Veterans brave pouring rain

In spite of their considerable age, World War II veterans reuniting in Malta yesterday showed themselves to be true officers as they ignored the pouring rain and marched from the lion's statue to the War Memorial in Floriana.

On their arrival near the monument, they were given a well-deserved applause by those present.

More than 300 veterans and their carers from Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Jersey, Malta, New Zealand, The Netherlands and the United States are in Malta till Thursday for the Battle of Malta reunion that marks the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

It was raining so hard at the beginning of the ceremony that not only was everyone drenched to the skin, but red was seeping through several of the gleaming white jackets of AFM officers.

However, nobody's spirit was dampened.

After the sounding of the last post, a gun salute and a two-minute silence followed by another gun salute, President Eddie Fenech Adami, deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg, Labour MP Stefan Buontempo, ambassadors and high commissioners of the countries the veterans come from, Sir Jock Stirrup, Britain's Chief of the Air Staff, and others placed wreaths at the foot of the monument.

During the wreath-laying ceremony a Hurricane and Spitfire flew past. The two aircraft - the highlight of this year's air show - were flown here from the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridgeshire to commemorate the anniversary.

The reveille was then sounded and it was the turn of the Red Arrows to salute the Maltese nation.

An Armed Forces of Malta Aloutte helicopter, carrying a flag at half-mast, concluded the ceremony, flying past in another salute to fallen and surviving Malta war veterans.

The aim of the Battle of Malta reunion is "commemoration and celebration". It is commemorating all those that paid the ultimate price during the battle and celebrating the life of those who survived the struggle.

Earlier at Malta International Airport, the thick cloud and an occasional drizzle did not scare off aircraft enthusiasts and thousands of Maltese who flocked to watch an impressive display by the Red Arrows and other aircraft.

Though not new to the widely followed Malta International Air Show, the Red Arrow jets awed spectators as they shot past trailing coloured smoke in a series of tightly coordinated manoeuvres.

But the real stars of the show were the old timers: the wartime Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane.