Wookie
28-02-2012, 12:19 AM
Mellieha is quite a large town on the northern coast of Malta.
It is located a few miles north of where we now live, and the other week, my wife and I took a walk there, to photograph the church.
We eventually did get to the church, but on the way, we discovered the Mellieha underground air raid shelters, dug out of the solid rock.
Background
During the 2nd world war, its population was in the region of 3800, with an additional 1500 refugees from other war torn areas of the island.
Both the Italians and the Germans were bombing the island, as it was a key location in the central mediterranean, controlling sea routes to north africa, and the oil rich middle east. The main targets where obviously the grand harbour at Valetta, and the airfields, but the axis powers attacked any signs of life anywhere on the island. The only refuge from these air attacks was to tunnel into the rock of the island. This site at Mellieha has only just been discovered, and parts are still being explored, and opened to the public.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0056.jpg
The extensive tunnels are through solid rock, and are about 6ft high by 4ft wide
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0057.jpg
Only 8 men dug these tunnels. They had 13 assistants, with another 6 or 7 helping now and again. Each man was paid between 60 and 70 cents a day for the work.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0061.jpg
No explosives were used. There where enough coming down from the skies. All the excavations were done with picks and chisels, as you can see from the tool marks on the walls on some of the pics. Every now and then they would cut a small round hole in the wall, and fill it with oil. A wick in this oil would be lit, and the shadow would give them a guide mark for cutting the tunnels. This was an easy way to ensure that the walls where square.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0058.jpg
The tunnels zig and zag through the rock, occasionally opening out into larger galleries.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0059.jpg
A family could apply for a permit to excavate living quarters off the main tunnels.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0060.jpg
Living quarters where a maximum of 6ft x 8ft. This was strictly controlled. A Family of between 6 and 8 people lived in one of these rooms.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0063.jpg
2 Larger rooms where excavated and used as maternity rooms. Life went on in the shelters, even though war raged overhead.
It is located a few miles north of where we now live, and the other week, my wife and I took a walk there, to photograph the church.
We eventually did get to the church, but on the way, we discovered the Mellieha underground air raid shelters, dug out of the solid rock.
Background
During the 2nd world war, its population was in the region of 3800, with an additional 1500 refugees from other war torn areas of the island.
Both the Italians and the Germans were bombing the island, as it was a key location in the central mediterranean, controlling sea routes to north africa, and the oil rich middle east. The main targets where obviously the grand harbour at Valetta, and the airfields, but the axis powers attacked any signs of life anywhere on the island. The only refuge from these air attacks was to tunnel into the rock of the island. This site at Mellieha has only just been discovered, and parts are still being explored, and opened to the public.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0056.jpg
The extensive tunnels are through solid rock, and are about 6ft high by 4ft wide
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0057.jpg
Only 8 men dug these tunnels. They had 13 assistants, with another 6 or 7 helping now and again. Each man was paid between 60 and 70 cents a day for the work.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0061.jpg
No explosives were used. There where enough coming down from the skies. All the excavations were done with picks and chisels, as you can see from the tool marks on the walls on some of the pics. Every now and then they would cut a small round hole in the wall, and fill it with oil. A wick in this oil would be lit, and the shadow would give them a guide mark for cutting the tunnels. This was an easy way to ensure that the walls where square.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0058.jpg
The tunnels zig and zag through the rock, occasionally opening out into larger galleries.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0059.jpg
A family could apply for a permit to excavate living quarters off the main tunnels.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0060.jpg
Living quarters where a maximum of 6ft x 8ft. This was strictly controlled. A Family of between 6 and 8 people lived in one of these rooms.
http://www.phreikngraphix.com/ma/album/urbex/IMG_0063.jpg
2 Larger rooms where excavated and used as maternity rooms. Life went on in the shelters, even though war raged overhead.