hey.. ask for a "remedy" there is always a way around everything..i hear your frustration it is a nightmare dealing with those bastar...! i had similar issues with the "schermans" the point is that a passport is NOT a documentation that proves you are british ..hence they asking for additional paperhowever there might be a process to get a paper proof that u are british and that eleminates the need for birth cert. etc. in germany it is called "schtaatsburgerschaft ausweiss" or yellow paper.. but looking at your age it might be too much trouble fighting with idiots:)