Rather interestingly, this ‘sensitive casualty information’ has long been due for public release to the National Archives. In fact, it should have been released long ago (a file reference already exists for it at The National Archives, Kew) but the MOD are dragging their heels on its release and, apparently, “weeding” the files. Thus, they are still the gatekeepers (Nachtjagd’s word!) of this information and AHB, bizarrely, now redact information such as aircrew names from any historical information they might supply to third parties.

If (when) files like the one that identified Derek Allen go on public release there are dozens, if not hundreds, of cases that could be solved. And I am not talking about excavation/recovery, either. Just simply a case of looking at the records and putting together the bits of the jigsaw puzzles that were left in their boxes c.1946/47. And we wouldn’t even need a picture on the lid to help us.