page_title: Operation Herkules
section_title: Malta defences
hierarchical_section_title: Operation Herkules / Malta defences
caption_attribution_description: English: The British Army on Malta 1942 A Matilda tank during an exercise in the Maltese countryside, 24 May 1942. Note the distinctive camouflage, and its inspiration - a stone wall - behind.
context_page_description: Operation Herkules was the German code-name given to an abortive plan for the invasion of Malta during the Second World War. Through air and sea landings, the Italians and Germans hoped to eliminate Malta as a British air and naval base and secure an uninterrupted flow of supplies across the Mediterranean Sea to Axis forces in Libya and Egypt.
  Extensive preparations were made for the invasion but the success of other Axis operations – including the Battle of Gazala, the Axis capture of Tobruk on 21 June and Operation Aïda, the pursuit of the Allies into Egypt – led to Herkules being postponed and then cancelled in November 1942.
context_section_description: In 1942 the garrison of Malta consisted of 15 infantry battalions (11 Commonwealth, 4 Maltese) organised into four brigades totalling 26,000 men. Tank support was provided by the 1st Independent Troop of the Royal Tank Regiment, disembarked in November 1940, which was initially equipped with four Matilda II Infantry Tanks, armed with 2-pounder (40 mm) guns, and two Vickers Mk.VIC light tanks, armed with two machine guns (part of detachments from the 7th Royal Tank Regiment and the 3rd The King's Own Hussars). These were reinforced in January 1942 by four Cruiser Mk I and three Cruiser Mk IV tanks and a Vickers Mk.VIC light tank, with the cruisers armed with 2-pounder (40 mm) guns (part of a detachment from the 6th Royal Tank Regiment). Artillery support came from the 12th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery with twenty-four 25-pounder (3.45 in (88 mm)) field guns, capable of providing fire support out to a range of 6.8 mi (11 km) and covering most of the island while remaining in protected static positions. Malta's fixed defences included nineteen heavy coastal guns (varying in size from 12-inch to 16-inch, although these Victorian era weapons were all decommissioned), 130 smaller coastal guns (6-pounder to 9.2-inch) and 112 heavy and 144 light anti-aircraft guns.
  The smaller coastal guns comprised:
  10 × BL 6 in (150 mm) Mk XXIV, on Mounting, 6 in (150 mm) Mk 5 or 6
  7 × BL 9.2 in (230 mm) gun Mk X, on Mounting Mk 7
  QF 4.5 in (110 mm) gun Mk II, on Mounting Mk I
  18 × QF 6 pounder 10 cwt gun (9 × 2)
  ~30 × Ordnance QF 18 pounder
caption: A British Matilda II Infantry Tank on Malta in May 1942.
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