Malta first experienced compulsory military service in the late Middle Ages, as recorded in the Militia List of 1419-20 discovered by the late medievalist Godfrey Wettinger in the annals of the Universita, kept at the prestigious archives of the Mdina Cathedral Museum.

The list includes all the adult male population of Malta aged between 16 and 65, totaling 1,667 males. Vittoriosa was not included because it had a defence arrangement administered by the castellan of the Castrum Maris (Fort St Angelo). Our sister island had other defence arrangements.

Since then, the Maltese islands had a very brief period of conscription during World War II (1939-45).

It is interesting to note that in the European Union, only Malta and Ireland have never had compulsory national service as independent states. In the last decade, many EU member countries have phased out or suspended their mandatory national service programme to focus more on professional military service. These abolitions were caused by the dramatic revolution of 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the fragmentation of the former Soviet states.

Some of the EU states that have recently abolished compulsory military service include France (2002), Italy (2008) Spain (2011) and Germany (2011).

The United Kingdom scrapped compulsory national service in 1963 but, with the rising crime rate, drug addiction and violence among the younger generation, public opinion is moving towards its reinstatement.

In a recent interview, Prince Harry spoke highly of the benefits of military service discipline, also recommending such experience for his nephew and niece, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

In the European Union, only Malta and Ireland have never had compulsory national service as independent states

Among the EU countries that have retained mandatory conscription exclusively for male adults we find Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Norway and Finland, with compulsory service varying from one year to two years. Norway recently introduced the draft for women as well.

In a recent referendum in Austria, 60 per cent voted in favour of retaining this service while assigning conscientious objectors to Caritas, ecological and environmental associations, hospitals and other services.

Those in favour of mandatory national service argue that such a service instils in the emerging younger generation a sense of discipline and national pride. It creates a culture of service and an opportunity to strengthen their characters and resolve against drugs, vandalism and bullying, thus presenting an all-embracing social climate of understanding, tolerance and respect.

This community spirit should animate our youths and open for them new horizons.

It should be a rite of passage for young adults.

Understandably, there are those who consider mandatory service as a violation of human rights; for these, community service or being assigned to a peace corps is recommended.

I have come in contact with people of my generation who have experienced voluntary or compulsory military service and I have always been impressed by their sense of discipline and commitment to a cause. Our association, the Ramblers of Malta, has been voluntarily assisted by former servicemen.

My personal experience of army life was in the 1950s when I joined the Territorial Army with the Royal Malta Artillery, a most enjoyable interlude in my life.

Now that Malta’s economy is on a sound footing, is our nation ready to introduce mandatory national service in 2025 for one or two years, to enable our youths to meet the ever-growing challenges of the future?