Description
The War Memorial in Floriana commemorates the fallen of both the First World War and the Second World War.
The archive footage, shown above, shows Prime Minister George Borg Olivier and Chief Justice Sir Anthony Mamo laying wreaths at the monument in 1965.
The Queen is also featured paying tribute to the war dead in 1967,
Her husband The Duke of Edinburgh is shown laying a wreath in 2001 with President Guido De Marco and Malta members of the Royal British Legion.
The futuristic design of the limestone monument was created by Maltese artist Louis Naudi and dedicated on November 11, 1938.
The obelisk is flanked by a pair of eternal flames and six flags of Malta.
At the base of the monument are four panels. The front panel has the coat of arms of Malta.
The remaining three panels contain with inscriptions by King George V, King George VI and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
They are inscribed:
LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT I AM FULLY CONSCIOUS OF THE IMPORTANT AND PATRIOTIC PART THAT MALTA HAS PLAYED DURING THESE YEARS OF WARFARE
KING GEORGE V
3 November 1918
TO HONOR 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
KING GEORGE VI
15 April 1942
IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, I SALUTE THE ISLAND OF MALTA, ITS PEOPLE AND DEFENDERS, WHO, IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM AND JUSTICE AND DECENCY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, HAVE RENDERED VALOROUS SERVICE FAR ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY.
UNDER REPEATED FIRE FROM THE SKIES, MALTA STOOD ALONE, BUT UNAFRAID IN THE CENTER OF THE SEA,ONE TINY BRIGHT FLAME IN THE DARKNESS. A BEACON OF HOPE FOR THE CLEARER DAYS WHICH HAVE COME.
MALTA’S BRIGHT STORY OF HUMAN FORTITUDE AND COURAGE WILL BE READ BY POSTERITY WITH WONDER AND WITH GRATITUDE THROUGH ALL THE AGES.
WHAT WAS DONE IN THIS ISLAND MAINTAINS THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF GALLANT MEN AND WOMEN WHO FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME HAVE LIVED AND DIED TO PRESERVE CIVILIZATION FOR ALL MANKIND.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
7 December 1943
