The memory of those who served our country during wars was honoured during a ceremony led by Minister for National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government Owen Bonnici on the occasion of the upcoming Remembrance Day. The ceremony was held inside the chapel dedicated to St Anne at Fort St Elmo, which now houses a special section of the National War Museum set up as a memorial.
The ceremony, a joint collaboration between Heritage Malta, the National Festivities Committee, and Festivals Malta, entailed the laying of a poppy wreath, the observance of a minute of silence, and the sounding of Last Post and Reveille by members of the Police Corps.
“Today, as we gather in this sacred space, we remember and honour the service and sacrifice of our soldiers, policemen, and civilians during times of conflict. Their dedication to our nation will never be forgotten; the National War Museum’s Memorial stands as a lasting tribute to their courage and resilience. Let us cherish their memory and the history they’ve written,” stated Minister Bonnici.
Following the ceremony, Minister Owen Bonnici was shown around the memorial by Emmanuel Magro Conti, Heritage Malta’s Senior Curator for Palaces and Military.
The extensive collection in this section includes medals given to servicemen in the British Army, Navy, and, later, Air Force, as well as a substantial number of medals awarded to civilians. Details about the awardee, as well as information as to why and when each medal was given, are provided on every interpretation panel in the memorial.
Besides the medals, the section contains several other artifacts, such as the maquettes of local war monuments and plaques donated to the museum by ex-servicemen wishing to commemorate colleagues who died at war.
