Brotherhood of 36
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The Brotherhood of 36 was a small Maltese rebel group, formed in 1798 during the Napoleonic French Revolutions when Malta was still under the French rule, made up of 36 adolescents against the French rule which was lead by the famous Scottish Patriot, Willis McGee. Other influential members were the notorious Pawlu Gatt, Joe Cardona, Salv Buhagar and Pepp iz-zghir. However, the group's efforts to expel the French were not successful and they were imprisoned for assault. Two managed to escape imprisonment, and a few were released. Willis McGee committed suicide in prison.
The groups tragic victims were avenged in when the British landed in Malta, to recapture it from the French rule, who were using Malta as a naval base at the time, primarily helping them in their invasion of Egypt, circa 1798.
It is said that when Naval commander Nelson arrived in Malta ready to re-capture the island, Salv Buhagar organised he "Last Meeting of the 34" (after the tragic death of Willis McGee and another brotherhood member) in an attempt to aid the British, but it was not to be. Salv Buhagar called off the rally of the 34 as the British has at the time ordered to stay indoors, to avoid the danger of being mistaken for a French-man.