SIR,
Far be it from me to contribute to a chain of letters to rival the Great Catalpa Tree Debate, but Mr Whitcombe's response to my letter about military hospitals contained some fairly pointed questions, which perhaps are deserving of response.
In answer to his main question, the answer is yes.
I served for 14 years as a military doctor, eight of which were at the aforementioned Princess Alexandra's RAF Hospital, Wroughton.
And, I dare say, I may have still been there had the hospital not been axed, along with many of its staff.
I offered my point of view not as criticism, but more in the spirit of enlightenment supported by personal experience and recent historical precedent, in the hope that Mr Whitcombe may perhaps consider directing his energies at a cause that would have a higher chance of success.
But it's a free country so I'm more than happy to rest my case and leave this as my last word on the subject.
Dr Simon Blease
(Monmouth)