Medals go with the job for Charles

WHILE I appreciate the concern of Martin Phillips (The Yorkshire Post, June 11) about the medal ribbons worn by Prince Charles in Normandy, I can assure him that, after some research, none of them are campaign medals.

As far as I am aware, he does not qualify to wear ribbons similar to those worn by our veterans. And that,of course, is how it should be.

My research tells me that most of his medals are bestowed by the Queen and go with the job and the rest seem to be from the Commonwealth.

So, don’t worry Mr Phillips, if it had been any other way I, as a Royalist, would be up in arms with you.

From: DS Boyes, Upper Rodley Lane, Leeds.

THE report on Lord Ashdown’s book about the French Resistance post-D-Day activities (The Yorkshire Post, June 7) was most interesting, as I have travelled extensively in France for over 30 years.

Small vehicles like mine had the free choice of both Routes Nationale and Departmental, as not restricted by weight to motorways, eg the RN85 (Route Napoleon) across the Provence Alpes from Grenoble – so I came across many poignant roadside memorials often in remote locations to those executed by the Nazis. All beautifully kept, usually adorned with fresh flowers, the story of the action detailed on stone plaques.

The common theme being that they acted possibly just too soon against usually very superior forces and paid the ultimate price, with also many villages burnt in reprisal as well.

First class
deliveries

From: Susan Towle, Grange Garth, York.

FOLLOWING the letter from Mrs E Bird (The Yorkshire Post, June 6), commenting on postal delivery in Roman times, I would like to add a personal story, from early last century.

Sorting through some old family postcards, I came across one to my grandmother from her cousin bearing the postmark 2pm March 2rd 1921. They both lived in Hull, and the card reads as follows:

My dear Florrie

Just a PC hoping it will find you all well and thank you for the invitation tomorrow Thursday night, which I will be very pleased to accept. You might drop me a PC so that I get it in the morning to say what time I am to meet you and where. Let me have it in the morning. With love, Nellie.

Similar cards to my grandmother from my grandfather when they were courting informed her what time his train would arrive at Paragon Station that evening.

Some service, don’t you think?

An arresting
pop problem

From: Phil Moon, Addingham.

I WRITE with regard to the article (The Yorkshire Post, June 10) about the possible sale at auction of autographs of the Beatles collected by a police officer in Leeds 50 years ago.

The officer was said to be on duty at the time he collected the autographs at an appearance of the Beatles in Leeds and it was said that the autographs were written on the back of a “supplementary statements sheet” – the property of Leeds City Police. Do the autographs therefore not belong to Leeds City Police?

Use bans not fines for cars

From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate.

YOU report the raising of the maximum fine for boorish drivers to £10,000 (The Yorkshire Post, June 11). Doesn’t this continue to send out a message of “do as you like as long as you can afford it”?

If Westminster are serious about curbing the homicidal antics of an arrogant minority, why have they not introduced a few mandatory bans – for drivers using mobile phones, for example? Could it be that too many of them and their mates might fall foul of this?

On the vexed issue of speeding; if macho man buys something capable of 150mph it seems most unlikely that he will stick to the 70 limit on motorways. At risk of more howls of “disproportionate” from motoring organisations and their acolytes, dare I suggest the compulsory fitting of speed limiters?

Stop waste on
trolley buses

From: Martyn Thomas, Co-Chair, North West Leeds Transport Forum.

I REFER to the article (The Yorkshire Post, June 11) entitled “Bus Service Review Consultation Begins” in which Coun James Lewis, chairman of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s transport committee, is quoted as laying the blame at the Government’s d+oor based upon funding cuts to West Yorkshire councils of hundreds of millions of pounds resulting in the Combined Authority having less to spend on bus services.

Our strongest advice to Coun Lewis is to stop the planned massive waste and increased council borrowing for the Leeds trolleybus scheme which nobody wants and focus on the provision/retention of bus services which may well be desperately needed by many people. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? It is!