Siege Bell War Memorial — Attraction in Valletta

I would ask you to sit for a while.I have seen war and ask you to think why the memorial was built here.Imagine you are stood here watching the battered remnants of a convoy entering harbour.You will be hungry,frightened and very very tired.Your eyes will never forget what they see and a great sadness that never really goes away.Your sleep will be disturbed.The nightmares at night almost as bad as the emptyness during the daylight hours.The emptyness will remain for the rest of your life,such are the effects of war.The nightmares will end but the blurry outline of what you saw will be with you every waking hour.Your life will have changed and so will you have.The memorial was built here as a reminder of the effects of war.There well may be tears in your eyes as you stand here as a survivor of war,any war.Please take your photographs and admire the view,but remember there was a price to be paid.Please enjoy your life and make it worthwhile and sometimes,like now,think of the price paid to be free and alive.This is why the memorial is here.It was build so the people who survived have somewhere to visit,to mourn,to remember and show they care.At home in my country a friend once said our cenotaph is where we go to help to get the pain out.Not take it away,that can never happen.We blame the rain or the mist in the trees for the wetness on our faces.Abide with me,at least for a minute or two.Perhaps to understand why it was built for you as well.Take care.As i...

At noon everyday the siege bell tolls to remind us of the sacrifice Malta did for our freedom. The War siege memorial stands next to the Lower Barrakka Gardens, and is a tribute to the 7000 soldiers and civilians the fell on Malta during the three year siege as well as to them that stood firm during this time and most probably changed the outcome of the war. The siege was finally broken with the arrival in August of 1942 of 14 Merchant Navy ships, escorted by the largest and most powerful escort the British fleet had ever assembled in what became known as Operation Pedestal. Only five of these ships eventually limped into Grand Harbour, rescuing Malta from starvation. As many as 400 Allied troops lost their lives in that operation. Malta’s defiance and courage during World War II were already acknowledged by King George VI when he awarded the island the George Cross “to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history”. The inscription on the bell reads Obumbrasti Super Caput Meum In Di Belli MCMXL - MCMXLIII which translates to “You cast thy shadow upon my head during the time of...

the Siege Bell Memorial is a simple monument symbolising the plight of the many people who fought and died for Malta during the Second World War. It was built in 1992 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of when Malta received the George Cross for the display of bravery and valour shown during the attacks on the island from 1940-42. Axis powers had attempted to seize the island to use as their base. The day after war was declared, the Italian Airforce launched a ruthless attack on Malta. The island would soon become the most bombed place during the Second World War, with more than 7000 soldiers and civilians being killed. The belfry surrounds a heavy bronze bell that is embellished with an image of Madonna in flame. At its base, one will notice commemorative plaques and a staircase leading to another pedestal where a catafalque lies. There, visitors can see a statue dedicated to the ‘Unknown Soldier’, symbolising all the people who died at war. A Latin phrase referencing Psalm 140 is inscribed on the memorial tablet, which reads: “You cast thy shadow upon my head during the time of...