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I CAN assure J C Eynon (SA, May 12) that I was in no way trying to decry National Service Personnel as they were for a long while an essential part of our Armed Forces. Malaya was I believe the last campaign in which National Serviceman died.

I was pointing out to Allan Thipthorpe that he was wrong in suggesting that my only experience of the forces was with the Army Cadet Force when in fact I had served as a regular in the Royal Air Force.

Mr Eynon was lucky to have served in the very peaceful Malaya of 1948. He should be very well aware of the fact that the country was far from peaceful in the following twelve years. He pokes fun at the Royal Air Force by saying that he never saw any of them taking part as infantrymen. That of course was not the role of the Royal Air Force but they gave outstanding service and suffered many losses during the Malayan Emergency.

I remember when a Valletta aircraft was lost while attempting to parachute supplies to a patrol of the Gordon Highlanders operating deep in the jungle. I knew many of the crew of a Shackleton aircraft from no 209 Squadron which was lost while flying on an anti smuggling patrol. One of the crew was a near neighbour and another was a very close friend.

I expect that Allan Thipthorpe like me recalls the names of lost comrades when he pins on his poppy every November and no doubt Mr Eynon does the same. Whether or not this is the case he should not pour scorn on the Royal Air Force as they did fine service during the Malayan campaign. Such comments cast a slur on those who died and are not worthy of a former member of the Seaforth Highlanders.

R W Selway Burden Close Stratton St Margaret Swindon

2:46pm Friday 16th May 2008

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