13 NOVEMBER 1999, Page 46

Burnt toast

From Captain S.R. Martin (Rtd) Sir: Charles Moore's diary (30 October) reports the loyal toast of the Royal Regi- ment of Artillery as The Queen — our captain gunner'.

As will be known to all serving and retired officers and other ranks of the Royal Artillery, which remains one of the largest regiments in the Army, and which at the time of the Battle of El Alamein accounted for approximately one-third of the Army and was equal in size to the Royal Navy, the toast of the Royal Artillery is in very truth, 'The Queen, our Captain General.'

If the editor of the Daily Telegraph writ- ing in The Spectator cannot be relied upon to report this correctly, what hope have we of the less august press? I submit that Mr Moore owes our Captain General and the serving and retired regiment an apology. Simon Martin

Late of the Royal Artillery, Bloomberg, Singapore