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General found dead ‘did not trust’ Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the new new head of the Armed Forces

Major General Matthew Holmes
Major General Matthew Holmes

A Royal Marines general who is believed to have killed himself said he felt “beaten down” by the new head of the Armed Forces a year before his death.

Major General Matt Holmes said he did not “trust” Admiral Sir Tony Radakin and said he had been undermined during a well-publicised spat over the future of the Royal Marines.

He told a friend that he felt he had been “run over by someone with no military judgment” after Sir Tony sent emails “imposing his authority and keeping me constrained”.

Maj Gen Holmes was found dead at his family home in Winchester last Saturday and an inquest into his death is expected to be opened in the coming days.

It is understood that he and his wife Lea were in the process of divorcing, and the 54-year-old was also looking for a new civilian job after being removed as head of the Royal Marines.

Sir Tony, as head of the Royal Navy, was Maj Gen Holmes’s boss, as the Marines are part of the Navy.

Pair had clashed over future of Marines

Ministry of Defence sources said there was “no dispute” over the fact that the two men had clashed over the future of the Marines and the nature of its place within the Navy, a fact which was reported by The Telegraph in March. Maj Gen Holmes was removed as commandant general of the Royal Marines in April.

In a message to a friend obtained by the Daily Mail, which is understood to have been written last October, Maj Gen Holmes wrote: “I’ve had a very tough year. I feel beaten down. Not listened to, merely run over by someone with no military judgment: too much is about appearance.

“I don’t trust Radakin ... it’s been awful. Awful. You should see the tone of some of the emails I’ve had from Radakin. Basically imposing his authority and keeping me constrained.”

L:R- Major General Matthew Holmes, First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin, Lt General Rob Magowan
L:R- Major General Matthew Holmes, First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin, Lt General Rob Magowan

He complained in the same message that Sir Tony “doesn’t get the [Marine] corps” and saw himself was “owning” the relationship with the US Marine Corps, even though its head expected to deal with Maj Gen Holmes.

Earlier this week, the general’s widow said he had “committed his life to serving in the Royal Marines” and “he was selfless to such an extent that this was more important than his own career progression”.

A Royal Navy spokesman said: “Our condolences, prayers and deepest sympathy are with Matt’s family. Their loss is the greatest and most painful: the entire naval service will be there for them now and always.”