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Keep on remembering

Des Morgan writes that the key message of Remembrance Day should be “we will remember them”.

But Des’ letter suggests he thinks the best way to remember is by forgetting as much as possible.

Surely Des isn’t so unaware of the first World War that he thinks the war aims were about being allowed to wear a white poppy.

The First World War was nothing to do with securing freedom. Britain controlled a vast empire and Germany wanted a piece of the action.

Put simply, Britain shifted from traditional indifference over European affairs to ally with France and Russia (surely the least free European country) to circle Germany.

Germany, losing the arms race, launched the war that all knew was coming anyway. It ground to an end with revolution in the East, rebellion in Germany and mutiny amongst allied armies.

The Second World War is more complex. Masses of working people knew what Fascism would mean. But it is important to look through the froth of bogus national unity.

Fascism came to power in Italy, Germany and elsewhere with the critical support of our establishment and partly as a result of vicious reparation demands.

As late as 1937 Lord Halifax was celebrating Hitler as a “bulwark against bolshevism”.

In arguably the first battle of the war Britain helped disarm democratic Spain to further the military coup in Spain, supported by Hitler and Mussolini.

The Daily Mail cheered on Hitler and Mussolini and their appeasement boosted Hitler, making war inevitable.

Let the word “remember” mean what it says.

PETER SMITH, Woodside Avenue, Swindon

Team is doing well

A RECENT correspondent wrote a letter critical of Dave Webb the Swindon Supermarine manager. I do not agree that Mr Webb’s time is up.

The team has had a good start to their league season, they are playing a very watchable passing game and have the capacity, as a young team, to improve still further.

Sacking a manager whose team is in the top four of their league seems to me to be preposterous.

My only concern is that the excellent football they play does not get the gates they deserve. This is a shame when admission is excellent value at £6 for adults, £4 for concessions and free for under 11’s.

PETE CROCKETT, Glebe Road, Royal Wootton Bassett

Shops question

IS IT possible for the council to explain why the town centre has so many empty shops yet grants temporary planning permission for shops to operate from industrial estates?

The shops do it for cheaper rent so why doesn’t the council look at offering the empty units to these shops at comparable rents? It doesn’t make any sense at all.

JAN STURGESS, Grange Drive, Swindon