The Presentation on board HMS Illustrious
by Tim Daly
Early on the morning of Monday 10th September 2001
HMS Illustrious slips past the Victory Bell and into her berth
in Grand Harbour, Malta.
A small reception party from the RN School Tal Handaq Reunion Association
waited anxiously at lower Barracca Gardens.
The return of HMS Illustrious to Malta was a poignant moment, given
her long association with the Island.
Members of the Tal Handaq Reunion Association were entertained to
lunch in the wardroom.
Prior to the formal re-presentation ceremony which was held on the
foredeck.
At the formal re-presentation ceremony, Rog Wilkin addresses the Presentation Party
in the presence of His Excellency, Professor Guido de Marco, the President of Malta,
His Excellency Mr Howard Pearce, The British High Commissioner
and Captain Charles Style RN, Captain of HMS Illustrious.
Captain Charles Style RN returns the bell formally to Mr Ronnie Attard, Headmaster of the Liceo Vassalli, and
as a memento and a token of thanks to HMS Illustrious, Rog presents Captain Style with a RN School Tal Handaq plaque.
The refurbished bell and clapper, together with its woven lanyard,
prepared by crew members of HMS Illustrious,
sits proudly on the foredeck of the ship, and glistens in the Maltese
sunshine.
And finally
The 'Old School
Bell' project successfully completed and
home at last -
the bell sits in the Headmaster's office at Liceo Vassalli
What started as a relatively simple
idea discussed in Committee after the 'Malta in the Millennium' visit to
the school, was finally completed as a result of the outstanding support
of a considerable number of personnel both in the United Kingdom
and Malta.
In addition to those already mentioned,
we would like to thank:
Ronnie Attard, Michael Cassar and
the staff of Liceo Vassalli for their co-operation and understanding of
the sentiment of the project
Keith Poulton, past pupil,
for the removal of the bell and preparation for transport
Laurence Gatt, Captain, Air Malta,
for accompanying the bell safely to England
Pam Hinton, past pupil, for collecting
the bell from Gatwick
Jon Haylock, past pupil, for transporting
the bell to HMS Sultan
Lieutenant Commander Eric Edwards,
First Lieuntenant HMS Sultan, for making arrangements for restoration of
the bell
and for his generous hospitality
The Restoration Team: Mick Kern,
Howard 'Tansey' Lee and Dave James, all of the Marine Engineering School,
HMS Sultan
Lieuntenant Commander Julian Gazzard
and Lieutenant James Edwards, for acceptance of the bell on HMS Illustrious
at Portsmouth
Lieutenant Commanders Steve Krosner-Clarke
and Mike Griffiths, for completion of the on board project
Captain Charles Style RN and the
Ship's officers for safely transporting the bell to Malta, their participation
in the bell project, and for their generous hospitality
The 'buffers' on board HMS Illustrious
for preparation of the Naval lanyard
The Ship's Company who witnessed
the representation of the bell
Ian Willis and Alison Samut of the
British High Commission for attending to diplomatic protocol
Captain Mike Law RN (Retd), past
Headmaster, for his personal involvement, unswerving support and determination
that the project should be successful
and last but by no means least -
Lieutenant Commander Andy Withers
RN (Retd) of Media Ops, Northwood
for his agreeement and tremendous
determination that this story should command such a wide audience and level
of interest
