OUR FIGHTING MEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24214, 4 March 1942, Page 2

OUR FIGHTING MEN

Sir,—Tut. tut, Mr; Vaile! So "for the first time in the long history of Great Britain our nation has suffered the dreadful disgrace of the defeat and final unconditional surrender of a British army." Well, well! One would have expected from you a better knowledge of British history. Just to help fill in the missing years I humbly supply the follow- _ ing information: —On December 3, 1915, General Sir Charles Townshend captured Kut-el-Amara, in Mesopotamia, from the Turks. He his % armv were immediately besieged, and on April 30, 1916, the British army with its general surrendered to the Turkish foe. Where is the "dreadful disgrace" attaching to this latest surrender? When men have done all that brave men can do, what remains? Would Mr. Vaile have had the wounded, the civilians, as well as the gallant defenders, endure the tortures of thirst while they ''dred to the last man?". This is only the hyperbole of the slippered critic who in his easy chair "dies in the last ditch." If Mr. Vaile would look for a scapegoat for our manv military disasters let him search higher up. and not cast an unwarranted slur on our fighting men, who, soldier, sailor, and airman alike, are still the bravest of the brave. Provide them with the tools and they will do the job; neglect to do so, and not even British gallantry can avail in modern warfare. Wit. F. Dean.