BIRZEBBUGA VIEW OF 1948

A scene of many years ago. Birzebbuga 1948 with Pretty Bay beach as it used to be before the sand that is seen today which covers all the part of the bay as it is today. The old WW2 gunpost opposite the Smiling Prince Bar (today Labour Party Club) can clearly be seen. No TV antennas in sight. Click on photo to enlarge.

L'ARBLU TA WIED IL - BUNI ~ THE POLE AT WIED IL - BUNI

That's what all the locals used to call it, 'L'Arblu ta Wied il - Buni'/ the pole at Wied il - Buni.
It was situated about directly in line with Triq San Frangisku Saveriu / St Francis Xavier Street.
As you can see from the photo.
It was approx 40 feet up from the waters edge and on the left hand side of it there was a tiny inlet, always with sparkling clean seawater that used to be called 'IL - Lembijja "
It was a favourite swimming spot for young children.
The Pole was also a challenging structure for young boys and men to climb up on the steel frame.

During WW2 when all of Wied il - Buni was occupied by the Military and totally out of bounds to civilians the area where the Pole was located was used by English servicemen for nude swimming.

When the Military moved out from Wied il - Buni c1944 the area by the Pole was always a favourite spot for beach goers.
The square concrete block at the base of the Pole was an ideal spot to sit down.
The Pole is now gone but a small section of the concrete base can still be seen.

BY THE SIDE OF THE WATER-POLO PITCH

A pretty picture taken from the side of the water-polo pitch. Part of Pretty Bay in the background. Photo taken July 2010 on a lovely summer day. Click on photo to enlarge.

THE WW2 ARMY GUNPOST AT WIED IL - BUNI

This is a very rare photo showing part of the WW2 Army gunpost at the entrance to Wied il - Buni. The concrete gunpost was built c1939. It was manned by the English Army, the Devonshire Regiment. It was very close to the bus terminus and Kalafrana Road. Close by there was a searchlight post right on the edge of the seashore. A short distance away was an Army BOFORS gun. One evening, the BOFORS gun received a direct hit and 5 Maltese gunners were killed. Photo taken 1949.

THE NEW LANDMARK AT PRETTY BAY

Due to be completed by end of 2010. This is the new six storey building that is replacing the previous South End Guest House and previous to that the old Claridge Hotel that was built during the early 1930s. Photo taken July 2010.

St Francis Xavier Str - Triq San Frangisku Saveriu - Birzebbuga

This is Triq San Frangisku Saveriu, Photo taken from the Wied il Buni side of St Patrick Str or as it was always called 'it Triq ta - Kalafrana'. During WW2 c1941 at approx 10pm while an Air Raid was on, two bombs were dropped by Italian bombers and landed on the houses shown on the right hand side of the photo. Four houses were destroyed and other houses on the opposite side were very badly damaged. No civilians were injured as everyone was in the Air Raid shelter that was at the top end of St Philips Str. Another bomb dropped by the same Italian aircraft landed a direct hit on an anti aircraft gun at the entrance to Wied il - Buni. Five Maltese Army gunners tragically lost their lives. Photo taken June 2010.