Herewith, copy of the letter I have sent to Mr Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, today.
Dear Mr Des Browne,
Perhaps you can help me with several questions, which have been bothering me for some time. The answers are within your remit as the Defence Secretary, so I am sure that you will be able to quantify and qualify the problems that need resolving.
My first question is, why are military service personnel's records being systematically destroyed, prior to them being microfilmed, for inclusion in the public records office?
These are now lost forever.
Secondly, who gave the authority for them to be destroyed, prior to correct archival procedures?
As the Defence Secretary, you must now accept vicarious responsibility for this action, as, it is either done, with, or without you approval or knowledge.
If it was not at your behest, then I would tentatively suggest, that you have absolutely no idea of what your Civil Service administration are getting up to. If it is done with your knowledge, that is a criminal offence to destroy public records, and is misconduct in public office, an offence at common law.
Perhaps it was at the instigation of a member of the MoD Civil Service staff, but then, who gave them that authority. Did it come from higher up, or are the Civil Servants running the ship now?
Despite numerous requests to the Civil Service element of the MoD, to provide any explanation, none seems to be forthcoming. Which poses the question, is their silence an admission of guilt?
Perhaps you are as bewildered as I am, at the very peculiar situation which has manifested itself, which I am sure, and trust, you will look into and rectify.
Yours Sincerely
Arthur Rambart-Spicer
former Lieutenant RNR
Last edited by Arthur R-S on Wed Jan 03, 2007 3:46 pm; edited 2 times in total
