Lieutenant-Colonel George Attard-Manché died on October 7, aged 91, just four days after he lost his much loved wife, Jane. He was among the first of the post-World War II intake in the late-1940s and 1950s of a golden generation of officers in the Royal Malta Artillery, who went straight from school – in his case the outstanding Lyceum – to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst prior to his being commissioned in the Royal Malta Artillery (RMA).
George enjoyed an excellent career in the RMA, eventually becoming Adjutant of 1st Regiment, RMA, before transferring to the Royal Artillery when he was studying at the Army Staff College in Camberley, the first of the post-war generation to earn a place there. He subsequently served in a range of appointments in Germany and the United Kingdom, both on the staff and in a number of gunner regiments. He served in Colchester as brigade major to an artillery territorial brigade, followed by Dortmund in Germany as a battery commander. Staff appointments in Germany and the Ministry of Defence followed.
His final appointment was as the military attaché, at the height of the Cold War, deep behind the Iron Curtain in Bulgaria – a most demanding tour of almost five years.
On leaving the army he worked for a while at the headquarters of British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) in a retired officer post before retiring to Malta to tend to his much-loved garden in Gudja.
George never let his striking good looks go to his head. He was intelligent, confident, sociable and modest. He was a skilful bridge-player, a volunteer at Malta SPCA and Din l-Art Ħelwa and, together with his late wife, was committed to saving and feeding a multitude of stray abandoned dogs and cats.
George never let his striking good looks go to his head. He was intelligent, confident, sociable and modest
George expressed himself clearly and firmly. He possessed integrity and an independent mind. He was a firm disciplinarian who set high standards. Nothing he did was merely for effect or self-advantage. He simply acted as he believed was right – a rare and precious gift.
Although he was a few years older than me, our friendship grew ever-closer over several years as we met regularly over lunch at Marsaxlokk to reminisce about our younger days – while we ate the same aljotta and pasta meal every time! I shall miss him greatly.
To his beloved children, Jeremy and Deborah (Debs), and his many relatives and friends, goes all our sympathy in their great loss.
His funeral service will take place at Gudja parish church at on Wednesday, October 16 at 2pm.
Martin Scicluna