Malta remembers the 70th anniversary from receiving the George Cross
Heavy bombings and shortage of food created a serious situation
Malta received the George Cross seventy years ago as the islands were experiencing one of the hardest times in history. Around 1,728 tons of bombs were dropped on Malta destroying almost 6,000 houses and other buildings, killing 300 people (including 70 children), and seriously wounding another 329.
Malta’s airfields and harbours were very heavily attacked while Valletta was almost completely destroyed. Food supplies were at their lowest levels as the flour mills were directly hit and the power station was often put out of action. Malta was on the verge of surrendering but the courage and stamina of the defenders was not dampened by the German Luftwaffe.
Wednesday April 15, 1942 was a typical day of the war, where everyone was expecting the usual attacks or hoping for some news about the convoys that were to supply the islands with the desperately needed fuel, ammunition and provisions.
The George Cross given for Gallantry
That same morning, King George VI was in his study in London, going through the latest dispatches on the war in the Mediterranean, where he started writing a message to the people of Malta: "To honour her brave people, I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history."
The George Cross served as a great boost for the island's morale, bringing further determination to the population to face more hardships, dangers and hunger. The serious situation in Malta was relieved months later, with the providential arrival of the Santa Marija convoy on the 15th of August. A public presentation of the George Cross took place at the Palace Square in Valletta on September 13, 1942.
The Governor stated: "By the command of the King, I now present to the People of Malta and its Dependencies the decoration His Majesty has awarded to them in recognition of the gallant service which they have already rendered in the struggle for freedom".
The King wanted that the George Cross is embedded in the Arms of Malta and later it was officially incorporated in the Maltese flag, on the white canton on the left.
Programme of activities to commemorate the award of the George Cross
A programme of activities of the 70th anniversary were held by an organising committee set up specifically for the occasion, including the display of the George Cross medal at Castille, a commemorative concert by the National Philharmonic Orchestra at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, the inauguration of the restored War Monument in Floriana and an official commemoration ceremony that was held on Sunday the 15th of April.
This ceremony saw several distinguished guests, such as the President of Malta and the Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who announced that the original George Cross medal, currently displayed at the War Museum in Fort St Elmo, will be moved to a permanent display at the Presidential Palace. There was a brass band parade that was followed by an audio-visual documentary of Malta’s hardships throughout the Second World War. Finally there was a re-enactment of the awarding of the George Cross, complete with actors wearing costumes from the period.
Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, visited Malta for this particular occasion, in order to pass on a short message from the Queen, also paying tribute to the Maltese exceptional bravery throughout the war.
