26 APRIL 1968, Page 30

Waiting for Adolf

Sir: Mr Lampe's standards of accuracy can be gauged py the reference in his letter (19 April) to an occasion on which 'Montgomery's divisional headquarters in Kent were booby- trapped by a group [sic] sent out by Peter Fleming.'

On p. 84 of his book this episode takes place in Sussex and the 'group' is reduced to myself and one other officer who 'managed to creep into General Montgomery's 3rd Division HQ at Steyning, near Brighton.'

Nothing of the sort happened. I have never been to Steyning; I never visited, let alone had the temerity to booby-trap, the headquarters of any formation under Montgomery's command. I make this supremely unimportant point only because Mr Lampe's long letter seemed to suggest that I had been less than fair to his book.