RAF Casualty Records - Consultation on Public Release

[Andy Saunders]

I am not sure if it will do us any good, but I have requested further details from the MOD relating the consultation exercise. Namely:


The names/details of the organisations to be consulted
How any decision as to the compostion of the consultees was reached, and by whom
The full terms of reference for the consultation
Details of the description of records and the sensitivity issues
How the consultation results will be reviewed, and by whom
How any decisions arising will be made, and by whom
How information relating to the outcome will be placed in the public domain

It remains to be seen if the MOD supply the information requested. If not, then I will consider making a more formal request using a different approach.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Andy Saunders

I am not sure if it will do us any good, but I have requested further details from the MOD relating the consultation exercise. Namely ...
It remains to be seen if the MOD supply the information requested. If not, then I will consider making a more formal request using a different approach.

You ought to be able to get all that under an FoI request and they would have trouble invoking the "excessive cost" escape clause since everything you've asked should have been documented as part of the consultation excercise anyway.

[Andy Saunders]

Yes, exactly Nick!

A formal FOI request is my next approach if this draws a blank.

We will see.

[Alan Clark]

Andy (S)

I'm going to a BAAC meeting on Sunday, do you want me to try and get some sort of action from them? It is an issue that does have an effect on the remaining members so it should be in our collective interests to try something.

[Andy Saunders]

Alan - I think that would be a good idea.

Meanwhile, I have had a speedy response from the MOD!

The organisations consulted are:

Battle of Britain Fighter Association
Bomber Command Association
Coastal Command and Maritime Air Association
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Royal British Legion
War Widows Association
Royal Air Force Association.

The body of the terms of reference is a bit wordy, but here it is:

SECOND WORLD WAR ROYAL AIR FORCE CASUALTY PACKS (1939-1945): TRANSFER TO THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

I am writing to you to seek your views and those of other stakeholders on whether the RAF Casualty Packs from the Second World War should be transferred “open” (available for the public to view) to The National Archives. Army casualty packs for the period have been available at The National Archives since 2007 and Royal Navy packs will be available by autumn this year.

There is no administrative reason for the MOD to retain these records and, under the terms of the Public Records Act 1958, The National Archives has agreed to take those records related to RAF battle losses for permanent preservation. These records amount to approximately 20,500 in total. Those records not related to battle losses – approximately 35,500 - will be kept by the MOD for further review in advance of any disposal decision.

The records were produced following an incident involving the loss of an aircraft or personnel, and include: report of initial loss, correspondence to the next kin, any further information received on the incident and any subsequent correspondence with the next of kin. After the war, the Missing Research Enquiry Service (MRES) was established to locate and identify all RAF missing personnel, and it is estimated that in approximately one third of the 20,500 cases selected for transfer, the records contain further information from MRES, including, where applicable, an exhumation report.

Army and Naval Casualty Records differ from the RAF records in respect of the amount, completeness and detailed nature of the information contained. After the war, copies of the RAF records were transferred to the Canadian and Australian Governments and parts of these are available to the public through the National Archives of those countries. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission also holds some copies of the RAF records.

In deciding when to transfer the records, the MOD and The National Archives must assess their remaining sensitivities. The MOD judges these to be:

· contemporaneous correspondence between the next of kin and the Department where it contains details of an individuals financial and marital circumstances, release of which some survivors and next of kin may see as a breach of confidence; and
· details of circumstances of loss, injury and remains that some people may find distressing

The volume of records make it impractical to undertake file-by-file sensitivity review and extraction of sensitive data prior to transfer to TNA and mitigation of sensitivity risks needs to be achieved by other means. MOD intends to take the following steps to achieve this:

a. making it clear on files transferred to The National Archives that the record may contain material that some readers may find distressing.

b. Removing most material dated after 1948 from the record to ensure any personal data made available reasonably falls into the historical exemption provision under the Data Protection Act.

c. Working with The National Archives to remove from public view any records identified by members of the public (and accepted by MOD and TNA) as being sensitive.

MOD judges that with these mitigations in place only the issue of potential breach of confidence arising from the release of next of kin correspondence remains. MOD would therefore welcome your views on whether it should accept this remaining risk and make these records publicly available in 2013 or, if not, which of the following two dates would be most appropriate to open the records to the public:

· in 2020, when most of the survivors and immediate next of kin will be deceased;
· in 2028, when we can be reasonably certain that survivors and immediate next of kin will be deceased.

I would like to thank you in advance for assisting the MOD in this way and I will be happy to answer any queries you might have. You can reply to this consultation by e-mailing CIO-CorporateMemory@mod.uk or writing to MOD RAF Casualty Packs Public Consultation, PP34 20 Store, First Floor Bldg 2/003, Gloucester Road, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, PO1 3NH. I would be grateful for your response by [twelve weeks from issue]. If the MOD has not heard from you by this date it will assume you judge no sensitivities remain.

[Alan Clark]

Definitely speedy, and fairly comprehensive. I'll take a copy of the reply that you've received with me on Sunday.

[Andy Saunders]

What I find surprising is the number of casualty packs involved; 20,500.

That seems remarkably few, and even allowing for the fact that non-combat losses are not included there are about that number of casualties on the Runnymede Memorial alone!

[Alan Clark]

Yes, that number was a surprise and the statement that non-combat records account for 35,500 yet searching for UK, Air Force, WW2 on CWGC gives 84,792 records. As 35,500 & 20,500 only gets you to 56,000 i'd like to know what happened to the remaining 28,000 records.

[Observer1940]

Originally Posted by Andy Saunders

What I find surprising is the number of casualty packs involved; 20,500.

That seems remarkably few, and even allowing for the fact that non-combat losses are not included there are about that number of casualties on the Runnymede Memorial alone!

I anticipate that these "Casualty Packs" are going to be similar to what SPVA, Innsworth (Imjim Barracks), Gloucester referred to me in 2010 and the "PLG Directive 73/07 Administration Guide", as the 20,000 "Multiple Accident Files" where the ONE file (or 'pack') will include the whole crew and any passengers found at the time (such as non-RAF).

The file contained the initial Teleprinted Casualty Signals, it should contain a Form 551 confirming death (but not always), at least a brief letter confirming the Casualty Signal and the winding up of the financial Estates of the crew and correspondence regarding the financial administration of the airman's Will, possessions and any moneys owing e.g. his Mess bill. It will not include all the questions from next of kin, where the next of kin were told to write to the RAF Station direct. The RAF Station files could be destroyed, starting from 3 years (Kings Regs) after the last file enclosure piece relating to the occurrence, but that copies should be in the RAF Record Office. The AIB (the most important investigation, more important than the RAF findings) could also be missing (according to a 1950 Retention Schedule for AIB Air Accident Reports)?

If my Grandfather's crew Casualty file, a 'P' numbered file is anything to go by, you are going to be the most disappointed people on this earth!! The 'A' numbered Air Ministry Accident files were claimed to have been destroyed in the 1990s and the Courts of Inquiry were apparently separated from the files before they went from Hayes to TNT Swadlincote, according to Parliamentary questions raised about the transfer of the Military Records Office recorded in Hansard in 2004.

However, what really caused the crash, the 10,000 feet loss of height, the wireless contact beforehand, the turns that the aircraft was making for 16 miles and the SOS distress signals were all omitted (not even mentioned) and that the details were still unknown. I could not believe how skimpy the so called investigation was. The AAIB still hold a "U" Index card, but the RAF Casualty Signal said AIB not required, whether the AIB were involved or not, is an absolute mystery.

The file just quickly wanted to blame someone based upon an incomplete investigation and a presumption without even knowledge of all the facts or even the exact crash time. According to the Cause codings on the AM 1180 the crew were never tarnished whatsover.

Mark

[Observer1940]

It makes me wonder what old documents are still actually withheld in the UK Gov "Military Records Office"?

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/vo041020/halltext/41020h02.htm

Regarding my reference to "U" numbered Index Cards of RAF crashes and accidents, they are not AIB I have discovered from an official document, but some other branch that appeared to look into crashes and accidents back in 1940.