One unsung hero

The write-up "New Zealander finally gets his GC commemorative medal" (August 6) is indeed welcome and heartening. It is heartening to know that after so many years, the people and government of Malta came to terms to tangibly show their gratitude to New Zealander Jim Steel, a member of the force that defended Malta in the last horrible siege. Gratitude knows no time limit, as was the case with legislation in 1992 authorising the striking of a commemorative medal, to mark the 50th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta.

This story leads me to a very similar episode involving another war veteran who took an active part in the defence of Malta in those difficult years. In November 1940, Squadron Leader Cyril S. Bamberger DFC, AE joined 261 Squadron, flying Hurricanes based at Ta' Qali and later he was transferred to 185 Squadron also flying Hurricanes, this time based in Hal Far.

He shot down a dive bomber on January 18, 1941, when enemy planes were attacking Hal Far and Luqa airfields to weaken air defences to enable them to finish off HMS Illustrious, which was in Grand Harbour. He shot down another Stuka the following day, after evading three Messerschmitt 109s by diving and flying along a cliff edge along the coast. He flew 100 sorties over Malta, had two confirmed kills and damaged three enemy aircraft. By the end of the war, he had six confirmed victories to his credit.

In 1992, Sqdr. Leader Bamberger applied to the Malta High Commission in London for the medal struck by the Malta government to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta. His application was acknowledged by the Maltese High Commissioner himself, promising to send the required documentation. However, such documentation had never reached him. On asking the fate of the promised documents, Sqdr. Leader Bamberger was told that then it was too late as the applications for this commemorative medal was time barred. He argues and believes he had submitted an application in time to the Malta High Commissioner in London, which eventually was mislaid somewhere down the line. He further argues that the Malta government should be ultimately accountable for this misdemeanour.

Last year, on the 60th anniversary of the award of the George Cross to Malta, Sqdn. Ldr Bamberger was handpicked from the surviving war veterans and included in a list of "20 distinguished veterans of the siege" to personally autograph a limited edition of a special print commemorating this event.

Last year, I had personally taken up the matter with the prime minister and since then I am still exchanging correspondence on the subject with the prime minister's private secretary. In the last two communications I had received from the private secretary, dated February 6, 2003 and June 5, 2003, I was promised that "the matter is being given attention".

The matter seems to be still being attended to; however it is taking too long. I only trust that nobody looks for a solution in a natural way. We all know that Sqdr. Ldr Bamberger is in an advanced age and the final call from the Good Lord could be closer than anybody else's.

If that were the case, one of the "20 distinguished veterans of the siege" will go heartbroken and the praises and compliments which we shower year in, year out in the forthcoming celebrations of August 15, September 8, and November 11 would be just lip service. After his demise, all praises and commendations will be futile and meaningless.