Letter: Cads, bounders and a matter of timing

Sir: Today's leading article about James Hewitt ('Second wind for British bounders', 3 October) misses the essential difference between a 'cad' and a 'bounder'. It was explained to me during my National Service that a bounder was the sort of officer who would sleep with a brother officer's wife but might then go out and win a VC, whereas a cad would sleep with the lady while his brother officer was out winning a VC.

Yours sincerely,

KEVIN O'SULLIVAN

London, W8

3 October