User:Micallp/George V. Micallef C.B.E.

George V. Micallef
Brigadier George V. Micallef M.O.M., C.B.E. (born 25th November 1918 in Valletta, Malta and died 12th October 2012 in Rabat, Malta), 1st Commander of the Land Forces of Malta between November 1967 and September 1972.

Education
Micallef studied at the Lyceum and the Royal University of Malta from where he graduated B.Sc. in 1939.

In 1949 he attended the Military Staff College at Camberley, UK, where he graduated as PSC (Graduate of Staff College)

Military Career
In common with many university students in 1939, which marked the start of World War II., Micallef was commissioned into the Royal Malta Artillery, RMA, in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. In September 1940 he was posted to Egypt and served in Aboukir, Port Said and Suez. During this tour he was promoted Captain when serving in a Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery.

Micallef returned to Malta in 1942 and served as a Battery Commander with the 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RMA in the rank of Major. Later he served as Adjutant in the 1st Coast Regiment of the RMA.

Micallef then served with various Regiments in Malta and carried out Staff duties in Nottingham in the UK, 1950 for 2 years, Fayid in Egypt, 1954 for 2 years and Emblem in Belgium, 1958 for 3 years. In 1961 he was appointed second-in-command of the 2nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RMA in Malta. Two years later, 1963, he was posted to Germany where he assumed command of the 1st Regiment RMA in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Micallef returned to Malta in 1966 and assumed command of the RMA which had one Regiment in Germany and another in Malta. He was appointed Colonel, and a year later also assumed command of the Malta Land Force, MLF.

1966 saw an unexpected turn for the RMA when the British Government decided on a reduction of British Forces in Malta and to disband the RMA, after sensitive negotiations with the British Government a slight delay was agreed upon, enabling the Maltese Government to take on responsibility of all personnel in the RMA.

Micallef, with a selection of Staff Officers and Senior ranks set about making this happen.

Micallef retired from the British Army in 1969 but continued to serve as Commander of the Malta Land Force as Brigadier. He formally retired in 1972.

Personal Life
Micallef married Yvonne Maxwell (1920 - 2008) in 1944 and have three children, Jacqueline, Peter and Suzanne.

Honours
Malta - Member of the National Order of Merit in 1992

United Kingdom - Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1966 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1969