I PREFACE this letter by stating that I have no wish to cause a stir among readers of the Oxford Mail, as this is a sensitive issue.

Close friends and I have debated this question, some ex-servicemen, and would like an answer, as one is not readily forthcoming from “channels”.

While I, along with the vast majority of the people of this land, have the highest regard and appreciation for those in our armed forces serving in Afghanistan, and them making the sacrifices that they do, can someone please inform me as to why they have to come home and have a post mortem?

Usually a post mortem examination is carried out if somebody dies suddenly or is not receiving treatment or medication from a doctor, ie: an unexplained death.

In the case of our young men, the cause of death is quite apparent, due to their injuries and the situations that they were involved in at the time of death, and this is usually witnessed by others, so the cause is known.

The whole procedure of a post mortem is stomach-churning, and, after what they have already endured, why do we have to put them through this?

I cannot recall it being done before and not even during the Falklands conflict, so why now ?

It seems a great dis-service to cut and carve their bodies after the injuries they have already sustained, and for what purpose?

I think the families would just be pleased to have them back, rather than suffer the rest of what goes on.

I also think that the families need privacy and closure with minimal fuss. We would just like an explanation of how and why it was decided to carry out post mortems on our fallen soldiers.

STEVE PLAN, Thorney Leys, Witney