10 OCTOBER 1958, Page 22

SIR,—A young aircraftman, the author of a letter published by

you on September 5 under the heading s, 'Recruitment,' is now serving a sentence of two weeks' detention for disobeying an order. The order M question states that he should not, without special authority, submit to the press his view on any Set' vice matter. And there is every indication that he was ignorant of this order and its implications.

Here, then, is one of the things which give the Services the unpleasant taint of which your corre- spondent wrote. Here, too, is evidence of a system requiring either overthrow or reform if the Services are to attract intelligent recruits and to avoid dis- illusioning and antagonising for ever those who at present are forced into their ranks.

I hope that this news of the aircraftman's fate will arouse among your readers the interest which his letter did not.—Yours faithfully.