📍 Location
Location Map Coordinates 35.848969, 14.518269
The Għaxaq War Memorial commemorates the people of Għaxaq who lost their lives as victims of war during the Second World War, 1939–1945. The marble memorial records 25 names and stands as a permanent reminder of the wartime losses suffered by the locality.
Historical Context & Significance
The Għaxaq War Memorial is a local memorial to those from the village who became victims of the Second World War. Its inscription identifies the commemorated people as victims of the war between 1939 and 1945 and preserves their names in marble for future generations.
The memorial is particularly valuable as a local historical record because it brings together the names of people associated with Għaxaq in a single commemorative monument. Four of the names are explicitly marked R.M.A., identifying service with the Royal Malta Artillery; the remaining names are recorded without a service designation on the plaque.
The memorial was unveiled on Sunday, 26 April 2009. The accompanying marble tablet records that it was unveiled by H.E. Dr George Abela, President of Malta, and blessed by Canon Mario Said, parish priest of Għaxaq.
Memorial Specifications & Documentation
| Memorial Name | Għaxaq War Memorial |
|---|---|
| Alternative Names | Għaxaq World War II Memorial; Għaxaq War Dead Memorial; Ħal-Għaxaq War Memorial |
| Memorial Type | Marble commemorative memorial and roll of honour |
| Conflict Commemorated | Second World War (1939–1945) |
| Locality | Għaxaq, Malta |
| Date Unveiled | 26 April 2009 |
| Commemorated | 25 names recorded on the memorial plaque |
| Service Designations | Four names are marked R.M.A. (Royal Malta Artillery) |
| Materials | White marble memorial plaques mounted on a Maltese limestone building |
| GPS Coordinates | 35.848969, 14.518269 |
The Memorial Inscription
Għaxaq mourns its children, victims of the war, 1939–1945.
The wording is presented here as a translation of the Maltese commemorative inscription. The names below are transcribed from the marble plaque.
Roll of Honour – Names on the Memorial
The following table is a transcription of the names shown on the Għaxaq memorial. The layout is presented in a marble-style table to reflect the two-column appearance of the original plaque while keeping each name separately searchable and accessible.
| Surname | First Name(s) | Service |
|---|---|---|
| ABELA | CARMELO | |
| ABELA | GANNI | |
| ABELA | JOSEPH | |
| ABELA | MICHAEL | |
| ABELA | TEREZA | |
| ABELA | VINCENZA | |
| AQUILINA | ANTHONY | R.M.A. |
| BUGEJA | GUZEPPINA | |
| BUSUTTIL | DAVID | |
| BUSUTTIL | MIKELINA | |
| CAMILLERI | JOHN MARY | |
| DIMECH | CARMELA | |
| ENRIQUEZ | FRANCIS | |
| FENECH | CARMELA | |
| FENECH | ESTER | |
| FENECH | MARY | |
| FENECH | ZARENU | |
| GALEA | ANTHONY | |
| GRAVINA | THOMAS | R.M.A. |
| MANARA | JOHN | R.M.A. |
| MIZZI | MICHAEL | R.M.A. |
| SCHEMBRI | JOSEPH | |
| VELLA | UBALDESKA | |
| ZAMMIT | PAUL |
R.M.A. stands for Royal Malta Artillery. The service abbreviation is reproduced where it appears on the memorial plaque.
Unveiling & Blessing Inscription
A separate marble tablet below the memorial records the unveiling and blessing of the monument.
It was unveiled by H.E. Dr George Abela, President of Malta, and blessed by Canon Mario Said, parish priest of Għaxaq, today, Sunday, 26 April 2009.
The first wording is transcribed from the tablet as photographed. The inscription is reproduced here as a documentary transcription rather than silently correcting the wording or spelling used on the stone.
Nearby & Related eMalta Pages
Research & Documentation
This page forms part of eMalta’s ongoing documentation of the military and social history of Malta and Gozo. The memorial has been photographed in situ and its inscription and roll of honour have been transcribed from the monument itself.
Where the memorial inscription uses abbreviations, these have been retained in the transcription. The spelling of names follows the photographed plaque so that the page can also serve as a searchable historical record.
Researcher: Paul Berman
Last updated: 2026
Research & Documentation
- Researcher: Paul Berman
- Documentation: Original site photography and transcription of the memorial plaque.
- Photographs: Recent photographs taken at the memorial in Gżira.
- Last Updated: 2026
This page forms part of eMalta's ongoing documentation of the historical, cultural and religious heritage of Malta and Gozo. Locations that currently exist are documented through site visits, photography, maps and historical research.