The life of E.C.Goves update.

My Great Uncle E C Groves(link), one of the three Groves brothers, had his will changed (because his army number had been changed), on 28/8/1917 when he was at Floriana Military Hospital in Malta. These were formerly the Floriana (Lintorn) Barracks. 

Photos of one of the 3 barrack buildings which were the Floriana Military Hospital during WW1. These are now Government buildings so access is limited.  The top parts of these were visible from our Hotel balcony. 

The view today. A car park, a football pitch and the Government buildings part covered in scaffolding.

Dad's view in 1954.  A parade ground and two barrack blocks.  This was the parade for Queen Elizabeth (seated) and the Duke's visit to Malta.

The view in 1917.  The barracks were used as a hospital and the parade ground a tented hospital.

Malta 2024.

Holiday 2024. Malta.

Our 1980s map from our first visit. H71 is our 2024 Hotel. The Grand Hotel Excelsior.  Fortifications are shown in black and Fort Manoel is on the other side of the harbour.
 

View of our own gun embrasure! (gun port in the wall of the bastion).

The rest of the view of the bastion, from our balcony. 

Model of Valletta's outer defences.  Our hotel replaced the curtain wall running to the bastion bottom right.  This was called 'The Quarantine Bastion' where visitors, who had been held in quarantine, over the harbour in Fort Manoel, were first allowed to land and enter the city.

Michael Palin's new book.

 I got this book for Christmas.  It is a very good read.  

Most interesting for me is the fact that Harry Palin (Michael Palin's great uncle), although he was an ANZAC, was killed during the latter stages of the battle of the Somme, very close to Eaucourt L'Abbaye.  In fact he was killed with in a few days and a few hundred yards of my Great Uncle, Reginald Groves.  See earlier post.  

I have found my lost Website.

 I have found a back up copy of my lost website.

It is my 2008 to 2014 project to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Peninsular War.

https://web.archive.org/web/20161017011742/http://peninsularwardiary200.yolasite.com/

I had to abandon it when Yola wanted payment to host the site [it had been free up to the].

I cannot edit it anymore, but the project was finished anyway.

So visit and enjoy.

 New family history info from Alf Gilham, Oct 2022,

Emily Leeson born 18th October 1892.

Ellen Leeson 24th September 1886.

 Test post of adding links to pages.

My Nanny Leeson [Alice Reeves]

CLICK HERE to continue reading  

John Leeson's WW1 and WW2 Medals.

My Granddad's first and second world war medals.
The photos are of him in his RGA uniform during his recovery from his wound in 1917 and in his RAAF uniform at RAF Seal towards the end of the war.

John Leeson's Medals.

From left to right.

WW1 medals, British War medal and Victory medal.

WW2 medals, War medal and Defence medal.