I happened to be in Valletta on a Friday when at around 10 a.m. I could hear in the distance, coming from the direction of the Old Opera House, the sound of a military band. They were marching along Republic Street towards St George’s Square.

Oh, how this took me back to my childhood when every Saturday the changing of the guards parade took place. Memories just flooded back of those smart British Army bands together with a detachment of soldiers marching along the then Kingsway. We children used to follow in a disorderly fashion, pretending to be part of the parade. Then the guards stood outside the Main Guard facing what used to be the Governor General’s Palace. How wonderful it was the other day to witness these shadows of the past in different circumstances.

Now it is the turn of our own Maltese army band to smartly march, together with a detachment of soldiers, to change the guards at the President’s Palace. The music played is very much the same as that of 50 years ago. As I stood at St George’s Square I just could not help taking myself down memory lane. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I am not ashamed to say an odd tear rolled gently down my cheeks.

Thank you to whoever it was that had the idea of resurrecting such a great tradition. The two sentry boxes together with the guards is the final piece to fully complete the amazing transformation of the old Main Guard car park into the beautiful St George’s square.