I would like to add my comments to the correspondence between Thomas Zerafa and Charles Xuereb about those two tumultuous years in our national history. I agree with Zerafa that for many years this period in our history was not given its due importance.

I have nothing against Hardman and Testa. In fact, I often quote them when speaking about those years, but why we do not quote from the history book written by Giovanni Faure? Is it because some say it is “only hearsay”?

Faure writes about the massacre of the French garrison by the Maltese, which Xuereb quotes in his letter. I agree with Xuereb that “undoubtedly some distorted narratives are authored unwittingly”, such as when we are taught that most of the silver and several treasures were taken away by the French.

We now know that there were different British governors who sent shiploads of our treasures to Britain. It was only Sir John Simmons, a British governor, who in 1887 tried to return some of Malta’s cannons that were found in Britain.

I agree that September 2 be given national day status. It is a pity that no one remembers this day because it was the day that started the French blockade, which led to the death of some 20,000 Maltese.

Let us remember those Maltese who suffered in those unforgettable days. I consider those two tumultuous years as the best part of our glorious history.