War veteran told to buy GC anniversary medal

A British wartime fighter pilot who, through an administrative bungle, was not awarded the Malta George Cross 50th Anniversary Commemorative Medal by the government in 1992 has now been told that he can buy a copy from a company producing them.

Squadron Leader Cyril S. Bamberger, who was a Hurricane pilot between 1940 and 1941, had applied to receive the commemorative medal when the government invited applications from those who served in Malta from June 1940 and September 1943.

Sqn Ldr Bamberger had applied to the Malta High Commission in London and his letter was acknowledged by the Maltese High Commissioner in June 1992.

He heard nothing after that and when he enquired later, he was told he could no longer apply because applications were time barred.

Sqn Ldr Bamberger had spoken about the matter to a parish priest, who is Maltese, who took it very seriously and referred it to his brother in Malta.

The parish priest`s brother, Joe Agius, wrote to the prime minister arguing that, contrary to what Sqn Ldr Bamberger was told, he had applied in time.

In the reply from the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Agius was told that the issue of the commemorative medal was regulated by a legal notice which had specified the time within which applications had to be received.

"In administering the award, the relative terms and conditions have to be met in full and the Cabinet Office does not have the discretion to discard the conditions laid down by law.

"The government of Malta has agreed to the production of an authorised copy of the medal. This decision enables veterans of the Malta campaign to obtain a copy medal. Should he be interested, this can be obtained from Award Productions Ltd. PO Box 30, Haslemere, Surrey, GU26 6UT, UK".

The company produces a range of other medals and may be contacted via internet. The replica Maltese medal costs £25.

Contacted yesterday, Mr Agius said: "When I wrote to the Prime Minister, I did not ask him to bend the regulations. The government`s representative in London had acknowledged Sqn Ldr Bamberger`s letter and someone along the line must have made a mistake. This is a case of accountability.

"I cannot understand why the government had imposed a time limit in the first place for war veterans to apply. The government should strive to find the survivors and honour them.

"I feel it is an insult to ask one to buy a copy. A medal is awarded, not a replica of it bought."