MICHAEL GOVE, the Secretary of State for Education, condemns the showing of the comedy, Blackadder Goes Forth to schoolchildren, on the basis that it is being paddled as a myth that the First World War was a misbegotten shambles run by a bunch of out-of-touch elitists.

Looking at the millions of lives offered up as sacrifice to gain just a couple of yards, I would like to confirm, that is exactly what it was.

T Seale, Middlesbrough.