I WRITE as one who fought in the second world war, and in subsequent 'little wars' after 1945, in support of the proposal to re-site the Tavistock war memorial to an available location in St Eustachius churchyard, just across from Bedford Square.

Being close to a public toilet and hemmed in by vehicles belching exhaust fumes, the present site is not a fitting place for a memorial to the fallen servicemen of Tavistock. The proposed new site would afford a much greater aspect of solemnity, dignity and reverence.

Emotional words such as 'let them rest in peace' have been used by those opposed to a re-siting. They are resting in peace in war graves far away from Tavistock. The memorial is not a tombstone; no one is buried beneath it.

The objection raised about the proposed new site being on Church of England land is not valid. Servicemen of different denominations are buried side by side in war cemeteries, be they Catholics, C of E, Methodists, Baptists, Unitarians or Agnostics. They died together as comrades in arms and now rest in peace together. Many war memorials throughout the country are sited in churchyards. Let not religious bigotry cloud the issue.

If the proposed move was to take place I am certain that the Vicar of Tavistock, a former Royal Navy chaplain, would be happy to have a Catholic priest, Baptist, Methodist and Salvation Army ministers taking part in any rededication ceremony.

To those who imply that the proposed site would not be conducive to the annual Remembrance Day ceremony I would point out that a solemn gathering on Bedford Square for the usual short ecumenical remembrance service including a short walk across the road by representatives of organisations laying wreaths at the foot of the memorial, would give the police a valid reason for closing that section of the road for the period of the ceremony, thus cutting out the noise of traffic that tends to distract from the reverence of the occasion at the present site.

Furthermore, it should be borne in mind that a war memorial is not just an edifice used as a rallying place for devotion and reflection on Remembrance Day. It is an everyday reminder of those who gave their lives for their country and, as such, should be sited in a prominent position that affords due reverence and dignity.

On that I rest my case.

Philip Bennett

Colonel (Rtd)

The Devonshire and

Dorset Regiment

I WRITE reference the letter (November 23) from Cllr Ken Sanders, in response to my communication of the previous week.

Upon my retirement from elected political life I made the conscious decision not to indulge in council affairs by writing letters to the press, criticising decisions or attending public meetings.

There have been many issues of which I have felt strongly, but I have refrained from airing my observations publicly. In retrospect, it has been sound judgement, for by now I would no doubt have been chased out of town by a posse of elected councillors.

However, whilst Ken Sanders is an extremely fine small animal veterinary surgeon, I never realised he specialised in Red Herrings. There was certainly no hidden agenda in my letter, for the matter at hand deserves to be judged with balanced reasoning rather than local council economics and political persuasion.

The discussions relating to the Tavistock war memorial are nothing whatsoever to do with Goose Fair and it would be wrong to even raise that matter in relation to the discussion.

My observations regarding the war memorial, the people's war memorial in memoriam of those who gave their lives, was not, and would never be, tongue in cheek. I was merely stating there was a more preferable location to the church grounds.

You have defeated your own argument, by suggesting that relatives, old comrades, organisational representatives, the public, musicians and clergy would have to stand in Bedford Square, thus divorcing the entire gathering from the memorial.

The symbolic gesture of laying a wreath is a very personal one and must be observed at all costs. The fact that they have been laid at the same place, the same hour and at the same time each year are for those left behind, a real and lasting memory of their relations and old pals.

Remember, Ken, past chairmen and mayors of this town, both you and I in recent times have laid wreaths at each Remembrance Day since the foundation of the memorial.

My preference remains the present Guildhall location as I intimated in my letter. Let us abide by 81 years of history and leave well alone.

Robin Fenner

Tavistock