During the Crusades in the 1500s a group of Crusaders was attacked with a new weapon never before used in battle. This weapon was fire. Saracens hurled glass containers of naphtha that broke upon impacting the advancing crusaders. After having thoroughly saturated the advancing crusaders with naphtha, a burning tree was hurled into their ranks. Hundreds of crusaders were burned alive in this manner. Those not burned risked their lives extinguishing the fires and treating their burned comrades.
These crusaders were the Knights of Saint John. They lived on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. A knight of Saint John wore a large cross on his tunic which was a symbol of the Knights of Saint John. This symbol is now known as the Maltese Cross.
Knights throughout the crusades looked for the Maltese Cross whenever fire was encountered or men were burned. The Knights of Saint John never let their comrades down and they were revered by their fellow knights for their selfless acts of heroism with fire. @
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Artwork by Dave Salvi - Somerville Fire - Local 1240.
Published in The Feederline -Cambridge Firefighters - Local 30.