Oradour
Sir: In correcting Francis King's `totally erroneous' account of the massacre at Oradour in June 1944, Mrs Montagu (Letters, 2 June) is almost wholly mistaken. She claims that all the men 'were shot or hanged in front of their families in the main square'. In fact they were divided into six groups and taken away to be shot in barns or on street-corners. None was hanged. She maintains that 'one girl escaped through a slit window'. In fact one woman of mature years managed to jump through the quite large east window of the church. She insists that gas was not used. In fact the Germans, equipped with fused canisters of gas designed for immobilising tank crews, did not hesitate to ignite them in the church full of women and children.
'David Hughes
51 Hanover Gardens, I London 5E11
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