George Cross claim (1)

I hope that Heritage Malta has more sense than to start rewriting the history of Malta in World War II - if one is to judge from the absurd claim attributed to its spokesmen talking about the despatch of two copies of the George Cross during the war. He is quoted as having said that one was flown over and a copy was brought over by ship in case the first failed to arrive. This is a load of rubbish and discredits Heritage Malta..

The original George Cross is inscribed at the back: "To the Island of Malta - 15 April 1942" and was brought over by Lord Gort in his pocket when he flew to take over the governorship on May 7, 1942. General Dobbie flew home in the same aircraft that had brought his replacement and the changeover took place during a raid so that Dobbie afterwards said "I never saw the George Cross which was in Gort's pocket, and I was in the plane and away before I thought of it." Gort confirmed he had brought the medal with him that day during the speech he made on the Palace Square at the official presentation ceremony on September 13, 1942.

To say that "one was flown over and the copy was brought over by ship as a backup in case the first one failed to make it safely" is pure fiction. The idea that anyone would think it was safer to send a medal by ship shows an utter lack of appreciation of the real wartime conditions. There was no need to send a second Cross as the original was already safely on the island and, besides, gallantry awards are never duplicated if lost.

The second one on display at the War Museum is a replica from a commercial organisation, which anyone can buy,  brought over for display so that the original would be retained in safe keeping at the Public Library.

Some years ago an RAF pilot claimed he had brought the Cross, when the facts are as I have recorded them here.

For the record, the original George Cross was retrieved from the home of a private individual soon after Dr Censu Tabone became president as his predecessor, Miss Agatha Barbara, had thrown it away and he had taken it home - I know this as I was involved in its recovery.