Military in Vatican City Since the early twentieth century the Guard has returned to its original practice of recruiting only Swiss nationals. As of 2005, the Guard had 134 members. All recruits complete basic military training with the Swiss Army before transferring to the Vatican, and must be at least 174 cm (5 ft 8.5 in) in height. Members are armed with small arms for practical purposes, and for cerimomial functions the ranks carry the traditional Halberd (also called the Swiss voulge), the Corporals and Vice-corporals either Patisans polearms or Flammenschwert two-handed swords, while officers do not carry weapons, but command batons only. Although
Operation Halberd vessels to be scuttled. The rest of the convoy arrived at Malta and discharged their cargo. Operation Halberd was at the time the largest Malta resupply effort of the war. Nine merchant ships carrying 81,000 tons of military equipment and supplies sailed from Liverpool on 16 September and from the Clyde on 17 September as part of convoy WS (Winston Specials) 11X, passing Gibraltar on 24 September 1941, with a close escort under the command of Rear-Admiral Harold Burrough. The nine ships were: Force H, under the command of Admiral James Somerville, accompanied the convoy as defence against Italian surface