Disgusted over helicopter crew

WHEN I read about the helicopter crew who “declined” to turn out because it was near the end of their shift, I was utterly disgusted (Yorkshire Post, October 12).

There may have been a very good reason which we are not informed about but just what it was I can’t imagine.

As a country bobby in the 1960s and 70s, I considered I was on call all the time and happily turned out to help my residents night and day, except when away on holiday or on courses.

I was a trained air observer and would have killed to get a full-time post on helicopters. Alas we didn’t have such luxuries in those days.

Not the sort 
of war I knew

From: John Gordon, Whitcliffe Lane, Ripon.

WHEN I was a lad, I was a great admirer of Rockfist Rogan, RAF. Every time Rockfist shot a Messerschmitt down, he pinned a swastika on the side of his cockpit. The point was he could have been shot down himself, so there was an element of excitement about the story.

You printed (Yorkshire Post, October 12) a small column reporting an attack by a US drone in Pakistan that killed 16 militants and 10 civilians. A drone is an unmanned aircraft. Rockfist Rogan wasn’t there. Nobody was there except the victims. That’s not the sort of war that I knew.

Fine distinction

From: Paul Morley, Ribblesdale Estate, Long Preston, Skipton.

STRANGE isn’t it? When British soldiers are killed by insurgents posing as Afghan police officers, the news reports state that soldiers have been shot and killed in the line of duty. When an insurgent is allegedly shot by British soldiers, it is classed as murder (Yorkshire Post, October 13). Is there some fine distinction that I am missing?