Letters: Honour the fallen, without glorifying war

These letters were published in the 12th October edition of the Independent

Pacifist war veteran George Evans at home in Wellington, Shropshire, this week (Andrew Fox)

It was heartening to read of the war veteran George Evans and his postscript to “For the Fallen” at a Remembrance event (“Was it war or legalised murder?”, 10 October). A few apparently applauded, while many others were outraged at his applying the words “murder” and “stupid” to war. But why?

Other barbarities, such as slavery, torture and flogging, were once commonplace and legally acceptable, but have been outlawed in countries which respect human rights. War is a more complex issue, as it involves questions of self-defence and how to deal with international aggression, but we have the United Nations, which powerful nations deliberately keep weak, and then criticise for its weakness.

Neither Wilfred Owen nor Siegfried Sassoon, whom you quote, was a pacifist by conviction. Both were soldiers, disillusioned as they saw boneheaded patriotism prolonging and multiplying the slaughter and making a mockery of war’s mythology of noble gallantry. They might well have elected to wear both red and white poppies.

We seem to be incapable of separating respect for the fallen from respect for war itself. Isn’t it about time we tried?

Sue Gilmurray

Exeter

As a veteran of the Second World War, George Evans, like all his comrades, deserves our deep respect and thanks for all that he did in that terrible conflict, and all he has to say should be listened to carefully and respectfully.

War is horrible, disgusting, murderous and ghastly. Surely we know this already? Do we not see evidence of it daily on our television screens? Do we not read about it in the works of Owen, Sassoon, and Graves? Did we not hear of its horrors from our fathers and grandfathers? And sadly, are there not young people among us today, still in their twenties, who can attest to that obvious truth?

Of course George Evans should be reinstated. But he is wrong when he says that war is always stupid. Sometimes, when all else has failed (as in 1939), war is necessary as the least worst of all the horrible remaining options.

He talks of his experiences following the liberation of Belsen. Had we not fought (and won) that war alongside our Soviet, American and Commonwealth allies, it is highly likely that places like Belsen would have continued to churn out skeletons unmolested until there wouldn’t have been a single Jew, gypsy, Slav, trade unionist, mentally disabled person, democrat, homosexual or opponent of fascism left alive in the whole of continental Europe – maybe in Britain also.

The red poppy is not a symbol of support for, or a belief in, the glory, sanctity, or even the sometimes necessity, of waging war. It is merely a symbol of support for the Royal British Legion and its charitable activities and for respect to those from home and the Commonwealth who have fallen in conflict. It is not necessary to wear a white poppy; you can be a pacifist and wear a red poppy without fear of hypocrisy.

I have seen and attended many a Remembrance Day service and have yet to see any evidence of the “triumphalism” described by Mr Evans. It’s just not there.

Matt Harrison

Leicester

‘In’ campaign needs facts and figures

In your editorial of 9 October you claim that the priority is for the “In” campaign in the EU referendum to acquire “charismatic leadership”.

With respect, you have your priorities wrong. What the public is crying out for is an authoritative statement of the precise advantages for the UK of remaining in the EU. Who leads the “In” campaign is a secondary issue.

Everyone understands the advantages of our membership of the Single Market, arguably Thatcher’s greatest achievement, but beyond this they do not understand what quantified advantages stem from EU membership.

From the “In” campaign we get generalised waffle. Proponents of staying in must treat us as adults and give us hard information on the benefits of membership.

Michael Batchelor

Swansea

Scottish hills kept free of wind farms

Calum Cormack writes from Aboyne (9 October), saying: “Everywhere I look I find myself staring at rotating propellers.” He is exaggerating as wildly as Donald Trump.

Living near Aboyne, I know that not one “industrial-scale wind farm” can be seen from the village or anywhere else in upper Deeside. And intending tourists need not fear for their views of the mountains here.

Indeed, I commend our Scottish planners and government in having kept our best upland landscapes free of wind farms.

David Welch

Banchory, Kincardineshire

Long wait for an ambulance

I am a British-trained physician visiting in London. Yesterday I was at Harrow on the Hill tube station at 5pm and saw a young woman who had lost consciousness. She was surrounded by observers, paramedics and another physician. They said an ambulance had been ordered. After 45 minutes and another call to the ambulance service I made the decision to evacuate the lady to the nearest hospital- a five-minute drive.

In acute medical emergencies the first hour is critical; it is referred to as the “golden hour”. This delay in providing emergency services is a disgrace, and people will die due to this.

When I studied medicine here 30 years ago the emergency services and the NHS were the envy of the world. The citizens of the UK deserve better.

If billions could be found overnight for quantitative easing then surely funds can be made available for ambulance services. This is cost-effective: dead people don’t pay taxes!

Stephen Malnick

Kaplan Medical Center Rehovot, Israel

Hard choices ducked on NHS funding

Further to your report about the NHS deficit (10 October), it is clear that the income needed for the NHS and other government services can come only from growth in the economy or higher taxes.

Ever since the Second World War, successive Chancellors of the Exchequer have failed to achieve the former, the necessary growth. Where is the politician with the guts to tell us the truth about the latter?

William Haines

Shrewsbury

We are overspending for a simple reason: hospitals are undertaking more and more treatments and requiring more and more staff. We have to reduce the treatment provided if we are to reduce the cost.

This means we have to radically alter our prioritises as a society: reduce in particular food and drink and other activities that have a negative impact on health and well-being.

It is our NHS and it is our illness-inducing behaviours that contribute to the high cost. We cannot afford all the expensive procedures required any more.

Richard Bryant-Jefferies

(NHS manager, retired)

Epsom, Surrey

Votes for women without the tantrums

Well done Patrick Walsh, for pointing out the role of the suffragist movement in gaining women’s votes (letter, 10 October).

The suffragists knew that if women were seen as sensible and law-abiding citizens it was only a matter of time before they won the support of Parliament. Yet just as they nearly had, the impatient Emmeline Pankhurst and her fanatical suffragette groups smashed that chance through their appalling violent methods.

Suffragettes were extremists whom society frowned upon, so women’s votes were frowned upon, and the only sensible thing they ever did was stop those militant “deeds not words” tactics after the outbreak of the First World War. It would be then British women’s vital role during this hard time (serving and working in many positions previously the preserve of men) that reminded people that the original suffragists had made a good point and helped to change attitudes.

The suffragists were feminists who stood for women’s rights. The suffragettes were like girls having tantrums.

Emilie Lamplough

Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Good manners at Hallowe’en

Mike Shearing (letter, 10 October) reports the arrival of trick-or-treaters on 8 October, and asks whether this is a record. Everywhere I have lived it is good manners to trick-or-treat only where the decorations indicate a house “joining in with the Hallowe’en fun”. Mr Shearing may aim to break this year’s record by putting out the candle-lit pumpkins in September next year.

Sonja Karl

Bangor

Ministers shielded from scrutiny

If rights to access under the Freedom of Information Act are reduced, and access to judicial review has already been reduced, how can we hold our government to account? One vote every five years?

Hilary Chivall

Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire