I picked this up off the Yorksgen Digests and felt that everyone should be aware of this. Apologies for any repeats. KYoung Scotland First what needs to be pointed out to those concerned in the MoD (a) They do not own anything , the MoD, like every other government department is owned and paid for by the British public. It is the British public that own the records, buildings, tanks, guns, uniforms, computers and everything else used by the MoD. They simply use our facilities. (b) Copyright has nothing to do with ownership of an item and in any case the copyright of such cards is not vested in the MoD but in the Crown. Cheers Guy rob wrote: > snip > >> Start of quote: >> As we go to press, it has come to my attention that in April the MOD >> intends to destroy some 6 million records of medals issued to WW1 >> personnel. I think you will agree that we cannot let them do so. >> >> Our military expert Paul Reed has been looking into the matter and it >> appears that the private facility used by the MOD to hold the records at >> Hayes wants to relocate and charge the MOD for moving the cards. The >> MOD's response is to get rid of the 140 filing cabinets that contain the >> 4-6 cards. The National Archives doesn't want to take on the cards >> because it has already microfiched them and the microfiche has been >> digitally scanned (see www.documentsonline.nationalarchives.gov.uk). >> >> This isn't good enough. This is the only complete and untouched record >> of First World War soldiers left. Other service records were burned >> during WW2. Only the fronts of the cards have been scanned and we >> believe that written on the back of many of these cards is the address >> that the medals were sent to. Often, it isn't possible to determine >> whether the record of the medals issued relates to your ancestor or >> another person without checking this address. >> >> First, the cards need to be preserved. They then need to be scanned >> properly, front and back, and re-indexed. If the National Archives >> won't step in, perhaps someone else will. The Imperial War Museum? The >> Veteran's Association? >> >> The MOD claims its holds copyright on the cards and that it can do what >> it wishes with them. I'd argue that these cards are part of the >> nation's heritage. They are public records, and I'd remind the MOD that >> the descendants of WW1 soldiers pay their taxes. The cards remind us of >> the enormous sacrifice and loss incurred by men and women in this >> country during WW1, and of their bravery in adversity. They enable the >> children and grandchildren of those who died, and those who survived, to >> find out some of >> the lost details of their forebears. >> >> To save the cards we must take action. We're instituting a campaign to >> urge the Minister of Defence, Geoff Hoon, and the Director of the >> National Archives, Sarah Tyacke, to prevent the destruction of these >> records straight away. Address your letter to us and we'll pass it on >> to these authorities: >> Rt Hon Geoff Hoon & Sarah Tyacke >> Save the Medal Index Cards >> c/o Your Family Tree >> 30 Monmouth Street >> Bath BA1 2BW >> Alternatively, send an email headed 'Save the Medal Index Cards' to us >> at <yfted@futurenet.co.uk>. Do it now - the records are due to be >> destroyed in April. >> >> Garrick Webster, >> Editor, Your Family Tree" >> >> >> > > > snip > > -- Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. http://freespace.virgin.net/guy.etchells The site that gives you facts not promises! http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/index.php?referrerid=7 ______________________________ -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.7.1 - Release Date: 09/03/05