Royal Malta Fencible Regiment

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name = Royal Malta Fencible Regiment

| image =

| caption =

| dates = 1815–1861

| country = {{flag|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}}

Crown Colony of Malta

| branch = {{army|UK}}

| type = Mainly Infantry

| role = Local infantry and coastal artillery defence

| size = Up to ten companies deployed throughout the island

| battles =

| commander1 = The Most Noble Francesco, Count Rivarola, KCMG, KCH

| commander1_label = Colonel of the Regiment

}}

The Royal Malta Fencible Regiment was an infantry battalion of the British Army which existed from 1815 to 1861 in Malta, then a British colony.{{cite web |title=The Royal Malta Fencible Regiment |url=http://maltaramc.com/regmltgar/rmfenreg.html |website=maltaramc.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190504181034/http://maltaramc.com/regmltgar/rmfenreg.html |archive-date=4 May 2019}} The regiment was recruited and organised by Francesco Rivarola in 1815; Rivarola had proved himself loyal to the British Crown in fighting France.{{cite web |last1=Baldacchino |first1=James |title=Garrisoning the military 'fief', The Maltese Corps and the Troops (1800 – 1860s) |url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/handle/123456789/9207/14BAHST003.pdf |publisher=University of Malta |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819182714/https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/handle/123456789/9207/14BAHST003.pdf |archive-date=19 August 2017}} In 1861 the regiment was disbanded as an infantry unit and designated as a coastal artillery defence regiment, becoming the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery.{{cite web |title=The Royal Malta Fencible Artillery |url=http://maltaramc.com/regmltgar/rmfa.html |website=maltaramc.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413183327/http://maltaramc.com/regmltgar/rmfa.html |archive-date=13 April 2019}}

Uniform

The regiment was clothed in the same uniform as the rest of the British army and all ranks dress uniform was a close-fitting scarlet tunic with tails, blue facings and gold lace for officers, dark blue/grey trousers or white overalls and headgear being the standard black infantry shako of various patterns issued to the British Army during the time of the unit's establishment. The shako badge was modelled on the British infantry standard eight-pointed facetted star with a Maltese crest at the centre and an immediate surrounding regimental title.{{cite web |title=Malta military badges |url=https://www.slideshare.net/ivanmconsiglio/malta-military-badges |website=www.slideshare.net |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616080259/http://www.slideshare.net/ivanmconsiglio/malta-military-badges |archive-date=16 June 2014}} In 1989 a set of Maltese commemorative stamps (the 4 Cent stamp) included an illustration of an officer of the regiment in dress uniform of 1839.{{cite web |title=Subaltern, Royal Malta Fencibles, 1839 (Malta) (Maltese Uniforms (3rd Series)) Mi:MT 819,Sn:MT 740,Yt:MT 798,Sg:MT 852 |url=https://colnect.com/es/stamps/stamp/11631-Subaltern_Royal_Malta_Fencibles_1839-Maltese_Uniforms_3rd_Series-Malta |website=Colnect |accessdate=28 September 2018 |language=es}}{{cite web |last1=Limited |first1=Alamy |title=Stock Photo - Vintage postage stamps commemorating the Royal Malta Fencibles |url=https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-vintage-postage-stamps-commemorating-the-royal-malta-fencibles-42106127.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=3474735E-F5BC-425F-861A-33F3AC360BDC&p=59748&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3Dbar%26st%3D0%26sortby%3D2%26qt%3Dmalta%2520stamps%25201989%26qt_raw%3Dmalta%2520stamps%25201989%26qn%3D%26lic%3D3%26edrf%3D0%26mr%3D0%26pr%3D0%26aoa%3D1%26creative%3D%26videos%3D%26nu%3D%26ccc%3D%26bespoke%3D%26apalib%3D%26ag%3D0%26hc%3D0%26et%3D0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3D0%26loc%3D0%26ot%3D0%26imgt%3D0%26dtfr%3D%26dtto%3D%26size%3D0xFF%26blackwhite%3D%26cutout%3D%26archive%3D1%26name%3D%26groupid%3D%26pseudoid%3D%26userid%3D%26id%3D%26a%3D%26xstx%3D0%26cbstore%3D1%26resultview%3DsortbyPopular%26lightbox%3D%26gname%3D%26gtype%3D%26apalic%3D%26tbar%3D1%26pc%3D%26simid%3D%26cap%3D1%26customgeoip%3D%26vd%3D0%26cid%3D%26pe%3D%26so%3D%26lb%3D%26fi%3D0%26langcode%3Den%26upl%3D0%26cufr%3D%26cuto%3D%26howler%3D%26cvrem%3D0%26cvtype%3D0%26cvloc%3D0%26cl%3D0%26upfr%3D%26upto%3D%26primcat%3D%26seccat%3D%26cvcategory%3D*%26restriction%3D%26random%3D%26ispremium%3D1%26flip%3D0%26saveQry%3D%26editorial%3D1%26t%3D0%26edoptin%3D |website=Alamy |access-date=5 October 2018 |language=en}}

Unit role

British Army units designated Fencibles were normally local forces raised for defence of an immediate locality and were commonplace in the United Kingdom.{{cite book |last1=Castillo |first1=Dennis Angelo |title=The Maltese Cross: A Strategic History of Malta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i5ns5LNtoiUC&q=royal+malta+fencible+strength&pg=PA137 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |access-date=5 October 2018 |language=en |date=2006 |isbn=9780313323294}} Many of Malta's noble families would provide the regiment with its officers{{cite web |title=The Marquisate de Piro |url=https://www.casaroccapiccola.com/the-marquisate-de-piro/ |website=Casa Rocca Piccola |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180606220424/http://www.casaroccapiccola.com/the-marquisate-de-piro/ |archive-date=6 June 2018}}

Unit organisation and deployment

File:Leandro Preziosi, Portrait photo of Walter Sciortino, Royal Malta Fencible Artillery.jpg, Portrait photo of Walter Sciortino, Royal Malta Fencible Artillery, ca. 1860]]

File:Leandro Preziosi, Officer in the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery.jpg, Officer in the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery]]

The regiment initially consisted of ten companies of Maltese soldiers and these were spread over the main island of Malta, with seven based in garrison areas within the greater Valletta area. Three of the companies were trained as coastal artillery,{{cite book |last1=Maurice-Jones |first1=Colonel K. W. |title=The History of Coast Artillery in the British Army |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mxK-BAAAQBAJ&q=royal+malta+fencible+strength&pg=PA135 |publisher=Andrews UK Limited |access-date=5 October 2018 |language=en |date=19 April 2012 |isbn=9781781491157}} and were located in fixed defensive points in and around St Julian’s, Marsaxlokk and St Paul's Bay.{{cite web |title=Royal Malta Fencible Regiment |url=https://afm.gov.mt/en/oldpages/fencibleregiment/Pages/Royal-Malta-Fencible-Regiment.aspx |website=afm.gov.mt |publisher=Armed Forces of Malta |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507170302/https://afm.gov.mt/en/oldpages/fencibleregiment/Pages/Royal-Malta-Fencible-Regiment.aspx |archive-date=7 May 2019}}

In 1817 the unit would be reduced to six companies, each under the command of a captain. The regiment augmented the island's police force and provided young officers to act as adjutants to local police force commanders. However by 1821 the unit was tasked with general military duties, giving up its police tasks.{{cite web |title=THE SESSIONAL PAPERS PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS, OR PRESENTED BY ROYAL COMMAND IN THE SESSION 1839 VOL. VII |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7NlbAAAAQAAJ&q=royal+malta+fencible+strength&pg=RA3-PA14 |access-date=5 October 2018 |language=en |date=1839}}

In 1835 an article in the United Services Magazine put the total strength of the unit at 468;{{cite web |title=The United Service Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EszSFKrBavsC&q=royal+malta+fencible+strength&pg=PA254 |publisher=H. Colburn |access-date=5 October 2018 |language=en |date=1835}} in 1836 Statistics of the Colonies of the British Empire gave far more detail on the Royal Malta Fencible Regiment's establishment as:{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Robert Montgomery |title=Statistics of the Colonies of the British Empire ...: From the Official Records of the Colonial Office |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PaUNAAAAQAAJ&q=%22Royal+Malta+Fencible+Regiment%22&pg=PA584 |publisher=W.H. Allen and Company |access-date=5 October 2018 |language=en |date=1839}}

One colonel commanding
One major
One lieutenant Adjutant
Six captains
Six lieutenants
Six ensigns
One paymaster
One quartermaster
One surgeon
One assistant surgeon
One sergeant-major
Six colour sergeants
One drum-major
One sergeant paymaster's clerk
One sergeant school master
Four staff sergeants
Fourteen sergeants
Twenty four corporals
11 drummers
444 privates.

On 21 November 1838 Lieutenant General Sir Henry F Bouverie (Governor of Malta and commanding the Malta Garrison), presented the regiment with a set of colours on the Floriana Parade Ground. The regiment parading was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel the Marquess de Piro.{{cite web |last1=Baldacchino |first1=James |title=Garrisoning the military 'fief' The Maltese Corps and the Troops (1800 – 1860s) |url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/handle/123456789/9207/14BAHST003.pdf |publisher=University of Malta |access-date=5 October 2018}}

Between 1829 and 1839 the unit's officer manning levels remained fairly stable at:{{cite web |title=Hart's Army Lists New army list August 1839 |url=https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/120325816 |website=digital.nls.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928161322/https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/120325816 |archive-date=28 September 2018 |language=en}}

A regimental colonel - in 1829 and 1839 it was the Count Francesco Rivarola (who had seen active service with the Royal Sicilian Regiment{{cite web |title=The Royal Sicilian Regiment |url=http://maltaramc.com/regmltgar/sicilian.html |website=maltaramc.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413204938/http://maltaramc.com/regmltgar/sicilian.html |archive-date=13 April 2019 |language=en}}{{cite web |first=Denis |last=Darmianin |title=Malta-based Sicilian Regiment that served His Royal Highness |url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20151115/life-features/Malta-based-Sicilian-Regiment-that-served-His-Royal-Highness.592306 |work=Times of Malta |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005153334/https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20151115/life-features/Malta-based-Sicilian-Regiment-that-served-His-Royal-Highness.592306 |archive-date=5 October 2018}})
A regimental major/lieutenant colonel - in 1829 and 1839 it was the Marquis Giuseppe de Piro
Six captains
Seven to eight lieutenants (including an adjutant)
Six to seven ensigns
A paymaster
A quarter-master
A surgeon and an assistant surgeon

In 1856 Imperial account returns record that the "Royal Malta Fencibles" cost the Crown just under £12,197, less £1,099 in pay stoppages.{{cite web |title=Military Expenditure 1856 |url=https://nso.gov.mt/en/nso/Historical_Statistics/Malta_Blue_Books/Documents/1856/1856_chapter7.pdf |publisher=National Statistics Office Malta |access-date=5 October 2018}}

On 3 January 1862 the New York Times reported on a lecture given by Captain Petrie at United Service Institution in London that confirmed that the regiment still consisted of six line companies, plus staff.{{cite web |title=The Military Force of Great Britain; The British Army, Its History, Its organization, and Its Strength. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1862/01/03/archives/the-military-force-of-great-britain-the-british-armyits-history-its.html |work=The New York Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005195032/https://www.nytimes.com/1862/01/03/archives/the-military-force-of-great-britain-the-british-armyits-history-its.html |archive-date=5 October 2018}} By the time the report was filed the regiment had ceased to exist as infantry and had become a static garrison artillery force - the Royal Malta Fencible Artillery.{{cite web |title=History of the AFM |url=http://afm.gov.mt/en/info/history/Pages/History-of-the-AFM.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170730145710/http://afm.gov.mt/en/info/history/Pages/History-of-the-AFM.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 July 2017 |website=archive.li |access-date=5 October 2018 |date=30 July 2017}}