Malta 2024 Reunion
George Cross Island Association - Malta Reunion, is open to both UK and Malta Branch members, their family and friends
Well here we are back from our 2024 Reunion, which was successful and enjoyable and of course we honoured our veterans in our customary way, also the people of Malta and all who served there. Although we were a much smaller group than in previous years, it was very harmonious and pleasant.
Members began arriving around the 12th April, getting settled into their hotels and accommodation. A welcome meeting was held on the evening of the 12th at the Chairman’s apartment in Sliema in order to make everyone aware of the programme and for new and old members to get acquainted.
On the morning of the 13th April a ceremony was held at the Saluting Battery as the Siege Bell is still in a less than safe state and therefore our usual ceremony could not be held there. However, we had news that restoration work was commencing, and during our stay, we did see that scaffolding had been erected and it seemed that work had indeed started. Thank goodness we will hopefully see the monument that so many of our veterans and members contributed to.
Peter Robinson and the Malta branch organised the ceremony, which was attended by the newly elected 11th President of Malta, Her Excellency Myriam Spiteri Debono, and our ceremony was her first public appearance as President. Also present were British High Commissioner to Malta, Katherine Ward, along with many other High Commissioners, Dignitaries and of course our own members from the UK and Malta branches. Our two branch standards were present and our Association President, Judge Joseph Galea Debono, our Association Chairman, Ray Wrigglesworth and Malta branch Chairman, Peter Robinson MBE, each laid a wreath. It was another very windy day but despite that it was a very moving ceremony which we were proud to be part of.
On Sunday 14th April we attended a service at the Maritime Museum, Birgu in remembrance of those lost on HMS Glorious, Ardent and Acasta on 8th June 1940; organised by Saviour Azzopardi, Chairman of the Glarac Association Malta (Acronym: Glorious-Ardent-Acasta). Peter Robinson, Malta Branch Chairman laid a wreath and gave a very moving reading:
They have no grave but the cruel sea
No flowers lay at their head
A rusty hulk is their tombstone
Afast on the ocean bed
We had a busy first few days as Monday was the15th April, and on 15 April 1942, King George VI awarded the George Cross to the people of Malta in appreciation of their heroism. So it was only right and fitting that the members attended our traditional wreath laying ceremonies with Fr. Meli, Chaplain to the Armed Forces of Malta officiating at each of the memorials, along with newly appointed Fr. Spiteri. We were once again honoured to have Trumpeters from the AFM. The Standard Bearers were - GCIA: Edward Barkway, GCIA Malta Branch, Liam Barlow: RAF, RAFA: Stephen McCarthy RAF.
The first ceremony was held at the RN Memorial, Pieta. Wreaths were laid by GCIA National Chairman, Ray Wrigglesworth RN retd.
The group then moved on to the RAF Memorial with the wreath laid by Malta branch Chairman, Peter Robinson MBE RAF. A Cross was laid by Janet Barkway, commemorating LAC George Ivan Drury RAF for his family. He was only 19 when he was shot down.
The third of the ceremonies took place at the Malta National Memorial. GCIA wreath laid by Judge Joseph Galea Debono, President George Cross Island Association and the Army wreath laid by Col David Vassallo (retd)
On 17th April, it was our much awaited and anticipated attendance at the AFM Band Display and the Officers Mess reception. It is a privilege to be invited there every year and the hospitality is second to none and it represents one of the highlights of our annual reunion in Malta. We give our heartfelt thanks to Brigadier O’Neill for the honour of being invited, also to Colonel Melvin Haber for hosting the occasion and Captain Dorothy Gauci for her excellent liaison in ensuring it all went off perfectly. This year, due to the weather being so windy the band kindly organised a concert in the Officers Mess, and the music was wonderful. We then had the opportunity to meet the rest of those attending. A truly wonderful morning.
This year, on Saturday 20th, we went on a World War II tour of Gozo. Our guide and host was Charles Bezzina a Gozitan and member of our Malta branch. He has become an, (if not the), authority on the Second World War in Gozo, writing books and giving talks. He is a member of the university, a representative of the Ghaqda Poeti Maltin and a member of the National War Museum.
Our first stop was to see where there had been an airfield from Xaghra to Xewkija, stretching to Ghajnsielem and Nadur. Charles has written a book about how the airfield came about, it’s construction and subsequent history. He has given me permission to take excepts from his book and publish in our quarterly newsletters.
After this we went to The Citadel, also known as the Castello, the citadel of Victoria. During World War II, air raid shelters were dug under the bastions and they have been recently restored and opened to the public. These shelters were used mostly by the inhabitants of Rabat between 1940 and 1942. Out of some 170 public shelters in Gozo, 20 were in Rabat as the town’s core stands on clay. The dug-out rooms and passageway was used as a means to escape the destructions and life-threatening surprise-attacks. The extensive restoration project was done by Wirt Ghawdex foundation
After the climb up to the Citadel, we were all ready for our lunch, so the next stop was St. Patrick’s hotel in the picturesque village of Xlendi with it’s beautiful waterfront, albeit somewhat over-built in recent years
After a splendid lunch, Charles gave a short talk on the history of Gozo during World War 2. His extensive knowledge of this subject could not be covered in the short time available, but he has written a number of books which cover the topic in great detail. I shall be using extracts in the forthcoming newsletters
During our tour Charles pointed out many interesting locations where Gozo had been badly affected by WWII. It was a thoroughly interesting and enjoyable visit but of course there are many more locatons that we did not have time available to visit. We did finish off by driving down to Dwejra where the so called Azure window used to be, with Charles explaining about the Fungus Rock which is now a nature reserve; the plants on it had been used for medical purposes during the time of the Knights Hospitaller. After a walk about there, it was then time to get back to Mgarr and to the ferry back to Malta.
Our next ceremony was our annual service that we hold in the Air Museum Chapel at Ta Qali. Once again Fr. Meli kindly officiated, together with Fr. Spiteri who blessed the plaques of members who had crossed the bar during the past year. A big thank you Ray Polidano, curator of the museum for supporting our service. The RAF wreath was laid by the National Chairman and Standards were present. From the UK and Malta branches. Branch roll calls were read out by Ray
So that completed the ceremonies that our UK branch organises, but we still have the splendid ‘St George’s Day’ Black tie dinner, organised by Peter Robinson for the British Residents Association and also the Anzac day ceremony. So, on the evening of 23rd, St. George’s Day we attended the black tie dinner. We were treated to a wonderful rendition of Land of Hope and Glory by Armed forces of Malta, tenor, Georg Zammit; such a beautiful voice. The High Commissioner for Australia, Matt Skelly, entertained us with a very tongue in cheek review of St. George’s Day, which he had researched. A wonderful evening spent with friends.
Thursday, 25 April was officially our last ceremony of the reunion being the ANZAC Day ceremony at Pieta CWGC cemetery organised by the New Zealand and Australian Embassy. Anzac Day has been commemorated in Malta since 1916 and since 1979 the service has been held at the Pietà Military Cemetery which holds the highest number of ANZAC war graves in Malta. Wreaths were laid by a number of dignitaries, including the President of Malta, Her Excellency Myriam Spiteri Debono and readings by the High Commissioner for Australia, Matt Skelly, The New Zealand Honorary Consul, Mr Kevin Bonnici. As always it was a very moving ceremony with many people attending. The deputy High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, Tristan Gilchrist, laid a wreath and as always, our branch Standards were present and wreaths were laid by our Association President, Association Chairman and Malta Branch Chairman.
After the ceremony we were honoured to have been invited to the Australian high commissioner’s residence for a reception, along with various other dignitaries and representatives from organisations.
With a “fair wind”, we will hopefully enjoy another successful reunion and commemoration in Malta in 2025.