Letter to Minister for Defence

Letter from Sir Ross Smith to the Minister for Defence refuting the claims of Ernest Howell, the father of Captain Cedric Howell who also competed in the race but died when his aircraft crashed. Howell had claimed that Ross had secured several advantages for his team that had disadvantaged other competitors. Howell had demanded a public enquiry into the terms of the race and in this letter Ross also calls for an enquiry as a means of clearing his name stating 'I make every allowance for Mr. Howell’s grief and mental disturbance due to the tragic loss of his son and have no wish to punish him by the bringing of a libel action against him'.

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