The 72nd Anniversary of Operation Pedestal is being marked this evening with a commemorative service at the Sea Farers Memorial outside Ta' Liesse Church in Grand Harbour at 6.45pm.

The service will include readings, hymns and moments of reflection, as well as a symbolic wreath laying at sea for those lost in the mission and all seafarers lost at sea while on duty, with all other wreaths to be laid at the Seafarers Memorial.

The SS Ohio enroute to Malta. (Robert Taylor)

The epic military seaborne mission of August 1942, codenamed Operation Pedestal, was the most crucial of Malta's 17 wartime convoys and is credited with being the one single event that prevented Malta's otherwise most certain capitulation to the Axis.

Various Government dignitaries, members of Malta's judiciary, the Opposition, members of the Diplomatic Corps, war veteran associations and the public will be present.

Special guests this year include William Mason, grandson of Cpt. Dudley William Mason GC, Captain of SS Ohio, the famed tanker that carried the vital oil supplies in the mission as well as other veteran relatives flying in for the event.

The British Legion will present Veteran Association Standards and the Malta Command WW2 Living History Group will sound a WW2 siren and carry out a gun salute during the more solemn moments of the Service. The 'Last Post', 'Reveille' and the 'Bagpiper's Lament' will be rendered courtesy of the Malta Police Force.