Why Was Malta Awarded the George Cross? | TEA & MEDALS

[@BFBSCreative]

BIG NEWS: The Team behind Tea and Medals have released a brand new podcast over on the Forces TV KZbin Channel. Let us know what you think of 'Near Death' kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3WneZh9lrl4p5osi=oeurFUeqtSQuZQzO

[@59jalex]

I shall repeat what my Maltese mate, Lewis Abdilla said. He was in a group of people and the topic of Malta was raised. A German woman said that she didn't know where Malta was. Lewie replied instantly, "well, your air force didn't have any problem finding it". 🙂

[@davidrenton]

as a Brit, i have always had the upmost respect for Malta and it's people, they deserve the George Medal full heartily. the Axis could'nt take Malta, an Island they surrounded, it demostrates the limits of Axis power, and the resistence to it. I went to Malta when i was 14, my parents where close friends where a lovey maltese couple, had a great time.Great Island , Great people. We in Britian do not forget out brave Maltese brothers and sisters

[@johnabela932]

My late Dad ❤ was in the ARMY posted in Malta during WW2. God bless the brave & the fallen 🙏. Cheers 👍🇲🇹❤️🇪🇺❤🇬🇧

[@brianfreeman8290]

The George Cross should stay on the flag of Malta FOREVER !!!

[@derekantill3721]

Of course it should. It is part of Maltese history to be proud of.

[@eddiecalderone]

It will always remain there. I was born and bred in Malta, from Valletta by the Grace of our Lord , every able bodied male from my mothers side served in the Royal Navy or in the merchant navy from the Crimean war till the suez crisis. I work and live in the U.K. (central LONDON) for the last 21 years. There are some idiots (very few individuals) who would be happy to see the George Cross removed from our beloved flag. They are all anglophobes, admirers of mussolini, Francophiles, anti west and in my humble opinion should be ashamed of themselves for their disrespect to our beloved forefathers who suffered so much during that time

[@AdventureswithTrains]

My Great Grandfather was on Malta during the siege as an anti aircraft gunner. He was down in the harbour when PEDESTAL convoy and the Ohio arrived and docked saving the Island.

[@tazldn6463]

This was brilliant. Thanks guys.

[@lonpfrb]

An amazing place with amazing people. I was fortunate enough to visit a couple of decades ago and see the restoration effort on Hurricane fighters that had lain on the seabed since WW2 at a former military airfield. Most remarkable that the old gent working on them had been RAF ground crew so knew what to do! At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

[@midsue]

Great respect to Malta for succeeding in enduring very difficult times during ww2 🇲🇹❤️

[@inttubu1]

To be able to share the great honour with a police station in Ireland…

[@adamcrompton4385]

What brave people. A small island of people. 1000s of miles away from mainland UK turned the tide of the war by holding a key strategic location. Virtute et constantia

[@bh4885]

I've been to Malta twice on holiday. Absolutely wonderful place, especially if you are a history buff like me

[@waynepratt9072]

Brilliant channel! Love the stories of these brave men and women, be cool to see an interview with Christian craighead🙏🏻

[@peterbates9841]

Loving Tea & Medals, keep up the good work, any chance of seeing some Aussie or New Zealand VCs

[@devkiwboy]

Yes! Charles Upham's will make a helluva story!

[@peterbates9841]

@@devkiwboy Charles Upham's double VC should have been a third.

[@jimramsey8887]

A verry well deserved award to be shared by masses of brave, courageous and lovely people. Thanks for the lovely reminder of people resisting horrendous adversity. versityversity

[@Richie90090]

My dad was awarded something like a "George Cross Island" Medal many years after he left the Fleet Air Arm ... He also was instrumental in making Malta a "George cross" Island.

[@stiffchocolate7546]

And you achieved nothing

[@MikeFoxtrot1]

That was probably the 50th Anniversary medal in 1992.

[@Richie90090]

@@MikeFoxtrot1 That sounds about right. Thanks Mike.

[@bremnersghost948]

Considering how important Malta is Strategically, It ought to be one of the most Heavily Defended Islands on Earth, Not just with Military Fortifications but with more Firearms and Ammo per Population than the US or Switzerland too.

[@AdventureswithTrains]

Having sucha large Empire in that period, Britain had many important installations dotted around the world, there wasnt the money pre war to heavily reinforce all the many British outposts. Singapore was always put back for the next year in each budget, but it was left too late.

[@richardphillips1041]

I know it was a long time ago but I have to say God bless Malta, thank you for sticking up for Britain in some of her darkest days and paying a terrible toll. I hope to visit Malta soon and enjoy your beautiful Island.

[@nobbytang]

Without Malta and Gibraltar Hitler would of secured the Middle Eastern oil he so desperately needed …making the rushed invasion of Russia not needed until later in the war when his super weapons were fully developed….Malta was crucial to the war for the allies …

[@alanoxley2336]

I thought my grandparents had it tough in east london,but all of maltese population receiving george cross,trust me dont take it off your flag thats special and deserved clearly.the royals dont hand these out everyday

[@eddiecalderone]

@alan… No chance of removing such a huge part of our history, it means a great deal to be the only nation on Earth to be recognised for our collective bravery in the worst conditions of war in the history of mankind. I know what it meant to the generation that went through all that… The Maltese (like myself) that love Malta, also know who our real friends are, and that’s the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland….

[@wildbill118]

This is lovely, a great story that I learned as a child and explored on my visit to Malta in 2008 … but … HOW DOES MARIO TAKE HIS BREW?

[@rolfagten857]

The Maltese Bogart Falcon.

[@olliehain]

wow wat an amazing story

[@bullet-catcherhohoho250]

Just got back from Malta - weather was not great and me and the wife have both caught Covid.

[@user-lp7wo7og4x]

No one asked

[@bullet-catcherhohoho250]

@@user-lp7wo7og4x LOL

[@jeffreycrawley1216]

Amazing island. Used to go there for scuba diving holidays. The first time there I was struck by the number of old British cars on the roads - no salt in winter so they didn't rust - Minis, Escorts, Cortinas, even a Sunbeam Tiger! Lots of old Britishpost and telephone boxes survived as did the Victorian officer's messes together with carved inscriptions to long lost regiments with names like the "21st Calcutta Horse" The garishly painted Leyland buses were a sight for sore eyes. It seemed the routes were owned by individual families (or so I was told) who didn't want the newer, modern buses, already imported, to replace them. The dive school I used was run by an Englishman with a Maltese wife and his father in law told me of Dom Mintoff (the Prime Minister) trying to remove the GC from the flag after independence - he was keen to curry favour (and money) from Gaddafi in Libya but the general population wouldn't have it. As the father in law put it: "Our Grandparents earned that Cross, our Parents earned that cross, WE earned that cross - how dare he try to take it away from us?" So the cross remains except, certainly on my last visit to Valletta, on the Maltese flag that flies over the Maltese Labour Party HQ!

[@davidrouth9901]

In 1940 only two European Island Nations stood up against the Fascist monsters - one was Britain and the other was Malta - it’s a good thing the Maltese stood up like true champions and didn’t ‘Fold like a cheap card table’ as the French did!🤓

[@eddiecalderone]

Very well said Sir….

[@georgesadek6033]

King George world respect respected world wide ultimate empire's ✌️😎👍 entire population of the world 🌎🌍🌍

[@rogerbond7811]

Remember seeing the George Cross when visiting Malta on cruise with the school in 1969.

[@srinivasnyayapathi9083]

I heard some of the stories from my father (who was an Indian Army Officer, now retired) then I read of Malta in Military history calss.... now I am seeing on BFBS.

[@ghostman7768]

The award medal of the George Cross which was given to the island of Malta was also given to one man lieutenant Dennis Arthur Copperwheat which was due to his bravery but what I find difficult to understand is that an award of honour which is given to a soldier for his bravery can be awarded to the whole populace of Malta? The point which I'm making is that all the British Empire could do for all the war damages the island of Malta had to suffer was a medal! A medal doesn't bring back all the innocent Maltese and Gozitans that were killed instantly? One wonders if Malta remained neutral if it would have stood on it's own? Was Malta a target for the germans and Italians cause of the British Colonial involvement?

[@eddiecalderone]

Let me assure you that if Malta was not British we would be under Italian, French or German control. Neutrality didn’t matter when it came to Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. Being part of the British empire was a godsend, probably the most important factor to us Maltese (second only to St. Paul shipwreck).

[@ghostman7768]

@@eddiecalderone probably but the damage of historic buildings and dead innocent bodies would have been spared.

[@pierheadjump]

😎 Thanks Malta ⚓️ BFBS ‘At All Costs’ by Sam Moses, the story of a Mariner on the Ohio. ⚓️

[@grahambuckerfield4640]

I know it was never within the British Empire or Commonwealth, however we have given honourary awards to those outside of this, such as the US Defense Secretary who was helpful without question in the Falklands. So how about awarding the Ukraine an honourary George Cross?

[@burt3907]

Ohh what? A George Cross for the Ukrainian Nazis? Get out of here.

[@grahambuckerfield4640]

@@burt3907 Still pushing that with their president and prime minister being Jewish? Next? All the Russian (Nazi like) war crimes being fake? Who would do that? Elvis? You get out you fool).

[@burt3907]

@@grahambuckerfield4640 I see you still get your news from bbc. 🤣😆😄

[@grahambuckerfield4640]

@@burt3907 Actually a whole range of sources, not however any who 'serve' useful idiots.