Veterans fear youths uninformed about war

War veterans are worried that the younger generation is forgetting the plight suffered by the Maltese people during those harsh times.

"It's very important that generations keep remembering what happened during times of war... Remembering is a way of maintaining peace," said Peter Robinson, chairman of the George Cross Island Association's Malta branch.

He said the association was working on attracting young members to ensure that wartime history remained present in the nation's collective memory.

Association members, from the UK and Malta, yesterday met to mark the 68th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta on April 15, 1942.

The annual commemorative ceremony was held at the foot of the Great Siege Bell, near the Lower Barrakka in Valletta, erected as a tribute to over 7,000 civilians and service men and women who died during World War II.

"I remember every single little bit of the war," said Jack Vowels, a former Royal Air Force officer, who agreed that young people did not know enough about what went on during the war.

What was even more worrying, he said, was that school teachers themselves did not seem to be well informed. "It you mention the Knights of Malta, children know what you are talking about. But the same cannot be said about the world wars," he said.

Apart from his vivid memories of bombings and air raids, Mr Vowels also has hours upon hours of wartime scenes recorded on video tape. The 89-year-old British officer explained he was in Malta between 1941 and 1944 and always had a passion for filming.

"We were not meant to have cameras during the war... but me and my friend still managed to get our filming done," he smiled as he leaned onto his walking frame on which he mounted a high-definition camera with which he filmed yesterday's ceremony. The remembrance theme resonated throughout the wreath-laying ceremony attended by President George Abela and GCIA national president Michael Refalo, among others.

They placed wreaths at the foot of the Great Siege Bell memorial, built in 1992.

At the end of the commemorative event, the veterans chanted together: "We will remember them".

Soon after that the ground vibrated gently as the bell tolled and resonated the respectful message.