6
Please see No.1 on this file, and the minutes
of 15/4 and 16/4 on it.
I think that the Air Ministry would find it difficult to disclaim responsibility for this on the grounds that reference to the inspection of Aircraft for certificates of Airworthiness was not made in the original official letter to them, but in a later personal letter to Colonel Rees. Colonel Rees has been for some time past, at the request of the Air Ministry, our proper channel of communication with them in all matters where reports on officers of the Royal Air Force are concerned and it would be absurd for the Air Ministry to take the attitude that we should not have relied on his statement.
I have little doubt, as a matter of fact, that the first official request for the recommendation of candidates for the appointment was passed on to him and that the names were put forward at his suggestion.
As to the nature of Colonel Rees' reply (flagged E) the last paragraph certainly looks evasive in the light of subsequent events, but the phrase is one which is quite characteristic of him. It aroused no suspicion in my mind at the time and I can hardly believe that he himself had any idea that Lieutenant Moss lacked the necessary qualifications.
I imagine that what happened was that he accepted Moss's own statement which certainly to a layman, looks pretty comprehensive, green flag on 17839 Appt: without thinking it necessary to take technical advice.
It will be seen that in this letter Moss states that: -
"For