SO Sue Trotter found Mike Bentley's column (So who will make his tea, then? March 30) an insult to the female sex.

Well, I find her letter an even bigger insult to the male sex! There is no doubt at all that women, a very tiny proportion of the total in the armed forces, can prove themselves every bit as brave and self-sacrificing as their male companions.

However, I suggest Sue reads Vera Brittain's marvellous book called Testament Of Youth. Vera was Shirley Williams' mother. She grew up during the truly dreadful years prior to, during and after the First World War. She was a nurse in London and Malta, among other places, and anyone who does read her book will realise that it was the young men who suffered and died in the worst possible conditions, in their thousands, while women so disposed became nurses or stayed at home looking after the children.

How many women were shredded by barbed wire at the front, or were blown to bits, blinded or otherwise maimed, drowned in mud-filled trenches, or suffered terrible mental trauma, leaving them unable to cope with civilian life?

Precious few, I'd wager. Women then and, indeed, now had very different priorities and yet still if one woman is involved in war situations, along with many more men, for some reason she receives more attention than any of her male compatriots. Yes, some women do go into dangerous situations and even get captured, injured or killed, but do not let us forget that there has always been a huge majority of men who suffered and died for their country. I would not like to feel that their sacrifices are belittled simply because a handful of women prove themselves courageous.

Heather Causnett, Escrick Park Gardens, Escrick, York.