The World War II Air Raid Shelter was dug out in rock at Triq iż-Żebbuġ,
formerly known as It-Triq T’Abram, in the cliff edge area located a few
meters from the entrance of the village – on the way from Victoria –
to give refuge to the villagers who lived in Il-Ponta area during air raids.
Although Żebbuġ did not have any strategic points that were targeted,
the nearby Ġordan lighthouse was a station for the R.A.F. and the Royal
Navy. That made it a key target for German and Italian war planes.
Air-raid shelters found in Gozo were constructed in between 1941 and
the end of 1942. Out of some 170 public shelters created by the Works
Department, twenty were in the capital Victoria while the rest were
scattered across the island.
The T’Abram shelter has a simple U-shaped plan with two entrances
leading to narrow corridors that lead to a central space where people
used to take refuge. Having two entrances was fundamental for the
safety of the shelter in case one of the entrances was blocked by
debris. Also both entrances have narrow ante-rooms to avoid direct
blasts, should they happen in proximity of the entrances.
Near one of the entrances of the shelter one can still see a crucifix dug
out in stone. It was dug out by Antonio Cini (1926-1998) – family
nickname Tas-Sempri – with the same tools used to excavate the
shelter. During the war, Cini worked with the Works Department in
Malta where he was employed in the clearance of debris in the streets
after attacks and in the digging of air raid shelters. Immediately after
the war, Cini, together with his wife Salvina, who hailed from
Birkirkara, emigrated to Australia, only to visit Żebbuġ in the late 1980s
when he visited the air-raid shelter and confirmed the information
above.
But what would happen during an air raid? On the alarm of the siren,
signalling that an air raid was approaching, nearby residents and
children attending classes in the primary schools – located only a short
distance away in Point Street, now called Dun Franġisk Vella Street –
would run towards the nearby shelters to take refuge from enemy
action. Vella (2018) states that in 1942, the female students were
transferred to the nearby boys’ school. It is recorded that the school
children were accompanied to the nearby shelters at least on three
different occasions, namely the 2nd, 9th and 12th of June of the same
year.
Nowadays, the t’Abram air-raid shelter is under the curation of Żebbuġ
Local Council, that took care of its cleaning and restoration back in
2005 so that today it can be visited and enjoyed by the public.
Entrance is free. The shelters are rock-cut and parts of it are quite
shallow. Attention should therefore be given while walking inside and
torches are to be used at all times.
Research: Mario Cassar
Copyright: Soċjeta’ Banda Santa and Żebbuġ Gozo Local Council
References: Vella, H. C. R. (2018). Żebbuġ of Gozo – Its People,
Inscriptions and History. Malta: Print It
Photo credits: Mario Cassar
Acknowledgements: Photos of Antonio Cini and female students
photographed at the Girls’ Primary School are being reproduced by
courtesy of Riħ id-Deheb Historical House and Natural Grotto,
Żebbuġ.
