PARDON THEM: THE victory of the First World War achieved nothing (except to lay the foundations of the Second World War) and to condemn more than 300 men as cowards and shoot them is ridiculous (Echo, Shot at Dawn - The Fight for Justice campaign, recent issues).

Those men were human and with human feelings acted as most other humans would.

Many men during the Second World War could have been shot if the same conditions applied.

I recall being called out of bed at 2am on a cold December day at the age of 19. I listened and yawned through a briefing about a target in Germany. Half an hour later I stood in a Lancaster bomber, gazed at the rear turret and decided I wasn't going to squat there for five hours.

I picked up my parachute and decided to leave, not caring if I was found (in those days) LMF/lack of moral fibre, which meant you were a coward. However, the wireless operator (an Australian) gave me a push and told me to get in the turret, which I did.

Fortunately, it was the Second World War and not the First. If so, I could easily have been found guilty of cowardice. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill, Co Durham.

WHAT tremendous, hopeful news concerning the Shot at Dawn campaign, in the ever-caring Northern Echo (June 15), written by the excellent Lindsay Jennings.

The admirable, tireless John Hipkin has never given up in his worthy quest to gain a pardon for 306 young soldiers who were murdered for unjustified "cowardice", more like "pawns in the war game".

Those barbaric acts demand a pardon. Even though those young lives are long ago wasted, their families deserve to see justice done.

Please, Prime Minister, decisive action is needed now. How proud we will be of you for authorising such a humane decision - a pardon for all those young victims. - Mary Armstrong, Crook.

I FULLY support your effort to have these soldiers pardoned. Many years ago I read a book which told of the many young men who were conscripted as a result of the new Defence of the Realm Act after appalling casualties inflicted in France at the beginning of the First World War.

Many refused to go to war and were treated badly as conscientious objectors. Others, who did go to war, found themselves being shot for reasons such as cowardice and desertion.

I mention this because our region played a part in dealing with these conscientious objectors, imprisoning them in Richmond Castle. Their cells are still there with their walls covered in graffiti from these unfortunate men.

Richmond Castle does have an exhibition on display, but the cells are closed to the public. I thought it wrong, but was told the reason was that the etchings could be affected.

In view of your articles I think these cells should be open to the public so we do not forget the trauma these people went through. If you have not already visited these cells, I suggest you do so. I am sure you will be as moved as I was. - B Peacock, Middleton-in-Teesdale.

AS a member of the Shot at Dawn campaign please accept my sincere thanks for the wonderful articles you are publishing in The Northern Echo.

These articles highlight this miscarriage of justice and, hopefully, the Prime Minister - after promising to look again at the issue - will grant the long overdue pardons. - Sandra Baynham, Shildon, Co Durham.

COUNTY BOUNDARY

MP David Miliband, the then Labour Communities Minister, said sentiment should not stand in the way of scrapping historic shires like County Durham when referring to possible changes to local government control (Echo, Feb 10).

Another Labour man, the chairman of highways at Durham County Council, Coun Sonny Douthwaite, fails to understand the difference between the area covered by a local government administrative unit and that of a historic county (HAS, June 13).

Since Coun Douthwaite mentioned historic borders, why would anyone wishing to promote the county, its history, culture and identity, choose to use public money to erect signs that merely represent an "ever-changing" administrative area?

Can Coun Douthwaite tell us how much public money was used during the "new" signs (wrong place) campaign over the last few years? Can he also explain why Durham played cricket at Stockton last week, and why local football and cricket teams still use the Tyne and the Tees as the natural border of Co Durham? - Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland.

ECONOMIC GROWTH

YOUR article (Echo, June 19) on the study by the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) was most interesting, but one wonders if it really is necessary to do this research when the facts are generally known.

As small businesses we have stressed the two main issues of the report for some time now.

Firstly, we agree business does require more "work space", particularly in deprived areas, to sustain economic growth, but this is not readily available so business moves away.

More importantly, start-ups are not the only key to economic growth. We need to ensure that existing enterprises are given visible support to ensure that they obtain sustainable growth.

In this country we have more than four million small businesses. Imagine what it would do to our economy if each was to employ one more person.

There is major economic growth in the development and sustainability of existing business and these, too, should be given equal opportunity. - Colin Stratton, North-East Regional Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, East Harlsey, Nothallerton.

FOOTBALL FANS

TONY Kelly labelled the English football fans as "oafs" regarding their behaviour in Germany (HAS, June 19). It seems that the German FA and authorities disagree, as they have labelled our fans as the "best" in the tournament.

Memories of the Second World War will not be forgotten by many, but the actions of some English fans in goose-stepping around German market squares are only performed in high spirits.

Most English football fans have been well behaved in Germany. I hope they continue to be so. - Christopher Wardell, Darlington.

UN-SUIT-ABLE?

HOW come the England World Cup squad players are wearing Armani suits? What happened to good old English designers? - Caron Wilkinson, Durham City.

REVENGE

CHRISTOPHER Wardell reports being stung by strange insects, which he suspects may be from foreign lands (HAS, June 16). I suggest the culprits are asylum seekers. Mr Wardell is always grumbling about them, so they're getting their own back. - Pete Winstanley, Durham.

STILL WAITING...

I'M waiting for it. It has not arrived. What an I waiting for? Why, my MBE, of course. That is, Member of the British Eccentrics. Where is it? - Fred M Atkinson, Shincliffe, Durham.