An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 17 by CHRISTy PARKER A historic naval crest that lay ignored at three Irish addresses for over 60 years is to be returned to Malta in a ceremony aboard the LÉ James Joyce next month. the oc- casion follows a strange conincidence by which the crest was passed to a youghal man whose father had served at its original location. The emblem represents the Maltese heritage site Fort St. Angelo, one of only two such forts categorised as 'stone frigates' by the British navy. It is one of two original crests made for the fort, the other being in private ownership. Fort St. Angelo, believed to be 1,000 years old, served as a British garrison from 1800 to 1979, during which time it was first classified as a HMS Egmont (1912) and later HMS St Angelo (1933). Malta regained the fort in 1979, with its upper part given to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1998 and now on Malta's tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The crest, believed to have been made during or shortly before WWII was discovered in an antique drawer chest brought from England to south Tipperary by a returning Irish emigrant. Made of solid bronze/brass casting and mounted on its original base, the item gathered dust in Tipperary for 20 years. It was then picked up by Michael Faul a Youghal-based inspector of Fisheries. Michael Faul retained it in his garage for 25 years before passing it to David Cooley, a member of Cork County Council's outdoor staff, who collects memorabilia. David Cooley stored the crest for three years before asking his friend and local businessman Hugh Carson to research its history. By peculiar coincidence, Hugh Carson's father, also named Hugh had served as a British Navy warrant engineer at Fort St. Angelo and aboard the HMS Chequers during the Palestine crisis of 1948/49. Hugh Carson had the crest's authenticity assured by Fort Angelo Museum curator, Mathew Balzan. David Cooley said he was keen to have the crest returned to its rightful owners at Fort St. Angelo, and through the recommendation of Lt Gary Delaney of the Irish Naval Service, it now resides aboard the LÉ James Joyce on its current migrant rescue mission in the Mediterranean. When the ship berths at Valetta next month, for restoring rest and recuperation, Mr Colley will formally present the crest to Mr Balzan. The ceremony will form part of a reception for the Irish ambassador to which David Cooley, Michael Faul and Hugh Carson, along with their wives, have been invited. HMS Chequers Fort St. Angelo Lt Cmdr Niall Manning accepting the crest from David Cooley on board LÉ James Joyce.

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