Sir, – I have read the abridged version of the First Sea Lord’s new year message reproduced at the front of the February edition of The Naval Review (NR107/1), and I have to say I am distinctly underwhelmed by what I read. First, I must ask for whom is this address intended? The flavour of it suggests it is aimed at the serving community; but no doubt, it is expected that the words will also be read by a wider group, including retired service people and politicians. Either way the overall feeling is that it is drafted by apparatchiks inside the MoD for others also inside the MoD and inside the…
