It was at an official ceremony in Valletta on 13 September 1942 that the George Cross, the civilian equivalent of the Victoria Cross, was presented to the people of Malta. It honoured their courage and sacrifice in holding out, often much against the odds, in the face of an Axis onslaught which began in June 1940 and would not be relieved until the siege ended in November 1942.In making the award, King George Ⅵ had written on 15 April to the Mediterranean island's governor:"To honour her brave people I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history."
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