Thursday, 6th November 2008 - 16:19CET
'Tornado' flypast next Sunday
The Royal Air Force’s 111(F) Squadron is returning to Malta tomorrow after an absence of 65 years, with four Tornado F3 aircraft.
The squadron served in Malta during the war and that connection will be renewed with a flypast over the War Memorial in Floriana during the Remembrance Day commemoration on Sunday morning.
111(F) Squadron is currently based at RAF Leuchars in Scotland. While in Malta in 1943 is was equipped with Spitfires and took part in the Allied invasion of Sicily during ‘Operation Husky’.
The Squadron has another link with Malta, in that one of its former commanding officers between 1927 and 1929 was Sir Keith Park, who became Air Officer Commanding Malta towards the end of the siege between 1941 and 1942. He was also famous for his role in the Battle of Britain. A campaign is underway in London to erect a monument in his honour.
One of the Tornado aircraft coming to Malta forms part of 1435 Flight, which was formed in Malta during the war. The flight has also kept its links with Malta and three of its aircraft are called ‘Faith’, ‘Hope’ and ‘Charity’ after the Gladiator aircraft which formed Malta’s first air defence. The eight-pointed Maltese cross is featured on the fins of the aircraft.
The fly-past will take place at around 11 a.m.
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Also, the annual El-Adem aircraft accident tragedy which is commemorated by retired ex-Royal Engineers of the Malta Fortress Squadron, their relatives and survivors is co-ordinated with AFM support from our 3 Regiment's Engineer Squadron, based at Safi Barracks.
The relative PR issued on the event in the print media was this year overlooked by major print media whereas none was reported on TV.
The undeniable ultimate sacrifice of service personnel at times of war or peace always deserves the highest respect by those who live on to perpetuate their memory lest others should forget the liberties they have are owed to such men and women of the services, worldwide.
The 11th Hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of each year,
They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn .
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them.
Some commemorations should never be allowed to die! and this is certainly one of them, immaterial of the costs.
When tomorrow, the Tornados fly over the War Memorial, be assured that we will all hold our heads very high with pride, one of being Maltese and two in commemoration of the sacrifices made by our parents and grandparents during this conflict.!
We hope that you will be in a a lucky position to pass on this legacy to your children and your grandchildren and remind them with pride of the sacrifices made by our ancestors to rid Malta of a Nazi regime and in the hope that this part of our history is never repeated and just for this once let us forget the costs and enviroment.
That ''piece of metal" is a symbol, just like a photo of any beloved person is just a piece of paper. It's not the material that counts, it's what it represents. You don't love the picture, but the person it portrays, and what he/she means to you.
How ironic that our symbol of gallantry and gratitude should be at risk by the ungrateful and not so gallant.
Like many other Maltese, I am proud of the George cross. Malta played a crucial part (at a cost) in two wars (or sieges, if preferred). In 1565 Malta helped to halt the advance of the Ottoman Empire on Europe, in the 1940's Malta was a thorn in the axis force's side.
To remove the G.C. would be an insult to my parents and all the other veterans. It's easy for some people simply because it cost them nothing.
If we were to reason like some people we would also remove everything on this island that reminds us of the Knights. They too "prostituted our island for 200 years". Shall anybody then demolish all that the Knights constructed, and take away every eight-pointed cross?
With many other hundreds of Maltese, Brits and tourists alike, I will be in Floriana to watch the flypast by 3 Tornados and remember the fallen, the ones who gave their present so we can have our future.
The last time No. 111 Squadron was in Malta was in 1978. Between the mid-1960s and that date No.111 came to Malta for week-long deployments several times, practically every year. Of particular interest was the visit of No. 111 in 1977 when it was under the command of a Maltese pilot, Mark Micallef Eynaud. It was equipped with Phantoms at that time.
Please leave politics out of this, it's in such bad taste. These aircraft have come to honour the dead of both World Wars. Those who believe Malta could have stayed out of these wars are naive, to say the least. Ask the Austrians, the French, the Dutch, the Poles, the Danes, the Czechs if they provoked anyone... yet they fell victim to Nazism, and paid dearly for their liberation.
Furthermore no one has the right to demand the removal of the GC from our Flag since it was the people that lived during those turbulent times that won the honour and for that we should all feel proud as it is a symbol of Maltese courage.
Do you really believe that if the British weren't here, the Nazis and the Fascists would have left us alone while conflict raged to the north and south of us?
Our location would have been an irresistible attraction as it straddles the main supply routes. Nowadays, with the advent of longer-range weaponry, ships and aircraft, our location is no longer of critical importance but in the days of piston-engined planes and conventional ships with limited range, Malta was a vital stepping stone.
That's why the Axis tried so hard to neutralise us and the British defended Malta at great cost of men and materials. The fact is that we would have probably been invaded if the British were not here.
It is indeed a fitting tribute to the sacrifice made by that generation and any dissent on such ceremonies, is frankly an insult to the memory of those who perished and to the efforts of those who are still with us.
I am not anti british, though I recognise the fact that if you are invited for tea,you do not stay for breakfast.I am not anti anything I would make exactly the same remarks if the planes were American,French,German,Italian or Russian I am not a Nationalist but then I am neither a Socialist. Cars and trucks as well as donkeys are usefull unlike a war plane doing a return journey of 6000 or so miles for nothing in particular. National pride is not honoured by foreign warplanes.I am not an extremist in anything ,that is very tiresome.The George Cross was imposed on our flag,we had no say in it.For that reason I would probably be against it. though I don't know why that was brought up in this instance?.Is it a propensity on this Island for people to veer off an argument to go into an entirely different one and is it always the case that any comment which is not agreed with is answered in anger or with insults?.
Viva l-Gran Brittania?!! For what may I ask? Well, if Gran Brittania still exist, as in a matter of months, even Scotland will part from this 'Great empire' , an empire who is not even capable of securing it's own capital city. You mean we should be grateful for l-Gran Brittania for ruining Europe's future 60 years ago?
For the records, our cousins were never in a state of war against Malta, but against the foreign country who was using us as a fortress and nothing else.
I lost three uncles on the Malta conveys during WW11, many Maltese and British heros & heroines also died. So this small show of rememberence and respect can not ever be enough. Also it gives them practice for when you need defending again.
You seem anti-British to me. I think it's not the planes themselves that bother you; It's that they're British planes. Would it be the same for you if they were to flypast over the freedom monument on freedom day? What would you say then?
You want to help the environment? Scrap your car/s and buy a bicycle; it's going to be cheaper too.
The Tornados have to be flown anyway, or else they will be damaged out of disuse, just like cars. Didn't you ever hear the saying "better wear out than rust out"? So then, why not let them fly to Malta? So, instead of flying around the British Isles, they will be honouring us with their presence in this flypast. Let them come, they are more then welcome. How can anyone forget or simply erase 200 years of our history. Remember that it was Malta that asked Britain to help in kicking out Napoleon's troops.
My late father was a soldier during the Second World War, and therefore deserved the George Cross. How dare some people even think of removing from our flag an emblem they did nothing to contribute to? They don't even know what the war was all about. What if THEY were in our fathers' shoes, and had to fight tooth and nail, and suffer hunger as our fathers did? The George Cross belongs to ALL the Maltese, and we should keep it on our flag to honour ALL those (dead or alive) who had to go through the war.
Some people are really sick about the environment. Extremists are dangerous in all sectors including this one
If they want to lead by example they shoud not use any modern technology, no cars, do not go abraod, do not eat any meat, go work in agriculture rarther then IT or office work etc etc.
PATHETIC!!!
Dear mr D Vela....... SHHHHHH!!!!
To save precious oil and expensive oil you probably go everywhere by walk.
And while we're at it Grand Prix races, car rallies, powerboat races etc should be banned, leaving only animal races.
All to conserve fuel, that would be a particularly good reason.
I don't think we need these planes to honour our fallen. We will be doing this with dignity and appreciation in any case. And you do not protect the envoirment by having these planes fly over and back to Scotland . It is really a needless exercise in this day and age.
@ M Bezzina
I did not suggest that Malta was paying the cost in terms of fuel and envoirment,that's immaterial.I agree with you re the buses and trucks etc,but two wrongs do not make a right
The Tornados were invited by the AFM .So to my knowledge there is no expenses involved.So if Malta had an Airforce like USA, Russia or UK do you consider how environmental friendly you are going to be?I am sorry to see such comments on this issue of being environmental friendly or not !We should start from our buses and trucks first(that have been exempted to pay extra for being environmental friendly) then not planes!!
Per ardua ad astra ("Through adversity to the Stars)
These were a small number of a mighty big group of Angels by whose heroic and patriotic acts our beautiful islands were saved from the scourge of the Swastika. And their King gave us the George Cross to embellish our National Colours and to show gratitude to the fact that our forefathers gave their contributions to allow us all live the freedom which they died for. And now a handful of insensitive fundamentalists are lobbying to remove the George Cross from our Flag.
Long live the Anglo-Maltese spirit of Brotherhood forever. Viva Malta Viva l-Gran Brittania.
Ex RAF Colleagues may call on cjbutti@maltanet.net