12 APRIL 1997, Page 28

Courageous Cradock

Sir: Matthew Parris in his piece, 'The great betrayal' in the Times of 28 March, accused Sir Percy Cradock of a 'yellow streak', one attribute of which Sir Percy could never be accused.

Cradock's courage toward the mob dur- ing the attack on our Peking embassy in 1967 is the subject of history, a model of gallantry for the Service and, therefore, all of us. To suggest otherwise, as Parris does, is unworthy of the Times: people don't change over time.

The above represents a letter which I wrote to the Times on 28 March and which, predictably, according to Percy, they have not printed.

John Colvin

12A Evelyn Mansions, Carlisle Place, London SW1