5 APRIL 2003, Page 32

From Mr Mattyn Partridge Sir: There's precious little to smile

about in the press these days, so I suppose one ought to he grateful for the belly laugh provoked by Mike Dewar's uplifting comparison between the coalition's progress in Iraq and `Guderian's blitzkrieg armoured thrust through the Ardennes into northern France in 1940'. One thing ... is certain,' he gushes, 'the coalition is going to win.' Presumably a similar presumption would have crossed Guderian's mind at the time.

Marlyn Partridge London N5