Recent research carried out by Heritage Malta has revealed new details about the events that led to the island being awarded the George Cross.

While the findings do not alter the established narrative, they add important context to the chain of events, particularly the seemingly incidental circumstances that first set the process in motion. The George Cross was formally presented to Malta on 13th September 1942.

The study, undertaken by Kenneth Gambin and Giancarlo Azzopardi at the Royal Archives of Windsor Castle, has been published in Heritage Malta’s new book “The George Cross: Its Untold Story”. The volume was issued earlier this year to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the National War Museum, which was celebrated in May.

Among the most significant discoveries are a hand-written citation and other personal correspondence by King George VI. The King had been made aware of a letter printed in The Times of London on 10th April 1942. Written by a retired British army officer with Maltese ties, the letter proposed that Malta should be honoured for its vital role in the Allied war effort.

Although the idea of recognising Malta’s wartime resistance had been raised before, nothing had ever come of it. This time, however, the King took a keen and personal interest. He embraced the proposal and went so far as to draft the George Cross citation himself, dating it 15 April 1942. The fact that he not only wrote but also amended the text in his own hand is a testament to how strongly he felt about the island’s plight and the endurance of its people. This engagement is especially striking given that it was expressed in private correspondence never intended for publication, rather than through a formal or public declaration.