other people of standing at the time.

Here is a link to a list of such cemeteries in Malta which may be of use: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cg ... 5&page=csr

The Maltese have kept good records of the burials in the cemeteries so if you can make contact I am sure they will be able to help one way or another.

I hope this is of some use to you.

Mark

[Maltese Steven]

I certainly found out a Victorian VC winner at ta Braxia Cemetry

Andrew Moynihan VC

(1830-1867)
Born on 1st January 1830, as a small child, Andrew Moynihan moved with his family from Wakefield in Yorkshire to live in Crescent Road in Dukinfield, where he attended the Wesleyan Methodist School in Ashton-under-Lyne. Later he went on to work at Flash Hall Mills on Old Street before moving to James Ogden's Mill at Hall Green.
At 17 years he enlisted in the 90th Regiment the Perthshire Volunteers who were stationed in Ashton. In 1853 he married Ellen Parkin at Ashton Parish Church.
With the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854 Moynihan was sent to fight and in September 1855 he was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallant actions. As a sergeant in the 90th Light Infantry during an attack on the Redan fortress at Sebastapol on 8th September 1855 "...he personally encountered and killed five Russians and rescued a wounded officer under heavy fire".
An initial attack on the fortress by British forces had already failed but in September 1855 Moynihan's actions were to make an advance possible. Despite heavy defensive Russian fire and being repeatedly driven back, Moynihan re-entered the building to rescue a wounded officer and was bayoneted twice before being taken prisoner. A renewed British attack helped him escape, but Russian forces repeatedly pushed the British back to their trenches. Here, once more, Moynihan helped save a wounded colleague despite his own injuries. By the end of the day he had suffered twelve wounds.
On his return to Dukinfield in 1856 he was afforded a hero's welcome and a special reception was held in his honour at the Astley Arms. Here presentations were made to him, including an inscribed watch from the local people. In 1857 he received his Victoria Cross personally from Queen Victoria.
Moynihan later served during the Indian Mutiny and in Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta. By the 1860s he held the rank of Captain.
In 1867 Moynihan contracted 'Malta Fever', probably from untreated or unsterilised goat's milk and died on the 19th May of that year. He is buried in La Braxia Cemetery.
A blue plaque to commemorate his life can be found at the Astley Arms, Chapel Hall in Dukinfield


Please contact me should you need any information about this issue, would be more then pleased to help out as i am maltese.