Garrison Strength
The strength of the Malta Garrison was: Officers 133, Other Ranks 2447, Wives 346, Children 542.
Baptisms in Mtarfa took place in the Church Room. From 1 June 1921, they started to be held in St Oswald's Chapel.
The Malta Garrison – 1921
Surgeons
- Royal Garrison Artillery
- Royal Malta Artillery
- S–Maj Randon Robert
- S–Maj Vella Robert
- Royal Engineers
- Royal Corps of Signals
- 1st/Gordon Highlanders
- 2nd/Royal Sussex
- 2nd/Essex
- 1st/Loyal (North Lancashire)
- 2nd/Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry
- 1st/King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
- 1st/King's Own Malta Regt (Militia)
- S–Maj Samut Robert
- 2nd/King's Own Malta Regt (Militia)
- S–Maj Manche Charles
- Royal Army Service Corps
- Royal Army Medical Corps
- Army Dental Corps
- Royal Army Ordnance Corps
- Royal Army Veterinary Corps
- Royal Army Pay Corps
- Corps of Military Police
- Military Provost Staff Corps
- Army Educational Corps
- Corps of Military Accountants
Self Government
The Amery-Milner Constitution of 1921 granted Self-Government to Malta (Malta Government Gazette 4 May 1921). The Maltese Government dealt with local issues; the Imperial Government with defence and foreign affairs.
Executive Authority lay with the Governor and the Executive Council. The Hon Joseph Howard became Prime Minister in an administration in which Prof Carmelo Mifsud was Minister for Public Health.
HRH Edward Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VIII, arrived on 1 Nov 1921 for the official State opening of the Maltese Parliament.
The Constitution was suspended in 1930 because of intractable religious-political disputes. It was withdrawn in 1933 and Malta reverted to Crown Colony Status. Self-Government was restored in 1947.
Sandfly Fever
In 1921, the Royal Air Force Sandfly Fever Commission Malta consisted of Sqn Ldr Harold Edward Whittingham, Cpl G H Noakes, and Aircraftman 341189 R Stewart (June 1921).
Sandfly Fever was an important factor in the causation of non-effectiveness in the Royal Air Force. Its actual cause had baffled researchers but Sqn Ldr Whittingham had isolated an organism from the blood of Sandfly fever patients, which he had succeeded in growing outside the body.
The results of his inoculation experiments were, however, doubtful so that it could not be absolutely proved that the organism isolated was the cause of the disease.
Army Dental Corps
The Army Dental Corps was formed by Royal Warrant on 4 Jan 1921, as part of the Army Medical Services. In 1946, King George VI granted the prefix Royal
to the Corps.
During the First World War officers attached to the RAMC carried out the duties of dentists but there was an extensive wastage of soldier manpower due to a lack of proper dental care. Dental Surgeons were initially granted a Short Service Commission of 6 years with the opportunity for selection to a permanent commission.
Servicemen joined for an initial engagement of 7 years and went initially to the Army Dental Corps School of Instruction at Aldershot.
Army Nursing
From 1921, the Queen Alexandra's Military Family Nursing Service provided a separate nursing service for the families of soldiers.
Baptisms in the Barracca Church Valletta in 1921
- 29 Mar Geoffrey Kidley born 22 January, son of Gladys Muriel and WO Instructor Walter Dudly Kidley Army Educational Corps.
Staff
- Staff Officers
- Col McLoughlin George Somers
DMS Malta Comd - Lieutenant Colonels
- Steele William Lawrence
ADMS Malta Comd - Newman Richard Ernest Upton DAD Pathology Malta Cmd
- Gatt Joseph Edward Henry
- Gwynn William Purnell.
- Majors
- Hattersley Sidney Martin
DAD Hygiene Malta Cmd - Kelly William Davenport Crawley
- Boyce William Wallace
- MacNicol Robert Henston
- Storrs Reginald
- Captains
- Alexander Hugh Moore
- Bado Arthur James
- Carr Gerald Francis
- Fotheringham William
- Gaunt John Kennedy
- Holland James Kevin
- Pendered John Hawkes
- Stanton Thomas
Bibliography
- Drew R, Commissioned Officers in the Medical Services of the British Army Vol II. Roll of Officers in the Royal Army Medical Corps 1898–1960. London The Wellcome Historical Medical Library 1968.
- The Army List for Dec 1921, London 1921.
- Report on the health of the army for 1921 - 1923 Vol LVII, London 1924.
- General monthly returns of the regimental strength of the British Army for 1st January 1921.
- General monthly returns of the regimental strength of the British Army for 1st February 1921.
- General monthly returns of the regimental strength of the British Army for 1st April 1921.
- General monthly returns of the regimental strength of the British Army for 1st May 1921.
- General monthly returns of the regimental strength of the British Army for 1st June 1921.
- General monthly returns of the regimental strength of the British Army for 1st August 1921.
- General monthly returns of the regimental strength of the British Army for 1st December 1921.
- Whittingham H E and Rook A F, Observations on the life history of phlebotomus papatasii Br Med J (19). 1923, 2; 3285: 1137-1151 (15 December 1923).
- Report on the health of the army for 1921-1923 Vol LVII, London 1924.
- TNA:AIR 2/219, Investigations of Sqn Ldr Whittingham and Flt Lt Rook of Sandfly Fever at Malta.