Seventy years ago, Maltese civil society honoured Governor Lord John Gort by giving him a sword of honour in recognition of his outstanding work in changing the tides of war in Malta.

A silent 10-minute film of this March 12, 1944 occasion, shot by military cameramen, has been obtained from the Imperial War Museum of London and will be shown to the public on December 7 and 8 at 5pm in the main hall of St Philip’s Band Club in Żebbuġ.

Lord Gort came to Malta in 1942 during the worst period of the war. Provisions were running dangerously low and so was morale. His task to turn around the fortunes of war locally was very difficult.

His long military experience and leadership qualities helped in no small way to achieve this. How much the people recognised this became apparent when Philip Farrugia, honorary president and an ex-executive president of St Philip’s Band Club, proposed to the other band clubs to give Gort a reward in appreciation.

The response was overwhelming: all but two of the band clubs accepted the invitation to participate together with other local civil societies.

St Philip’s Band Club was selected to represent the other societies and to execute the musical programme on this special occasion in the main square of Żebbuġ.