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| MALTA ROCK THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL TO THE SIEGE OF MALTA. |
| Contributed by Chalky White
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MALTA ROCK
THE STORY OF THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL
TO THE SIEGE OF MALTA.
The seeds of the idea of a permanent memorial to the Siege of Malta in World War II were sown in the most unlikely of places, in the northern part of England – Newcastle upon Tyne.
At a meeting of the George Cross Island Association General Council the then National Chairman, Mr. Neville Rogers, invited members to submit suggestions as to how a windfall the Association had received should be spent. A number of good ideas were put forward but Fred Jewett, as the North East of England and Scotland Branch representative, introduced the idea of a national monument to the Siege of Malta in London, the capital of the Commonwealth.
This matter was discussed with the Chairman and Mr Jewett told him that as a former wartime shipmate of the Association’s late President, Admiral of the Fleet The Lord Lewin, he was able to contact his son The Hon. Tim Lewin and ask for his help and advice. This was agreed and in due course the idea was outlined to him with all that had transpired and he was asked if he could be of help. He did not hesitate and agreed to do all he could.
The George Cross Island Association however had only received a windfall of £8,000, a very small sum and far less than that which would be required in the scale of monuments. Yet The Hon. Tim Lewin was prepared to undertake this daunting task, which almost amounted to attempting the impossible.
It was not long after this that a working party of people whom he knew to be expert in their particular fields was formed. This was to become known as “The London Committee”. He also emphasised to Chairman Neville Rogers and Fred Jewett the need for strict confidentiality and that at this point in time the least number of people involved the better. He, in particular, made it abundantly clear from the outset of negotiations that this must be a public memorial, and not limited to a single membership organisation.
The monument, as proposed would not be, neither was it ever to be regarded as, the GCIA monument; it would be established to the memory of all who served in the Malta Siege without restriction. Mr Jewett, having proposed the participation of the George Cross Island Association in the establishment of the monument as a contributory issue, The Hon. Tim Lewin agreed, but firmly stipulated that the GCIA could not act as the primary motivation. This was reinforced by his personal contact with the then chair of the GCIA, Neville Rogers with whom he spoke by phone on a number of occasions. Neville Rogers was a staunch supporter of the cause but well aware that the GCIA itself was possessed of limited resources and that as a membership association could not possibly expect to obtain a private memorial in one of the most prestigious locations in London.
The London Committee then began the mammoth task of turning the idea of a Malta Siege Memorial in the capital from a dream into reality.
The first thing to consider was obtaining a site – easier said than done in the City of London but through personal contact the enthusiastic support of the Lord Mayor was a great help. Next the Committee would need to obtain planning permission, again, an almost insurmountable hurdle. London is rightfully proud of its architectural heritage coupled with the fact that a bursary of £35,000 would be required before planning could even be considered. This would be required to cover the permanent upkeep and preservation of the memorial into the future and was way out of the reach of the GCIA who could only muster £8,000. These factors alone were delicate issues involving big corporations in the City and The Hon. Tim Lewin again reiterated the necessity for strict confidentiality.
The choice of The Hon. Tim Lewin as Chairman of the London Committee seemed inspired, as he was responsible for many of the major ingredients of the project. For example the following matters were strictly his responsibility and which he concluded: -
A: He selected and finalised the choice of location.
B: Negotiated the planning agreement with the City of London Corporation.
C: The design of the monument (even down to the wording of the
plaques).
D: The principal burden of identifying the sponsors and raising the
Funding required.
E: Negotiations with Malta, which were with the High Commission and
the Government in Malta.
In all of these tasks he was assisted by the other members of the London Committee, Messrs White and Armstrong and, together with Mr Jewett, the amount of work put into the project was prodigious. The cost of the monument was estimated at £180,000.
It was clear to Fred Jewett that the (GCIA) had to show support and at a General Council meeting he requested that the Association should underwrite the project. This was unanimously agreed to the sum of £12,000. Sadly this later, after the monument was completed, became something of a thorny issue necessitating some last minute fund-raising to conclude the financing of the last few thousands that remained unsponsored.
Once planning was underway a meeting was held with His Excellency George Bonello du Puis who at that time was The High Commissioner for Malta, where the matter was discussed at length and he promised to assist with this project. He was as good as his word; not long afterwards the Committee were informed that it would be presented with a solid block of ideal stone from Gozo, the neighbouring island, as the national stone of Malta was rather softer and less able to stand up to the weather conditions which prevail in the United Kingdom.
At a further London Committee meeting of all the interested parties, the representative of the City of London Police emphasised the need for close security and non-publication. He did not elaborate but we took this to refer to the proposed Royal presence and high-level support from the Armed Forces. However, events later proved the justification for that advice, which was taken, viz. the London bombing and terrorist’s attacks. The project, of course, was an ideal target for any would-be terrorist. In line with that policy of not broadcasting to all and sundry and the accumulation of events, only the merest outline could be released.
Fred Jewett at this time learned through being the Press Liaison Officer of the Joint Ex-Service Association in Newcastle upon Tyne that there was a possibility of obtaining a grant from the National Lottery Fund and accordingly made enquiries. The outcome was that although the Fund could not assist with the memorial itself, or the ceremonial wreaths, it could support the dedication and reunion, bearing in mind that veterans from all parts of the country would be in attendance. The National Lottery agreed and the GCIA North East and Scotland Branch received grants for a number of items such as catering, printing, a new website and limited travel expenses. To overcome the problem of the wreaths the North East of England and Scotland Branch committee agreed that this expenditure be met from their Branch funds. A sponsored broadside salute from H.M.S. “Belfast had to be cancelled at the request of the security services due to the high levels of tension about things going bang so soon after the bombings
The design and masonry aspect was left to the Chairman of the Committee but firm arrangements had still to be made to provide haulage from Southampton to London for conveyance of the rock for the memorial so generously presented by the Malta Government. In this respect grateful thanks were due to Major A D Poe and the Royal Green Jackets who transported the huge stone as an Army manoeuvre.
It is perhaps pertinent to mention here that the London Committee consisted of independent individuals who agreed to undertake the project of erecting a Malta Siege Memorial for ALL WHO SERVED during the Siege of Malta but recognising the affiliation of the George Cross Island Association. This was to avoid giving the impression that the Memorial was in anyway private and excluded the many, many people who served in Malta and were not Association members. The Malta Siege Memorial is the NATIONAL Memorial owned by ALL.
The London Committee had made representation to the church of All Hallows by the Tower, adjacent to Tower Place, where the monument was to be placed. It was perhaps significant, and most appropriate that an ecumenical service for the Malta Siege Memorial should be held in this church as it had itself suffered during another ‘Siege’ being completely destroyed in the Blitz. Gutted by fire, scars of which are still visible on the North aisle walls, All Hallows rose again from the ashes being completely rebuilt with the aid of massive international contributions after the war. The service itself was in the capable hands of the Revd. Kit Widdows, the Area Dean of Newcastle and Chaplain of the GCIA North East and Scotland Branch, the Revd. Bertrand Oliver, the Vicar of All Hallows; The Revd. Canon David Driscoll; and the Most Revd. Maurice Couve De Murville Archbishop Emeritus of Birmingham, Chaplain-in-Chief to the British Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Malta is a predominately Roman Catholic country and it was fitting that the Emeritus Archbishop of Birmingham be invited to participate and a London Committee member, made the appropriate representations. Accompanied by his Acolytes the Knights of Malta so much pageantry was added to this historic occasion. All in all, together with the help of Terry Barber, the All Hallows verger, the whole procedure, including the ceremony itself, went smoothly without a hitch.
Another London Committee member had done sterling work on the ceremonial front and also with the seating arrangements in the church, which has a maximum seating capacity of only 350, and which had to be rigidly adhered to. It was obvious, even with the deliberate playing-down of the event that this number would be well and truly exceeded. The seating places were arranged carefully and in accordance with advice received from the Government of Malta as regards protocol concerning the President of Malta who would be attending. The descendents of both wartime Governor’s of Malta, General Dobbie and the Lord Gort VC who had presented the George Cross to the people of Malta on behalf of King George VI in 1942, would also be present and the present Viscount Gort would read the citation during the service. The verger on the day provided additional seating for some veterans who had travelled a long way to attend the event - none were turned away.
The Committee had organised the printing of the Order of Service, together with the essential tickets for admission to the church service; and H.M.S. Belfast. They had been based upon applications from ALL veterans who took part in the Siege; members of all the Armed Forces; the Ambassadors and High Commissioners; Senior Officers; Royal Navy; Army; Royal Air Force and Merchant Navy; the civilian population headed by representatives of the Malta Government and several allied countries. Not to mention the relatives of some of the distinguished heroes, now deceased, including the daughter and granddaughter of the Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious of Malta Convoy fame.
Eventually, on Monday 15th August 2005 the great day finally arrived. Here was this splendid monolith to be dedicated to comrades-in-arms and all who served and died for Malta, which would now stand for perhaps a thousand years.
Veterans were now arriving and Orders of Service were being distributed, appropriately one might think by youngsters of the local Sea and Air Cadet Corps. The moving poem on Malta, written by Mr. John Widdows the late father of the Rev. Kit Widdows, was included. It was a superb ecumenical occasion and much appreciated by all who attended.
The service was graced by the President of Malta who was escorted to his
seat by Alderman Richard Walduck, OBE DL of the Ward of Tower resplendent in his ceremonial Robes of Office. It should be noted here that Alderman Walduck had been of great assistance in the realisation of this memorial. He was also accompanied by Commander John Ludgate RD DL RNR Her Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenant for Greater London (Tower Hamlets).
At the commencement of the service the Colours of the Royal Navy and the United States Navy, for the USS Wasp, were laid at the altar and the National Standards of the Royal Naval Association, the RN Submarine Service, the Fleet Air Arm Association, Royal Air Force Association, the George Cross Island Association and the Merchant Navy Association were placed on either side of the altar for the duration of the service.
Following the service all assembled in Tower Place awaiting the arrival of H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh where those concerned with the monument were introduced.
Vice-Admiral J.H.S. McAnally, CB.LVO. President of the Royal Naval Association acted as Master of Ceremony for the dediction. After the introductory speeches by the President of Malta GC in the presence of the colourful assembly including the Warden of the City of London, the Archbishop with his Acolytes and the Knights of Malta in their brilliant uniforms, representatives of the Royal and United States Navy; the National Association and ex-Service Branch Standards, and including the national flags of all the Allied Nations involved in the Siege, the Archbishop offered prayers and then solemnly blessed the Memorial by sprinkling each side with Holy water. The President, His Royal Highness, and representatives of all the allied nations involved in the Siege then placed wreaths at the Memorial. The many individual uniformed personnel present formed the most splendid panorama never to be forgotten and was indeed a most gratifying finale to the months of effort it had taken to bring this memorial dream to reality.
The Chairman of the London Committee had organised a reception on HMS Belfast which was not for VIPs, but was for Government personnel, uniformed Service guests, Sponsors, draughtsmanship, planning and extensive engineering personnel involved concerning the monument, and non-GCIA guests who the Committee were advised by the police to entertain in a non-public place due to the very real security issues prevailing at the time. HMS Belfast has a limited capacity and numbers permitted were approx 80/100 guests, the GCIA numbering at least double this. The George Cross Island Association membership had their own special reception, paid for by Lottery grant arranged through Fred Jewett, adjacent to the memorial to preclude transport and movement difficulties.
The City of London Police should also be thanked for the quiet efficiency with which they carried out their duties and overall vigilance, not to mention their advice on a number of security matters when the Committee met at the planning stages. One must not forget the bombings, which had taken place at that time and the high level of security, which was necessary. They were responsible for the safety of so many high powered and important people gathered together in one small area.
The whole Memorial and Dedication went off like the proverbial clockwork and was not only a historic, but most happy occasion, ever to be remembered by those fortunate enough to be there. The Hon. Tim Lewin and his London Committee of four delivered a lasting tribute to the heroes of Malta with more than generous attribution to the GCIA and its membership; the Committee had arranged Royal support, and organised everything down to the last detail. The National Memorial to the Siege of Malta stands at the heart of the most historic part of London and is a rallying point for all, including the GCIA, whose families served the cause of Malta. It was a great event of which the London Committee Chairman’s revered father, the late Admiral of the Fleet The Lord Lewin would have been justly proud.
Ends:
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