MALTA, FLORIANA WAR MEMORIAL

World War 2 - Detailed information
Compiled & Copyright © Martin Edwards 2024

The War Memorial is a memorial obelisk in Floriana, Malta, which commemorates the dead of World War I and World War II. It was inaugurated on 11 November 1938 by Governor Charles Bonham-Carter to the memory of those killed in World War I, but in 1949 it was rededicated to those killed in both world wars. It was was designed by Maltese artist Louis Naudi. The memorial is an obelisk in the form of a Latin cross built from local globigerina limestone. It has four plaques showing the colonial badge of Malta and reproductions of a document issued by King George V in 1918 acknowledging Malta's role in World War I, the letter by which King George VI awarded the George Cross to Malta in 1942, and a 1943 scroll by President Franklin D. Roosevelt saluting Malta for its role in World War II.

The War Memorial is located on a site which was used for public executions when Malta was under Hospitaller rule.[5] It is close to the Malta Memorial which is dedicated to Commonwealth aircrew who died in World War II, and memorials to the Royal Malta Artillery and The King's Own Malta Regiment. It was originally positioned halfway between City Gate and Glormu Cassar Avenue, but was relocated during the realigning of St. Anne Street in 1954. The memorial was restored and the area around it landscaped in the early 2010s. An eternal flame was installed at this point.

[Source: Wikipedia - War Memorial (Floriana)]

Photographs Copyright © Marie Edwards 2024

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. 11. 1918

---

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

THE GOVERNOR
MALTA

TO HONOUR HER BRAVE PEOPLE
I AWARD THE GEORGE CROSS
TO THE ISLAND FORTRESS OF MALTA
TO BEAR WITHNESS TO HEROISM AND DEVOTION THAT WILL LONG BE FAMOUS
IN HISTORY

GEORGE R.I.

APRIL 15TH 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 HUSTICE AND
DECENCY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, HAVE RENDERED
VALOROUS SERVICE FAR ABOVE AND BEYOND THE
CALL OF DUTY.

UNDER RPEATED 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 WITRH 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.

DECEMBER 7TH, 1943.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

Last updated 11 July, 2024