It is a principle of both the law and of historic research (including military research to which Joseph M. Wismayer makes claims) that he who makes any allegation or claim should substantiate it with clear tangible and documented evidence.

So:

(a) It is simply pointless for Mr Wismayer (The Gun Map Of World War II, February 21) to now allege that it was he who was approached by the late and much respected Captain George Pace Balzan to give him the details he mentioned. That he simply cannot prove as being the truth.

(b) It is totally immaterial at what age the late Capt. Pace Balzan earned his military commission to have been keen and able enough to carry out research for the map which he factually compiled. Indeed some excellent historic material has over time been produced everywhere even by young researchers.

(c) Had Mr Wismayer been so jealous or conscious of the importance of whatever the (presumably late) Gunner Johnson Royal Artillery may have given him, why didn’t he ever take the initiative of not keeping such material hidden away under wraps and publishing it?

So Mr Wismayer is, for all intents and purposes, making unproved allegations and statements, and he should certainly know better than trying to taint the memory and initiatives of a former gentlemanly fellow officer.

This was all pointed out to Mr Wismayer when he first approached the undersigned with his unproved assertions and claims for undeserved recognition.