Bureaucrats are the obstacle to justice for veterans
A DISTURBING series of MoD statements have no basis in fact – and that leaves their argument for refusing medals to Arctic convoy heroes in tatters.
John Sinfield is head of the Defence Services Secretariat, which counts veteran issues among its main responsibilities. His position makes him a key player in the way the MoD deals with medal claims.
Defence Services Secretary Richard Coney is also integral to the medal decision-making process.
Richard Coney, left, and John Sinfield |
It’s these two key men, especially Mr Coney, who have written the letters which spell out the MoD’s reasons for refusing to award an Arctic medal.
The News today claims these letters are misleading and contain incorrect statements.
Further there is the nagging suspicion that decision-making on the medal question lies in the hands of these two unelected civil servants – rather than with elected government ministers.
The two civil servants report to top MoD civil servant Sir Kevin Tebbitt and minister Ivor Caplin.
They came to prominence during a confrontation with previous veterans minister Dr Lewis Moonie on March 24, 2003.
On this occasion Dr Moonie met with The News political editor David Maddox and campaign leaders Cdr Eddie Grenfell and Lt Cdr Dick Dykes.
During the meeting Dr Moonie constantly referred to these two men, especially Mr Sinfield, to explain why a new medal should be refused.
Within a few months of that meeting Dr Moonie resigned and was replaced by Ivor Caplin who had been in the job only a few weeks when he was publicly refusing to do anything about the Arctic medal.
Campaigners and MPs immediately accused Mr Caplin of being ‘the prisoner of his civil servants’ – namely Mr Coney and Mr Sinfield.
Cdr Grenfell said: ‘For us Mr Coney and Mr Sinfield have been the real decision-makers for years. We get the impression that these are men who don’t care about veterans and what we did for this country.
‘All they are interested in is defending their own civil service rules. It was the same with the Suez veterans in their campaign for a medal, the former Japanese prisoners of war and the Gulf Syndrome victims. It is more the Ministry of Deceit than Ministry of Defence.’
The MoD did not respond to the issues raised by The News but instead issued the following bland statement which repeats one blatant inaccuracy – that the Arctic veterans were rewarded with the Atlantic Star.
It said: ‘Service on the Arctic convoys is already recognised by the award of the Atlantic Star.
‘The decision not to award a separate Arctic Convoy medal was taken in 1945 by the Honours and Awards Committee.
‘Mr Caplin reviewed this decision in February 2004. The minister reached his decision after careful consideration of all the relevant evidence. It would be incorrect to suggest otherwise.’
In fact the Atlantic Star had a qualification period of six months’ continuous service at sea, when all other second world war medals required just one day’s service; only six of the 670 ships in the Arctic were on duty long enough to qualify.
david.maddox@thenews.co.uk
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