Why Fleur de Lys arch was dismantled

Professor Joseph Falzon (The Sunday Times, July 21) may set his mind at rest that the incident he referred to was in no way responsible for the damage caused to the Fleur-de-Lys arch in June, 1940.

The arch was in fact hit later and on two separate occasions. The first time was on April 18, 1943, when an RAF corporal stationed at Ta' Qali, while driving a Coles crane from St Venera in the direction of the airfield, 'misjudged' the height of the crane, and hit and badly damaged the central arch.

A few days later, Group Capt. Guy Tyrrel, commanding the RAF station, Ta' Qali, called on Chev. (later Sir) Hannibal Scicluna, the acting director of the Museum, and apologised for the incident. He admitted that it was exceedingly stupid of the driver of the mobile crane to attempt to take his vehicle through the arch and promised that disciplinary action would be taken against him. The remains of the central arch were dismantled by military personnel under PWD supervision about two months later.

Yet once again, on February 12 1944, a WD truck, driven by an RASC soldier stationed at Floriana, collided with what was left of the arch and caused its final collapse. The incident occurred at 3.30 a.m., and the cause was attributed to the 'slippery' condition of the road, the dim light, and the fact that the truck had no wipers.

Chev. Scicluna, writing to the Secretary to Government only a few days after the first accident, suggested that steps should be taken at the earliest opportunity to have the monument restored to its pristine condition. Sixty years on, the recommendation has not yet been taken up.