I VISITED Malta recently, a particularly moving experience for me as my uncle was stationed at Valletta on HMS Warspite during the Second World War.

And as I visited the war museum and marvelled at the heroism of this small island of people, who were, quite rightly, awarded the George Cross, something struck me.

If we were to put all the huge amount of money and superhuman effort into creation rather than destruction, imagine what a world we could have created.

It seems only in war time that we show our indomitable spirit, and our ability to work together and overcome astonishing hardship to win through.

If we applied those skills and values in peacetime and directed our money into positive achievement we would have paradise right here on earth.

How terribly sad, then, that around the world to this day, conflicts continue, peace efforts struggle on and an unfathomable amount of money is spent in warmongering and humanitarian aid.

What’s the point? In this year, the centenary of the outbreak of WWI, we reckon they didn’t die in vain?

BW Langan, Eastcott, Swindon