Henriette Chevalier née Scerri – one of the unsung Maltese heroines.Henriette Chevalier née Scerri – one of the unsung Maltese heroines.

One of the less researched areas of World War II is the contribution women provided in the social, administrative, operational and logistical fields for Malta’s civil and military administration.

WWII researcher Simon Cusens will tomorrow be delivering an illustrated talk entitled The Role of Women in WWII – the Case of Malta, at the courtyard of Castello Lanzun, Sanctuary Street, Mensija, San Ġwann.

Organised by the Grand Commandery of the Castello (GCC), a jurisdiction of The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, and supported by Palazzo Prince d’Orange in Valletta, the talk is open to the public (advance reservations are recommended). Proceeds will go towards GCC charities, mainly for organisations assisting lepers in India and Uganda.

The talk will highlight the phenomenal aspects of women’s dedication and reliability during the war.

Some women stood above the rest, sometimes in Malta or in friendly territories abroad. Others risked their very lives working discreetly in hostile lands, abetting the allies’ cause. Cusens feels honoured to have discovered some unsung heroines, bringing them to public knowledge for the first time.

Cusens conducted research on wartime women’s history for his Master of Arts dissertation within the Institute of Maltese Studies at the University of Malta. The author plans to publish his study, the first academic work on this topic .

The GCC’s charity fund focuses on assisting organisations working for lepers in India, Ethiopia and Uganda. One such organisation is Women in Need in India.

A number of women worked as telephone operators at Lascaris Operations Room in Valletta.A number of women worked as telephone operators at Lascaris Operations Room in Valletta.

Further information about this charity can be found at: http://grandcommanderymalta.org/charity-work .

Guests are welcome from 7.30pm onwards. The talk starts at 8pm and will be followed by a reception.

This is also an occasion to visit Castello Lanzun. To reserve a seat, one can donate a minimum of €15 to the charity fund.

More information may be obtained by phone on 9984 1440.

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