The public, this weekend, had the opportunity to participate in the various activities organised by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) who celebrated their 37th anniversary with various activities that culminated with the Trooping the Colour parade yesterday afternoon.
Yesterday’s activities started off with the AFM mounting a Guard of Honour accompanied by the AFM band, followed by the Blessing of the Colours ceremony during a mass celebrated by Archbishop Paul Cremona at St John’s Co-Cathedral.
In the afternoon, the medals and clasps for the Long and Efficient Service were presented to AFM servicemen at Luqa barracks.
The last Trooping of Colour parade was held in Malta in 1995 during celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the armed forces. The parade officer at that time was Lieutenant Colonel Carmel Vassallo who is now Brigadier and Commander of the AFM.
The colours used by the Maltese regiments of the British Army date back to the time when the Maltese rose against the French in 1798.
The parade goes back to the 17th century when regimental colours were used as a rallying point on battlefields for soldiers across the Commonwealth. These were displayed every day to ensure that the soldiers would recognise them in the chaos and confusion of the battle.
Each colour represented a regiment’s direct link and service to the sovereign and to fallen soldiers and officers of that regiment. Its loss was considered to be a shame while capturing an enemy’s colour was a regiment’s highest achievement on the battlefield.
The colours come in pairs: national colour and regimental colour. The regimental colour shows the regimental badge or emblem and the battle honour given to the regiment.
A total of 192 men and women participated in the parade – seven officers, AFM Force Sergeant Major, 34 soldiers in each guard with a total of four guards, a Colour Party made up of three soldiers, the AFM band and an orderly (total of 192).
The AFM Air Wing is also celebrating its 35th anniversary and performed a flypast over the parade ground.