Malta Tanks (Royal Tank Regiment)
The Malta Tanks was a unit designation for an independent Royal Tank Regiment unit made of a mixture of British tank types deployed to Malta in World War 2.
Role and Deployment History
The first armoured unit destined for Malta was organised in 1940. Unit was formed with strength of 5 Officers and 62 Other Ranks; and was attached to 44th Battalion RTR prior to its embarkation for Malta; the unit was part of Malta Command.On 28 November 1940 1 Independent Troop, 44 RTR arrived on the Island on Convoy R.45. The Troop's heavy equipment included:
- Four Matilda Infantry Tanks
- Two Vickers Mk VIB Light Tanks
- Four Motorcycles
- Four Bedford OXD 30-cwt lorries
- Two 15-cwt trucks
- One 15-cwt truck
- One Car Utility.
- One Troop of Vickers Light Tanks
- Two Troops of Cruiser Tanks
- One Troop of Matilda Tanks
The unit never became larger than 19 vehicles and did not see action. It spent the war patrolling, boosting morale across central Malta and acting as tugs removing damaged aircraft from runways.
Equipment
Malta Tanks was equipped with five types of tank during its time on the Island.| Name | Type | Photo | Armament & Numbers on Island |
| Vickers Light Tank | Reconnaissance Tank | Dual turret fit of a Vickers.5in and.303 or Dual turret fit of a Besa 15mm and 7.92 mm Machine Guns - Three Deployed | |
| Matilda | Infantry Support Tank | 2 Pounder 40mm gun & Besa 7.92 mm coaxial machine gun - Four Deployed | |
| Cruiser | Cruiser Tank | 2 Pounder 40mm gun & 3x 0.303 Vickers machine gun - At least one Deployed | |
| Cruiser | Cruiser Tank | 2 Pounder 40mm gun & Besa 7.92 mm coaxial machine gun - Seven or less Deployed | |
| Valentine | Infantry Support Tank | 2 Pounder 40mm gun & Besa 7.92 mm coaxial machine gun - Four Deployed |