MR THIPTHORPE's letter recalling the well recorded role of the RAF in the last war claims to be an answer to my previous letter.

It must remain a mystery what connection there might be in his mind between those events and my criticism of Peter Smith's attempt to justify Russian atrocities in Poland.

It took several years to destroy Nazi influence in Germany after the war although they had been in power only 12 years. Allan may not have noticed that Stalin stayed on to enslave all Eastern Europe long after the UK and USA left behind them free and prosperous nations. He should ask about RAF work in the Berlin airlift and the reasons for it.

It is time for Peter and his friends to wake up and join the real world. Socialism died with the Berlin Wall.

K RATCLIFFE

Highworth

Swindon