16 APRIL 1983, Page 21

Home truths

Sir: After reading Giles Gordon's venomous diatribe against the army in his review of Coming Home (2 April), 1 can on- ly surmise that he suffered some appalling humiliation at the hands of his intellectual (and social) inferiors whilst doing National Service. However, Tony Marchant — the playwright he so admires — is only 23, and one is left speechless by his astonishing ability to grasp the essential depravity of our soldiers, presumably from the chance contact that civilians normally have with Junior Leaders, TAs, and the like. How could war artist Linda Kitson have got it so wrong?

Thomas Burkard

7, Chantry Road, Moseley, Birmingham 13