Celebrating Malta’s George Cross on the British Forces Broadcasting Service

As part of the celebrations of the 80^th anniversary of Malta receiving the George Cross, Elaine Zerafa, who provides guided tours of our Imtarfa Military Cemetery, has been speaking to the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) about Malta’s world war history and the men and women commemorated at our cemeteries on the island.

Elaine, who has been part of our volunteer team in Malta for the past three years, is formerly of the Royal Navy and tells BFBS that her passion for the CWGC and the work of the Commission, particularly in Malta, comes from her own parents’ experiences during World War Two, and her Grandfather who fought in World War One.

During the interview Elaine tells the story of the 1 February 1945 Avro York crash over Lampedusa, Italy, which saw the deaths of four crew and eleven passengers. Elaine explains that, included within the casualties was Mrs. Patricia Maxwell Sullivan, a Foreign Office secretary, who died on her 23^rd birthday. She is buried along with some of the other casualties of the flight in Imtarfa Military Cemetery on Malta.

During the war, Malta was a vital strategic outpost. Its position in the Mediterranean meant that Allied forces based in Malta could disrupt vital supplies heading to North Africa from Italy. The island was placed under siege, with round-the-clock aerial attacks and blockades to attempt to starve the island into submission. Despite this adversity the island withheld, and King George VI awarded the George Cross to Malta, writing: “To honour her brave people I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history.”

Imtarfa Military Cemetery is one of fifteen sites on the island where Commonwealth casualties are commemorated. There are nearly 10,000 Commonwealth war dead of both world wars commemorated in war graves in Malta, predominantly buried in the three biggest CWGC cemeteries on the island at Imtarfa, Pieta Military Cemetery and Capuccini Naval Cemetery.

You can listen to Elaine’s interview on the BFBS website as part of their feature on the 80^th Anniversary or on their Tea and Medals podcast.