Maltese Community Council of Victoria, Inc.

Last Sunday 29 April, the final event in the two-week program of events commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Award of the George Cross to Malta, the Maltese Ex-Services Association led by its President, Mr Emmanuel Spiteri, held a ceremony at St Paul's Chapel in Parkville.

Fr Noel Bianco MSSP celebrated Mass at 2.30 pm in a packed chapel. Among those present were the Consul-General of Malta. Mr Charles Mifsud and his wife Mrs Anna Maria Mifsud; the MCCV President Professor Maurice Cauchi and other members of the MCCV Executive; members of the Knights of St John of Malta; members of Religious Congregations; presidents and members of Maltese associations; and members of the Maltese community in Melbourne.

On Saturday 21 April about 400 people packed the hall at the Maltese Centre in Parkville to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Award of the George Cross to the people of Malta at a reception organised by the Consul-General of Malta in Victoria, Mr Charles Mifsud, and the Malta GC committee that he chaired.

The evening commenced with the singing of the Maltese and Australian national anthems. Mr George Saliba, MC for the evening, introduced the Consul-General of Malta, who welcomed the distinguished guests. These included the Hon Mr Craig Ondarchie MLC (representing the Premier of Victoria, the Hon Mr Ted Baillieu, and the Minister for Multiculturalism and Citizenship, the Hon Mr Nicholas Kotsiras), the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly the Hon Mr Ken Smith, the President of the Legislative Council the Hon Mr Bruce Atkinson MLC, the Secretary of the Victorian Parliament's Friends of Malta Group the Hon Mr Telmo Languiller MLA, the Hon Natalie Hutchins MLA.

John Gordon-Kirkby RM 132421, a former Royal Marine, recently sent us a scan of his small (20 cm x 13 cm) 1957 painting of the Grand Harbour with HMS Surprise at her moorings which he wanted to share with the Maltese community. He made this painting from the quarter-deck of HMS Birmingham. At that time he was a 21-year-old National Serviceman in HM Royal Marines on HMS Birmingham then Mediterranean Fleet Flagship. He served in Malta in 1957-58.

On Tuesday 17 April the Maltese Historical Association held its monthly event at the Maltese Centre in Parkville as part of a program of events in Melbourne commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Award of the George Cross to Malta. The program was organised by the Consul-General of Malta in Victoria, Mr Charles Mifsud and the Malta GC Committee.

Mrs Bonnici gave a warm welcome to the guest speaker, Mr Charles Mifsud, to Mrs Anna Maria Mifsud and to all those present. Mr Mifsud gave a presentation on the pivotal role that Malta played in the Second World War leading to the award of the George Cross to the people of Malta by King George VI on 15 April 1942. He started his talk by posing the question whether Malta deserved to be awarded the George Cross. Naturally the answer to this question is a resounding "yes", said Mr Mifsud.

On a glorious sunny autumn morning in Melbourne, the 70th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to the people of Malta was commemorated in a moving ceremony held at the Shelter of Peace. This event is organised annually by the Maltese Australian Association (MAA). This year, it also marked the beginning of a two-week program of special events commemorating the 70th anniversary organised by the Consul-General for Malta in Victoria, Mr Charles Mifsud and his committee.

Today's ceremony began on the forecourt and cenotaph of the Shrine of Remembrance with a march led by the Australian Army Band, Pipe Major Hawthorn Agnew MUR, army cadets and scouts, the official party, honoured guests, ex-service associations and Maltese Community Associations.