Sir, There was once a famous saying in the armed forces called KAPE (Keeping the Army in the Public Eye). Commanders were always aware of this, especially when a regiment was on a three-year tour overseas and there was a need to keep their regimental area in the knowledge that the regiment was still about.
They used to send companies home on a KAPE tour for a fortnight to lay on displays and other things to keep recruitment alive.
Both governments over the years seem to have forgotten this with the financial restraints. The army except in war zones seen on television no longer appears in regimentalareas like it used to.
In fact, the opposite is in evidence with the regimental system blown apart, phased redundancies, most recruiting offices shut, barracks closed, females and foreigners recruited in a big way, trying to strengthen the reservists. Most drill halls, where the TA train, are to close and training depots have closed.
A potential recruit in some areas has to travel 90 miles to enter a recruiting office, he then has to travel south to train in England, then joins a numbered regiment where once he would know most people. Not now.
If commanders want an up-to-strength army and to keep the public aware of them, then they need to do better than this.
Major Bob Ritchie. 17 Bloom Court, Livingston.
Wouldn’t know the conditions
Sir, I read your article, Where is superfast, July 3, with great interest and agreed with it until I read the last sentence attributed to Stephen Leckie, chief executive of Crieff Hydro.
He says he drove “from Glasgow to Crieff yesterday and I was on the phone the whole time”. I have no doubt Mr Leckie has a hands-free phone in his car but that is only marginally better than using a hand held phone. In order to drive safely, drivers must have 100% attention/concentration of what is happening all around them.
I would suggest that if you asked any driver details about the road and traffic conditions they’d encountered while having a phone conversation, none would be able to answer fully.
It only takes a moment of inattention for an accident to happen and phone conversations while driving probably cause more accidents than is currently believed.
Dave Brimner. 15 Mearns Drive, Montrose.
Where is their proof?
Sir, I watched the excellent programme The Rise of the Continents on TV with Prof Iain Stewart.
It explained and proved how the continents were formed billions of years ago and it set me wondering why there has never been a programme made by religionists refuting this claim and the similar claims made by eminent scientists for example Sir David Attenborough.
I would like to see them put forward proof that the world is only 6,000 years old and Adam and Eve started the human race instead of evolution.
Alister Rankin. 93 Whyterose Terrace, Methil, Leven.
Depressing picture
Sir, An accusation regularly levelled at today’s mainstream politicians is that there is little difference between them, with Labour and the Tories being almost indistinguishable from each other. The defining image which provides absolute proof this is the case was illustrated by the picture on page 19 of Thursday’s paper.
It showed Ed Miliband on the left, where one would expect him to be, with David Cameron on the right, likewise.
However, both men were adopting exactly the same finger-wagging posture, the former using his right hand, while the latter used his left and both dressed in the same colour and style of suit, with the exact same shirt and colour of tie.
Depressing isn’t it?
John McNab. 11 Balgeddie Court, Glenrothes.
Grace and power
Sir, I see from the photograph in Thursday’s Courier that the Mallard is back in the news. What a wonderful steam engine she is along with the others in the Pacific group of beautiful, powerful engines in their day.
My mind goes back to their introduction on the London to Aberdeen run in the 1930s. This was during my pre and early teenage years when we spent the summer at Barnhill beach, just a few minutes’ walk from our homes.
One train in particular that caught our attention was the midday express to Aberdeen. We would be at the edge of the railway waiting to wave the driver on his way and he never let us down.
It was a sight we could not miss. It is still as strong in my memory after some 75 years. The trains often stopped at Broughty Ferry station with the engine straddled over the Gray Street crossing. The close-up view of these monsters was a thrill to be remembered.
What of the other engines in the Pacific group. I do not know if I can remember the names of all of them; but I shall try. They were: Cock o’ the North; Wolf of Badenoch; Earl Marshal; Mon’s Meg; Thain of Fife; Union of South Africa. Were there others?
These engineering monsters were full of grace and beauty, even to us youngsters.
John Cree. 7 Tullis House, 6-8 Maule Street, Monifieth.