Memorial to Sailors – Grand Harbour, Valletta
Calleja Ltd., was entrusted to light up a memorial dedicated to those sailors whose courage kept supply routes open to the strategically vital island of Malta during the Second World War.
The memorial: a large ancient anchor, which had been used on a ship in 1877 before the advent of steam engines, was donated by Cassar Shipyard Repair. It symbolises the courage shown by the islanders and the convoy, known to the Maltese as the ‘Santa Marija Convoy’, which delivered vital supplies at the height of the Second World War.
The monument was built at the Grand Harbour, close to Liesse Church and unveiled on the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the first three of the five cargo ships which survived the onslaught of attacks as they sailed from Gibraltar to Malta. Emotional British veterans have spoken of their pride at seeing the memorial to their bravery unveiled, 70 years after their actions helped defeat fascism in Europe.