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Echoes of Nazi Germany

STEVE Halden’s letter, Laws keep us safe, SA December 29, reminded me of an experience I had about 45 years ago.

One of my wife’s nephews was a sergeant in the SAS, living in married quarters in Hereford. I tried to get his phone number from directory inquiries, (GPO in those days), only to be told it was ex-directory.

The following morning two men in suits and raincoats turned up on our doorstep to question me about why I was trying to obtain his number.

Surveillance of our everyday lives has increased immeasurably since then and Steve seems to be happy with all of it.

The recent case at the European Court of Human Rights was about a further extension to this under which the UK authorities collected internet traffic from not just terrorist suspects, but the community at large, and retained it for at least a year.

I suppose it’s all right if you believe that all the authority’s actions are benign, but I think that it is very reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the late 1930s.

In his letter Steve tells us that the German authorities made a “litany of errors.” By implication, if they were acting erroneously they were not following their own rules and perhaps the perpetrator of the Berlin lorry attack would have been apprehended sooner if they had.

Incidentally, I have read all I can find about the ECHR ruling to which he refers and I can’t find anything about the UK being told it “must now follow the German system.” Perhaps Steve can enlighten us.

DON REEVE

The Pinnacle, Horder Mews

Old Town, Swindon

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A message to power

AS 2017 is on the way and we make New Year resolutions, may I suggest a few that some of our well known local governing bodies could implement, for all our sakes.

Swindon Borough Council: Listen to the financial needs of the less well off people of this town – the young, the old, the disabled and the ill. Stop spending money on grandiose schemes to match your egos, when it could be going to needier causes.

Swindon police force: Get out on the beat and meet the people you risk your lives to protect. We all respect the job you do but we would feel a lot safer if we could see your presence on the streets.

Our two MPs: When writing in your columns and speaking to your Swindon constituents, use every day language and forget the double speak of the forked-tongued political lobbyist career charlatans that infest Westminster.

The chief executive of the Great Western Hospital: We all respect the fantastic job the National Health Service does for us, but stop the disgraceful parking charges you implement on the young and the old and the sick, in their time of need, and even your dedicated staff – it is an affront to the NHS mission statement which states that healthcare should be free at the point of use.

Our local councillors, with a few exceptions: Resolve to stop treating your constituents like idiots. Even prime ministers pay the full price for the misconception that you think you always know better than the people you represent. You don’t.Taking the voters for granted in a democratic society will be punished at the ballot box.

All the dedicated people who spend their time, effort and money in the interest and benefit of our many needy charitable causes: God bless and resolve to keep up the good work.

BILL WILLIAMS

Merlin Way

Covingham, Swindon

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Memories of steam rail

A TEAM at the Watercress Line is embarking on a journey of discovery to collect people’s memories of travel by steam locomotive through Hampshire.

The aim is to build up a bank of memories from people relating to the railways in Hampshire and areas of London between 1940 and 1965.

Everyone is welcome to share their memories, as the railway is looking for a range of stories of what life was like during the last years of steam travel.

Examples could include memories of evacuation or troop movements on the railways during the Second World War, collecting goods from stations, or even going on holiday to the south coast or emigrating through Southampton docks – all using the steam railway.

Other stories to be told are those from trainspotters and those who worked on the railways.

Collecting people’s oral histories is part of the Heritage Lottery Fund- supported Canadian Pacific project.

This will see the return to steam of the Watercress Line’s flagship steam locomotive, No. 35005 Canadian Pacific and two rare wooden bodied carriages.

Alongside this restoration work comes a wide range of outreach and educational activities that reflect how the rich and precious heritage of railways lies not only in preservation work but also in the very human stories that show how these railways impacted the everyday lives of so many people. It’s often forgotten that railways were used for all manner of things from moving home to delivering newspapers and were central to people’s lives – very different from the road and rail equivalent today. The Watercress Line’s Canadian Pacific project aims to capture this.

If anyone has memories of steam rail travel in the south of England, the Canadian Pacific team would love to hear from you.

Sharing your memories will usually involve a simple face-to-face voice recording. Equally, if you would rather write your story or share pictures or film, you would also be very welcome.

You can get in touch to arrange an interview by emailing canpac@watercressline.co.uk or calling 01962 733810 and asking to speak to Becky Peacock or Dave Deane.

And please do not worry if you have no recollection of the steam engine that hauled you.

RACHEL SHIMELL

Canadian Pacific Line

Says Dave Deane, Canadian Pacific Project Supervisor: ‘The story of the railways is one of massive social change and it is the human stories that bring this to life. With this project we want to tell these stories whilst we work on creating new ones’.