RICHMOND MP Rishi Sunak has written to the Ministry of Defence seeking an explanation for the way in which the mother of a military policeman who died in the Iraq war was treated.
Rishi Sunak said the blunt response to his constituent’s inquiry about replacing a lost medal was very insensitive.
Sandra Hyde, of Northallerton, contacted the Ministry of Defence Medal Office after apparently losing the Elizabeth Cross presented to her following the death of her son L/Cpl Ben Hyde in Iraq.
L/Cpl Hyde was one of six military policemen murdered by a mob in an Iraqi police station in 2003.
Mrs Hyde told the Medal Office that the Elizabeth Cross – granted to the next of kin of Armed Forces personnel killed on operations or as a result of terrorism as a mark of national recognition for their loss – was missing on Remembrance Sunday when she had hoped to wear it for the annual parade in Northallerton.
The medal, which is inscribed with Ben’s name on the back, did subsequently turn up in the Hyde’s home but not before Mrs Hyde had reported it missing and started the process of obtaining a replacement.
L/Cpl’s father John said his wife had followed the instructions to the letter for obtaining a replacement - supplied with the medal when first awarded - and had obtained a police incident number for the loss.
But his wife had received a “totally heartless” response from a civil servant in the Medal Office saying under the circumstances the MoD could not replace it. There was no explanation.
Mr Sunak said: “Happily, the Elizabeth Cross did turn up but the three-line reply to Mrs Hyde’s initial inquiry was blunt in the extreme and not the way I would expect a woman who lost her only child in the service of our country to be treated.
“The letter was very insensitive. I would hope that the Hydes will receive an apology and the person responsible told that this is not the way to handle such requests in future.”
Mr Hyde said: “I would hate any other mother, wife or loved one to have to go through the pain and heartache that Sandra endured. She felt badly enough about losing the medal without being treated in this cold, heartless way by the Medal Office.”
After L/Cpl Hyde’s death in 2003 John and Sandra Hyde set up the Ben Hyde Memorial Trust in memory of their son who was born and bred in Northallerton.
Mr and Mrs Hyde have since worked tirelessly at raising funds for a wide variety of good causes in their sons name.
So far the trust has raised more than £40,000, helping not only the Royal Military Police Benevolent Fund but also many local community services such as the Friarage Hospital and local youth organisations.
Among the events held is an annual dinner at the Golden Lion Hotel in Northallerton. It was after this year’s dinner that the medal was misplaced.