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45-423: Both towers formed part of a chain of fortifications built to defend the town of Marsalforn and nearby bays from Ottoman or Barbary attacks. Although the area was fortified by several towers, batteries, redoubts and entrenchments, the only surviving vestige of these is Qolla l-Bajda Battery between Qbajjar and Xwejni Bays . The first tower, which was also known as Xagħra Tower ( Maltese : Torri tax-Xagħra ),

90-466: A company as "larger than a platoon, but smaller than a battalion" while being a "unit consisting of two or more platoons, usually of the same type, with a headquarters and a limited capacity for self-support." The standard NATO symbol for a company consists of a single vertical line placed above a framed unit icon. "Battery" is a relatively modern term at sea. Advanced warships in the Age of Sail , such as

135-488: A few armies. Coastal artillery sometimes had completely different organizational terms based on shore defence sector areas. Batteries also have sub-divisions, which vary across armies and periods but often translate into the English "platoon" or "troop" with individual ordnance systems called a "section" or "sub-section", where a section comprises two artillery pieces. The rank of a battery commander has also varied, but

180-605: A gun) and 12 ammunition mules. During the American Civil War , artillery batteries often consisted of six field pieces for the Union Army and four for the Confederate States Army , although this varied. Batteries were divided into sections of two guns apiece, each section normally under the command of a lieutenant. The full battery was typically commanded by a captain . Often, particularly as

225-561: A lieutenant) who is also the reconnaissance officer. The battery has two Command Posts (CP), one active and one alternate, the latter provides back-up in the event of casualties, but primarily moves with the preparation party to the next gun position and becomes the main CP there. Each CP is controlled by a Command Post Officer (CPO) who is usually a Lieutenant, 2nd Lieutenant or Warrant Officer Class 2. Gun positions may be "tight", perhaps 150 m × 150 m (490 ft × 490 ft) when

270-569: A mound of rubble at the edge of the cliff face. The second Marsalforn Tower was built in the centre of the tal-Qortin plateau some time after the first tower had collapsed. Construction is believed to have begun sometime in 1720, and the tower was first mentioned on official records on 10 May 1722, when it was complete but still lacking its door and drawbridge. This tower was also known as the Perellos Tower ( Maltese : Torri ta' Perellos ) after Grand Master Ramon Perellos y Roccaful , and

315-574: A number of other names, including Xwejni Battery ( Maltese : Batterija tax-Xwejni ), Qbajjar Battery ( Maltese : Batterija tal-Qbajjar ) or the Castello . Qolla l-Bajda Battery was built by the Order of Saint John in 1716 on the spur of land between the bays of Xwejni and Qbajjar . It was named after a nearby hillock known as Qolla l-Bajda (the White Hillock). It was designed by

360-429: A smaller secondary battery for self-defense. This leap in heavy offensive armament from a standard four large caliber guns to a main battery of ten made all other battleships obsolete overnight, as the weight of broadside it could unleash, and overwhelming rate of fire a superior number of similar weapons could sustain, could overwhelm any similarly sized warship. A third, or tertiary battery, of weapons lighter than

405-418: A tower-like blockhouse with a square plan. It had sloping walls pierced with musketry loopholes, which were topped by a parapet with three embrasures on each side, mounting several cannon. A vedette accessed by a flight of steps was located at the centre of the tower. The structure had a ditch, with a drawbridge leading to the main entrance. A chapel was also located in the tower. The only known photograph of

450-420: A vessel, many in mounts on the hull or superstructure with limited travel. Confusion also arose when combinations of large caliber "main battery" and smaller "secondary battery" weapons of mixed offensive and defensive use were deployed. This began to be resolved with the 1906 launching of the revolutionary "all big gun" battleship HMS  Dreadnought . It shipped a main battery of ten heavy caliber guns, and

495-444: A wall. The blockhouses had musketry loopholes intended to protect the battery from a land attack. A ramp originally led to the entrance, which is located between the blockhouses. The battery's seaward side is protected by a small ditch, and salt pans are located close by. It was initially armed with six guns, but in 1770, its armament consisted of four 6-pounder guns with 276 rounds of roundshot and 60 rounds of grapeshot. The battery

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540-549: Is a Major (like his infantry company commander counterpart). However, in these armies the battery commander leads the "tactical group" and is usually located with the headquarters of the infantry or armoured unit the battery is supporting. Increasingly these direct support battery commanders are responsible for the orchestration of all forms of fire support (mortars, attack helicopters, other aircraft and naval gunfire) as well as artillery. General support battery commanders are likely to be at brigade or higher headquarters. The gun group

585-464: Is a unit or multiple systems of artillery , mortar systems, rocket artillery , multiple rocket launchers , surface-to-surface missiles , ballistic missiles , cruise missiles , etc., so grouped to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control , as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems. The term is also used in a naval context to describe groups of guns on warships . Historically

630-533: Is an artillery battery in Żebbuġ , Gozo , Malta . It was built by the Order of Saint John in 1715 and 1716 as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the coasts of the Maltese Islands. It retained its original layout until the late 1970s, when it was converted into a discothèque and snack bar known as Rook (after the chess piece ) and major alterations were made to the battery. The building, in

675-544: Is commanded by the Battery Captain (BK), the battery's second-in-command. However this position has no technical responsibilities, its primary concern is administration, including ammunition supply, local defence and is based in the "wagon-lines" a short distance from the actual gun position, where the gun towing and logistic vehicles are concealed. Technical control is by the Gun Position Officer (GPO,

720-682: Is the equivalent of a company in terms of organisation level. In the United States Army , generally a towed howitzer battery has six guns, whereas a self-propelled battery (such as an M109 battery) contains eight. They are subdivided into: The battery is typically commanded by a captain in US forces and is equivalent to an infantry company . A US Army battery is divided into the following units: Other armies can be significantly different, however. For example: The United Kingdom and Commonwealth forces have classified batteries according to

765-472: Is usually a lieutenant, captain, or major. The number of guns, howitzers, mortars or launchers in an organizational battery has also varied, with the calibre of guns usually being an important consideration. In the 19th century four to 12 guns was usual as the optimum number to maneuver into the gun line. By the late 19th century, a mountain artillery battery was divided into a gun line and an ammunition line . The gun line consisted of six guns (five mules to

810-436: The American Civil War by John Ericsson . Open barbettes were also used to house their main batteries on rotating mounts. Both designs allowed naval engineers to dramatically reduce the number of guns present in the battery, by giving a handful of guns the ability to concentrate on either side of the ship. In time this trend reversed, with a proliferation of weapons of multiple calibers being arranged somewhat haphazardly about

855-471: The ship of the line , mounted dozens of similar cannons grouped in broadsides , sometimes spread over several decks. This remained the standard main weapon layout for centuries, until the mid-19th century evolution of the naval rifle and revolving gun turrets came to displace fixed cannon. The first operational use of a rotating turret was on the American ironclad USS  Monitor , designed during

900-409: The 18th century "battery" began to be used as an organizational term for a permanent unit of artillery in peace and war, although horse artillery sometimes used "troop" and fixed position artillery "company". They were usually organised with between 6 and 12 ordnance pieces, often including cannon and howitzers. By the late 19th century "battery" had become standard mostly replacing company or troop. In

945-981: The 20th century the term was generally used for the company level sub-unit of an artillery branch including field, air-defence, anti-tank and position (coastal and frontier defences). 20th-century firing batteries have been equipped with mortars, guns, howitzers, rockets and missiles. During the Napoleonic Wars some armies started grouping their batteries into larger administrative and field units. Groups of batteries combined for field combat employment called Grand Batteries by Napoleon. Administratively batteries were usually grouped in battalions , regiments or squadrons and these developed into tactical organisations. These were further grouped into regiments , simply "group" or brigades , that may be wholly composed of artillery units or combined arms in composition. To further concentrate fire of individual batteries, from World War I they were grouped into "artillery divisions" in

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990-467: The Land Department, which issued an eviction order against Rook Limited in 2007. Since then, the battery has been in the midst of a legal battle between the government and the company. The battery was vandalized several times, including in 2013 when graffiti were sprayed over the facade. This has since been removed. Artillery battery In military organizations , an artillery battery

1035-416: The basic field organization being the "gun group" and the "tactical group". The former being reconnaissance and survey, guns, command posts, logistic, and equipment support elements, the latter being the battery commander and observation teams that deploy with the supported arm. In these armies the guns may be split into several fire units, which may deploy dispersed over an extended area or be concentrated into

1080-436: The caliber of the guns. Typically: Headquarters batteries, which themselves have no artillery pieces, but are rather the command and control organization for a group of firing batteries (for example, a regimental or battalion headquarters battery). The basic field organization being the "gun group" and the "tactical group". The former being reconnaissance and survey, guns, command posts, logistic and equipment support elements,

1125-752: The counter battery threat is low, or gun manoeuver areas, where pairs of self-propelled guns move around a far larger area, if the counter-battery threat is high. During the Cold War NATO batteries that were dedicated to a nuclear role generally operated as "sections" comprising a single gun or launcher. Groupings of mortars, when they are not operated by artillery, are usually referred to as platoons. 155mm Howitzer Battery, Artillery Battalion, Artillery Regiment, Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force (Battery Organization consisting of 147 Marines and Navy personnel, per Table of Organization T/O 1113G) Other armies can be significantly different, however. For example:

1170-424: The early 20th century necessitated two other groups, firstly observers who deployed some distance forward of the gun line, secondly a small staff on the gun position to undertake the calculations to convert the orders from the observers into data that could be set on the gun sights. This in turn led to the need for signalers, which further increased as the need to concentrate the fire of dispersed batteries emerged and

1215-465: The gun emplacement was only one part of an extensive installation that included magazines and systems to deliver ammunition from the magazines to the guns. Improvements in mobile artillery, naval and ground; air attack; and precision guided weapons have limited fixed position's usefulness. Within NATO member nations, it is typical to label company sized organizations of artillery as "batteries." NATO defines

1260-867: The introduction fire control staff at artillery headquarters above the batteries. Fixed artillery refers to guns or howitzers on mounts that were either anchored in one spot (though capable of being moved for purposes of traverse and elevation), or on carriages intended to be moved only for the purposes of aiming, and not for tactical repositioning. Historical versions often closely resembled naval cannon of their day, "garrison carriages," like naval carriages, were short, heavy, and had four small wheels meant for rolling on relatively smooth, hard surfaces. Later, both naval and garrison carriages evolved traversing platforms and pivoting mounts. Such mounts were typically used in forts, or permanent defensive batteries, such as coastal artillery. Fixed batteries could be equipped with much larger guns than field artillery units could transport, and

1305-406: The latter being the battery commander and observation teams that deploy with the supported arm. In these armies the guns may be split into several fire units, which may deploy dispersed over an extended area or be concentrated into a single position. In some cases batteries have operationally deployed as six totally separate guns, although sections (pairs) are more usual. A battery commander, or "BC"

1350-520: The lease expired in February 2003, but the company continued to occupy the battery. It was subsequently abandoned and it fell into a state of disrepair. The area around it, including the salt pans, is also in a dilapidated state. The NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa has asked for permission to take over the battery and restore it. In response, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage made a request to

1395-509: The midst of a legal battle between the government and a private company, is now abandoned and in a dilapidated state. Qolla l-Bajda Battery is one of only two surviving batteries on Gozo, the other one being Saint Anthony's Battery in Qala . It is not far from the northernmost point of the island, Reqqa Point , and as such it is the northernmost fortification in Malta. The battery is also known by

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1440-516: The military engineer Giovanni Rinaldini . This tower was probably not financed by Wignacourt like the other towers, but by the Order itself, and the cost of building it is not known. The tower's design is completely different from the other Wignacourt towers, since it did not have any turrets. It had a square base, and roughly the same size as the Wignacourt Tower in St. Paul's Bay . The tower

1485-436: The military engineers Jacques de Camus d'Arginy and Bernard de Fontet. The battery is the only surviving part of a chain of fortifications that defended Marsalforn and nearby bays from Ottoman or Barbary attacks. The other towers , batteries, redoubts and entrenchments were all demolished or destroyed. The battery consists of a semi-circular gun platform ringed by a parapet with six embrasures, and two blockhouses joined by

1530-452: The multi-barrel Phalanx CIWS rotary cannon used for point defense . The rapid fire 5"/54 caliber Mark 45 gun 5-inch (130 mm) and Otobreda 76 mm (3.0 in) used for close defense against surface combatants and shore bombardment are among the last traditional naval guns still in use. In modern battery organization, the military unit typically has six to eight howitzers or six to nine rocket launchers and 100 to 200 personnel and

1575-410: The secondary battery was typically mounted. To simplify the design many later ships used dual-purpose guns to combine the functions of the secondary battery and the heavier guns of the tertiary batteries. Many dual-purpose guns also served in an anti-aircraft role. In addition, dedicated light-caliber rapid-fire anti-aircraft weapons were deployed, often in the scores. An example of this combination

1620-442: The term "battery" referred to a cluster of cannon in action as a group, either in a temporary field position during a battle or at the siege of a fortress or a city. Such batteries could be a mixture of cannon, howitzer , or mortar types. A siege could involve many batteries at different sites around the besieged place. The term also came to be used for a group of cannons in a fixed fortification, for coastal or frontier defence. During

1665-399: The tower and build a new one to replace it. Marsalforn Tower was still in operation in 1715, when Philippe de Vendôme visited it and was greeted with a five-gun salute by the tower's Castellan, Domenico Azzupardi. The tower disappears from military records after this visit, and is believed to have collapsed or was dismantled later in 1715 or 1716. The only ruins of the tower visible today is

1710-586: The tower was taken by the photographer Michele Farrugia around 1910. By this time, the tower was partially in ruins, and part of the central vedette had already collapsed. This tower was demolished by the British military in 1915, and a wireless station was built in its place. The station was pulled down four years later in 1919. Some foundations of the tower are still reportedly visible. Qolla l-Bajda Battery Qolla l-Bajda Battery ( Maltese : Batterija tal-Qolla l-Bajda or Fortina tal-Qolla l-Bajda )

1755-441: The war progressed, individual batteries were grouped into battalions under a major or colonel of artillery. In the 20th century it varied between four and 12 for field artillery (even 16 if mortars), or even two pieces for very heavy pieces. Other types of artillery such as anti-tank or anti-aircraft have sometimes been larger. Some batteries have been "dual-equipped" with two different types of gun or mortar, and taking whichever

1800-439: Was abandoned in the 19th century, but was again used as Observation Post No. 5 during World War II . In 1978, the government leased the battery to Francis Vella, and it was converted into a discothèque and snack bar. At this point, some structures were built on the gun platform, the entrance was enlarged, and the ramp leading to it was replaced by a flight of steps. The emphyteusis was transferred to Rook Limited in 1981, and

1845-511: Was built on the edge of a cliff, which was prone to erosion. In 1681, it was briefly abandoned after part of the cliff face collapsed. The Order still kept a garrison in the tower, but further damage was sustained in the 1693 Sicily earthquake , when cracks on the cliff face extended to beneath the tower. The Order sent an engineer to inspect the damage, but he believed that the tower would remain standing for at least another century. However, new cracks developed by 1701, and plans were made to abandon

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1890-451: Was designed by the military engineer Charles François de Mondion . Although called a tower, this was actually a tour-reduit , one of only four to be built in Malta (and the only one in Gozo). The other three were Fresnoy Redoubt , Spinola Redoubt , and Vendôme Tower , all of which were located around Marsaxlokk Bay. Only Vendôme Tower survives today. The structure was essentially

1935-401: Was more appropriate when they deployed for operations. From the late 19th century field artillery batteries started to become more complex organisations. First they needed the capability to carry adequate ammunition, typically each gun could only carry about 40 rounds in its limber so additional wagons were added to the battery, typically about two per gun. The introduction of indirect fire in

1980-596: Was the German battleship  Bismarck , which carried a main battery of eight 380 mm (15 in) guns, a secondary battery of twelve 150 mm (5.9 in) guns for defense against destroyers and torpedo boats, as well as a tertiary battery of various anti-aircraft guns ranging in caliber from 105-to-20 mm (4.13-to-0.79 in). Conventional artillery as a vessel's battery has been largely displaced by guided missiles for both offensive and defensive actions. Small caliber guns are retained for niche roles, such as

2025-525: Was the fourth of the Wignacourt towers . Construction started around 1614 or 1615, and the tower was completed in 1616. The tower commanded Marsalforn Bay to the west, and Ramla Bay to the east, effectively guarding the northern approach to Gozo. It was clearly visible from the northern walls of the Cittadella , so it could communicate directly with the garrison there. Its design was attributed to

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