Two American Sherman tanks disembarking from a landing ship at Anzio beachhead.

Malta was officially out of the war with the surrender of Italy on September 8, 1943. During 1944, very few episodes occurred which concerned the island.

The respect and gratitude that the Maltese felt for Governor Lord Gort was marked by a ceremony that took place at Żebbuġ on March 12, 1944, when the Governor was presented with a sword of honour by the Band and Allied Clubs in Malta and Gozo.

A huge crowd crammed St Philip Square, which was elaborately decorated; on arrival, Lord Gort was greeted with rounds of applause as the flags of 64 band and Allied clubs of Malta waved in salute. Receiving the sword from Prof. Philip Farrugia, representative of all the clubs, Lord Gort said:

“I shall never cease to regard this sword with affectionate pride all my life and I shall do so not only because men have always regarded the sword as the symbol of military honour but also on account of the many memories of wartime Malta and Gozo with which I shall always associate it.

Governor of Malta Lord Gort acknowledges the plaudits of the crowds at Żebbuġ on March 12, 1944, during the ceremony of the presentation of a sword of honour by the Band and Allied Clubs in Malta and Gozo. On Lord Gort’s left is Żebbuġ parish priest Fr Paul Galea, and partly visible between them, is Dr Philip Farrugia, who presented the sword on behalf of the clubs.

“As the years pass by it will never fail to remind me of the many dangers and the many trails which we mutually suffered and mutually surmounted, many kindnesses, and in particular, the wonderful gesture of spontaneous generosity and goodwill which prompted the Maltese people to honour me as they have honoured me today…”

It took four major offensives between January and May 1944 before the German Gustav line was eventually broken

The 38-inch sword, the work of 83-year-old Tom Beasley from the Wilkonson Sword Company, bore the following inscription:

“Presented by the Band and Allied Clubs in Malta and Għawdex, interpreters of the people’s admiration, gratitude, devotion and love to H.E. Field Marshal Viscount Gort, V.C., their leader and Governor during the Second Siege of Malta.”

A platoon of British infantry marching past the Duomo in Florence.

The silver scabbard carried on it an embossed silver-gilt cross-guard. The show side featured a field marshal’s badge and the Arms of Malta on the reverse. The ivory grip was held by four Tudor roses and a laurel wreath eyelet for the gold bullion sword knot. Besides the inscription, the blade carried a floral design and the George Cross on one side, and the Arms of Lord Gort and the Royal Cypher on the reverse.

Meanwhile, on the Italian peninsula, landings at Anzio during Operation Shingle, which started on January 22, 1944, were intended to weaken the German Gustav line defences. But the early thrust inland to cut off the German defences did not occur, and the Anzio forces became bottled up in their beachhead.

It took four major offensives between January and May 1944 before the German Gustav line was eventually broken by a combined assault of the Fifth and Eighth Armies (including British, US, French, Polish and Canadian Corps) concentrated along a 20-mile front between Monte Cassino and the western seaboard. Rome had been declared an open city by the German Army, so no resistance was encountered.

The US forces took possession of Rome on June 4, 1944. The German Tenth Army was allowed to get away and, in the next few weeks, was responsible for doubling the Allied casualties in that campaign.

Lord Gort holding the sword of honour.

After the capture of Rome, and the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944, many the equivalent of seven divisions of experienced American and French units were pulled out of Italy to participate in Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of the south of France, which started on August 15, 1944. These units were only partially compensated for by the arrival of the Brazilian 1st Infantry Division.

In the period from June to August 1944, the Allies advanced beyond Rome, taking Florence and closed up on the Gothic Line. During Operation Olive, which started on August 25, 1944, the Gothic Line defences were penetrated on both the Eighth Army and Fifth Army fronts, but there was no decisive breakthrough.

In December 1944, Fifth Army commander Mark Clark was appointed to command the 15th Army Group, thereby succeeding Harold Alexander as commander of all Allied ground troops in Italy. In the winter and spring of 1944-1945, extensive partisan activity in northern Italy took place.

After eight days of bloody fighting, the Polish flag is hoisted in the ruins of Monte Cassino.

Relevant artefacts and information can be seen at Heritage Malta’s National War Museum in Valletta.

Charles Debono is Curator, National War Museum.