GCIA reunions in Malta

I refer to "Roamer's" item (The Sunday Times, July 11) with the heading "For the MTA's record" regarding war veterans coming to Malta in September 2005 and Wing Commander Essex's remark that his would probably be the last time... to get these people together for a week's celebration and commemoration in Malta.

It might interest readers to know that since 1989 the George Cross Island Association has been celebrating the award of the George Cross to Malta (on April 15, 1942) annually in April with an average of 100 GCIA members coming over for a fortnight's reunion from the six UK branches who join members of the Malta branch.

The main event since the Siege Bell monument was dedicated in May 1992 by President Censu Tabone (now president of the GCIA itself) and Queen Elizabeth II, has been an ecumenical service and wreath-laying ceremony at the Siege Bell presided over by the President of Malta on April 15 each year.

In recent years, too, the Ministry of Tourism has always helped in making these reunions a success. We have also always received great help from the Armed Forces of Malta, the British and Australian High Commissioners and Russian Ambassadors past and present.

The Malta, GC branch of the GCIA has, of course, been the main organiser of these reunions in close liaison with the GCIA council chairman in UK and the national honorary secretary. Our next reunion will be held between April 14 and 28, 2005.

At the same time the GCIA Malta branch is co-operating closely with Wing Cdr Essex and his organising team to make the September reunion the success it deserves.

True, we veterans are getting older but we hope 2005 will not be the last veterans' reunion. We have a number of "young" veterans who we hope will carry on after 2005.

After all, some of us are still in our early 80s!