Malta's George Cross (1)

I have followed with great interest the controversy about the George Cross medal which was awarded to the people of Malta by King George VI in 1942. The main issues are whether there were two medals and who brought the George Cross to Malta.

In their contributions to The Sunday Times both Emmanuel Magro Conti and John Mizzi mentioned a Jim Savage who at the time was a flight engineer on the Sunderland seaplane on board which Lord Gort had flown from Gibraltar to Malta.

In August 2005, a colleague of mine, Rita O'Dwyer, of the Maltese language programme of SBS Radio Sydney programme, carried an interview with Mr Savage. Eventually the interview was also relayed in my Radio Malta programme Il-Boomerang.

I certainly do not wish to enter into the controversy between Mr Magro Conti and Mr Mizzi but I am sure it is worth mentioning that during his interview Mr Savage stated: Earlier in the day I was with the skipper (Flt Lt Stokes) making sure that our distinguished guests (Lord Gort and his ADC Major Duff) were comfortable in the wardroom when Lord Gort patted his briefcase and said to Mr Stokes, "You know Mr Stokes, I have Malta's George Cross in here". Both skipper and I felt proud that our aircraft and crew had been given such a valuable cargo to carry to the Island.

Towards the end of the interview Mr Savage recounts about his five and a half years' flying career and ends by stating: There's only one regret I have, and that is that Lord Gort didn't open his briefcase and show the George Cross to Tom Stokes and me. We would have loved to have seen it.