History

The Victoria Lines were never put to the ultimate test of an enemy invasion and their military significance began to fade even before the First World War. Before the Second World War the British defence strategy for Malta had shifted definitively towards impeding an enemy’s landing by defending directly the beaches where such an invasion could take place. Within this context, the Great Fault was seen as an important in-depth line of defence in the eventuality of a successful enemy landing in the north of the island which had overrun the beach defences.