Ingratitude to a war veteran

I thoroughly enjoyed watching on television the highly emotional celebrations held in Normandy on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of D-Day (June 6).

A large number of war veterans were invited and took part. They were given VIP treatment as royals and heads of state present. At one time, they were given a standing ovation. The French President, Jacques Chirac, bestowed on these veterans the Legion d'Honneur medal.

This gesture reminded me of the shabby treatment given by the Maltese government to Squadron Leader Cyril S. Bamberger DFC, AE, a war veteran who took an active part in the defence of Malta during WWII, flying Hurricanes from Ta' Qali. He shot down a dive-bomber on January 18, 1941, when enemy planes were attacking Hal Far and Luqa airports to weaken air defences to enable them to finish off HMS Illustrious, which was in Grand Harbour.

He shot down another Stuka the following day, after evading three Messerschmitt 109s by diving along a cliff edge along the coast. He flew 100 sorties over Malta, had two confirmed kills and damaged three enemy aircraft. By the end of the war, he had six confirmed victories to his credit.

In 1992, Sqdn Leader Bamberger applied to the Malta High Commission in London for the medal struck by the Malta government to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta. The High Commissioner himself, promising to send the required documentation, personally acknowledged his application. However, the documentation never reached him.

On asking the fate of the promised documents, Sqdn Leader Bamberger was told that it was too late then, as the applications for this commemorative medal were time barred. He argues and believes that he had submitted an application in time to the Malta High Commission in London, which eventually was mislaid somewhere down the line. He further argues that the Malta government should be ultimately accountable for this misdemeanour.

To add insult to injury, two years ago, on the 60th anniversary of the George Cross to Malta, Sqdn Leader Bamberger was handpicked from the surviving war veterans and included in a list of "24 distinguished veterans of the siege" to personally autograph a limited edition of a special print commemorating this event.

I personally took up the matter with the Prime Minister as head of the Cabinet to find a solution before it would be too late. The secretary to the Prime Minister last wrote on June 5, 2003, promising that "the matter is being given attention". To date it is still receiving attention!

Sqdn Leader Bamberger is still deprived of this coveted medal. Today, we are still in time to find a solution; tomorrow, it may be too late. In such case, one of the "24 distinguished war veterans" will go heartbroken. Then, praises and compliments which we shower year in year out, during the celebrations on August 15, September 8, and November 11, will be just lip service. In the case of Squadron Leader Bamberger, it will be an insult.

I appeal to the new Prime Minister and his colleagues in the Cabinet to find a way out to show the gratitude of the Maltese people to this particular war veteran who risked his life to save ours.