On the 10th of April 1942, a retired British Army Officer named Edward J. Semini wrote to The Times in London, suggesting that Malta should be honoured for its contribution to the Allied war effort. Just five days later, King George VI personally wrote to the Governor of Malta, Viscount Gort, to award the George Cross. The Cross features on the Maltese national flag to this day.
Recent research from Heritage Malta, conducted by Kenneth Gambin and Giancarlo Azzopardi, described in a new illustrated book The George Cross: its untold story, has revealed the serendipitous series of events that lay behind this rapid decision-making. Their discovery came during a visit to United Kingdom to gather information for the ongoing restoration of the Villa Guardamangia, where Queen Elizabeth II – then known as Princess Elizabeth – lived with Prince Philip between 1949 and 1951. At the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle, where to their ‘surprise and delight’ the archival information on Malta had been laid out ready for them, they came across a bundle of documents concerning the award of the George Cross during the Second World War.
What was particularly surprising about the discovery? ‘There was no grand design, no measured discussions, or secret negotiations.’ The situation was ‘mature,’ the researchers say, with previous suggestions for recognising Malta’s resistance having been made, and this allowed for the astonishing speed at which the award was given. As Gambin and Azzopardi point out, the King’s personal interest in Malta’s war story during a raging global conflict is remarkable.
Semini’s letter to The Times on the 10th of April declared that ‘nothing would be more highly appreciated than if our King were graciously pleased to present to the island a suitable standard … as a token of its valour, its endurance, and its abiding faith in God.’ It caught the attention of Leo Amery, Secretary of State for India at the time, who wrote directly to the King’s private secretary, Sir Alexander Hardinge, that Semini’s suggestion was ‘really a good idea’ – but led him in fact to ‘a bolder and even more striking one. Why not present Malta in its corporate capacity with the Victoria Cross?’
Hardinge took the idea to the King, who ran with it – and gave it his personal touch by awarding the George Cross, which had been instituted in 1940 in his own name. ‘Apart from undoubtedly also being a politically expedient morale-boosting gesture in a very difficult moment for Malta and the Allies,’ said Gambin and Azzopardi, ‘the King genuinely had a direct attachment with the critical situation in Malta and the tribulations of the Maltese people.’ George’s correspondence indicates a longer-lasting affection for the island; in a later letter to Viscount Gort, he writes that ‘you on Malta are constantly in my thought.’
The bravery and valour that won Malta the George Cross paid off; in 1943, forces on the island went on the offensive, and eventually made a vital contribution to eventual Allied success in the Mediterranean. So what did the award mean to the people of Malta then? While many Maltese welcomed the award during the war, others pointed out their greater concerns – ‘they were much more worried about food and the general situation.’ The King decided that the Cross would appear on the national flag; this was eventually enshrined in the Maltese constitution.
And now? On the one hand, Gambin and Azzopardi allow, ‘it is certainly a bold reminder of the mettle of our forefathers who resisted and emerged victorious against all odds – an inspiration to present generations.’ But equally it is ‘a symbol of Malta’s colonial past’ which some might regard as a ‘stain that has to be removed’ – perhaps analogous to ‘those in the UK for whom the crown is a source of shame.’ In the years since, debates have recurred over whether the George Cross should remain on the flag, or should be replaced with a Maltese Cross or other alternative.
In April this year, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration in the United States was considering closing a series of its embassies, including the embassy in Malta. Perhaps more than anything else, the story of Malta and the George Cross, as the book brings vividly to life, serves as a reminder of Malta’s strategic importance in the Mediterranean. Trump may not appreciate this history – King George VI would have known better.
The George Cross: its untold story is published by Heritage Malta Publishing, and available to purchase in hardback for €10
Contributors: Giancarlo Azzopardi, Matthew Balzan, Robert Cassar, Charles Debono, Maria Fenech, Kenneth Gambin, Keith Gatt, Emmanuel Magro Conti, Godwin Vella