Sir John - Poorly Advised?
I still have a degree of sympathy with Sir John because I believe he received incomplete and over-opinionated advice from his HQ staff. This was particularly the case in respect of the members of his Flight Safety Cell, who appeared to be content to rush to judgement in this case. I never got the impression that either of them understood that the degree of proof required in this case was absolute.
Sir John did an immense amount of good during his Service career. Sadly, in this case, based partly on advice received, he plumped for a finding which was never open to him, according to the unambiguous written word – often quoted in this topic.
It is normally never too late to alter one's position. It will be if Mr Cameron becomes PM, announces a reversal, and rubs Sir John's nose in the brown stuff. I urge Sir John to act to avoid this humiliation. Along with the deceased pilots, his own reputation would be rightly restored.