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Report - - Tunnels of the Lazzeretto, Manoel Island, Malta - January 2020 | European and International Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Tunnels of the Lazzeretto, Manoel Island, Malta - January 2020

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Bertie Bollockbrains

There is no pain
Regular User
Manoel Island is a small island lying between the capital city of Valletta and the town of Sliema on the north coast of Malta. The island is dominated by the huge star-shaped Fort Manoel. This report is about the former quarantine hospital known as the Lazzaretto that is also on the island. The Lazzaretto would later be used by the Admiralty during WW2 as the base for the Royal Navy's 10th Submarine Flotilla.

HISTORY

In 1592 a quarantine hospital known as the Lazzaretto was built after an outbreak of the plague. The hospital was made of wooden huts and was pulled down a year later after the disease had subsided. In 1643 a permanent Lazzaretto was built in order to control the periodic influx of plague and cholera on board visiting ships. The Lazzaretto was enlarged over the years and was enlarged further between 1837 and 1838 during the British period. As well as quarantining incoming ship passengers, the Lazzaretto was also used to fumigate and disinfect incoming mail. It served as a military hospital during the Crimean War.

During the Siege of Malta of World War Two, 1940 to 1943, the Lazzaretto was requisitioned by the Admiralty and used as a naval base for the Royal Navy's 10th Submarine Flotilla and was referred to as HMS Talbot. Whilst it was a submarine depot, there are no covered submarine pens here, the submarines were moored out in the open and were subject to a considerable number of bombing raids by Italian and German aircraft. The Lazzaretto itself suffered much damaged during this period.

From Manoel Island the submarines of the Royal Navy were sinking at one point 98% of all supplies coming from Italy to the Axis troops in North Africa. This disruption in the enemy's supply chain was to be pivotal in the eventual success of the British over the Germans in North Africa - the first major victory of WW2. But the price paid was high. More than half of all submarines of the 10th Flotilla were lost.

1. Submarines moored at the Lazzaretto. There were no covered submarine pens. They were a big target for the Luftwaffe and in the event of a bombing raid, the submarines were expected to dive under the water's surface.
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The infamous HMS Upholder, a U-class submarine, operated out of Manoel Island. Under the leadership of Captain Wanklyn, this submarine sunk 93000 tons of shipping, a record for any submarine. Captain Wanklyn was to be awarded a Victoria Cross in 1941 for the sinking of the Italian troop ship SS Conte Rosso - probably the only submariner to have received the VC. But the story ends sadly, in April 1942 the Upholder set out on her 25th and final patrol before returning to the UK and never returned. Her fate is still unknown.

The Lazzaretto reopened as a hospital in 1949 and remained so until the departure of the Royal Navy in the 1970s. The Lazzaretto, and indeed much of Manoel Island, has been derelict and unused since but there is now a huge mega-development on Manoel Island and thousands of high-end residential properties, retail space and luxury hotels are soon to be built on the island. Whilst the master plan states that Fort Manoel will be faithfully restored and opened up as a public space, it seems that the plan for the Lazzaretto is for it to be converted into residences, offices and a casino. As an underground car park is also planned, I suspect that everything that you see in this report will soon be no more.

2. The Lazzaretto seen from the seaward side
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As for the tunnels themselves, I do not know when they were built. My guess is due to considerable Luftwaffe bombing of the Lazzaretto during WW2, that they were constructed at that time as air raid shelters. Military style light fittings seen during the explore suggests this.

REPORT

3. Approaching the Lazzaretto, we pass this building. I have seen similiar architecture on former RAF airfields and suspect is an WW2-era accomodation block.
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4. Not much of the Lazzaretto can be seen from the land
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5. Hunt around the area and the tunnel entrance can be found
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6. The entrance tunnel curves and runs for about 100m
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7. And passes through a doorway
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8. And reaches a large underground chamber, unfortunately many "artists" have been here
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9. A second chamber is also here
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10. Military style light-fittings
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11. A tunnel leads downwards and onwards
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12. Bottom of that tunnel
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13. And opens into another chamber
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14. We are now underneath the Lazzaretto itself
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15. With a bit of climbing, the tunnels continue
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16. And they continue...
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17. Tall high passage
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18. And more
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19. Accumulated debris
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20. A wash basin built into a corner
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21. Eventually the tunnels lead out into the Lazzaretto hospital
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22. Inner courtyard of the hospital
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23.
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24. Inside the Lazzaretto
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25.
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Unfortunately, being the 6th explore of that day, the light was fading and I didnt really have time to explore the hospital itself. The access bridge to Manoel Island is only open during the day you see.

Thanks for reading
 

HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Had a sniff around here when I was in Malta a couple or three years back but didn't get in. So great to see your report. Enjoyed that...
 

moopudped

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Photo #18. Is that a WW2 sex dungeon? Asking for a friend. ;) Great report, enjoyed seeing more of underground Malta.
 

Bertie Bollockbrains

There is no pain
Regular User
Well you may have interpreted it as a sex dungeon, to anyone else it is the chains that the beds were hung off in a sort of hammock way and as seen elsewhere in Malta.

But at least you have made public how your mind works. :D
 

Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
Really enjoyed that. That is one crazy beautiful building, love the way the tunnels come out into a court yard. Shame more history will be lost soon!
 
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