Malta G.C. commemorates the 82nd. Anniversary of Operation Pedestal

82 years to the date of the arrival of the first three battered ships of Operation Pedestal which reached Grand Harbour in the afternoon of 13th. August  1942, Malta commemorated this occasion by a memorial service and the wreath laying on the harbour's waters. 

The event was organised by the Malta G.C. Branch of the Royal British Legion headed by the indefatigable Peter Gauci.

The recently elected President of Malta, Dr. MYRIAM SPITERI DEBONO was piped into the Cruise Liner Terminal by Pipe Major Marlon Tanti and escorted by Mr. Gauci.

Prayers were said by the Reverend Canon David Wright and Armed Forces of Malta Chaplain, the Rev. Fr. Joe Meli. Elaine Zerafa RN read the Exhortation and this was followed by the sounding of the Last Post by a bugler from the Armed Forces. The two minutes silence was broken by the Reveille and a fusilade by a firing party from a group of re-enactors from the MALTA COMMAND WWII LIVING HISTORY GROUP, in 1942 summer attire of the King's Own Malta Regiment.

The wreath layers led by Malta's President were then handed their wreaths by the young members of the Malta GC Unit of the sea Cadet Corps and boarded the Patrol Boat of the Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta and this proceeded offshore for the laying of wreaths  from the boat's bow. Among the wreath layers were the British High Commissioner Ms. Cathy Ward, Naval Attaches from embassies in Malta, Mr. Peter Gauci,  Judge Joseph Galea Debono, President of the George Cross Island Association and representatives of the Royal Air Force Association, the Royal Naval Officers Association, the Glarac Association and other veteran organisations.

A short but poignant address by the President of Malta highlighting the plight of the Island if the convoy had failed to get through, brought proceedings to a close.