I WAS sad to read Phil Watson's letter (Letters, November 2) because of its evident misunderstanding re white peace poppies. I have bought a British Legion Poppy each year for more than 50 years wearing it on November 11 with an additional white peace poppy. Mr Watson's use of the word 'trendy' could hardly apply to me.

On Remembrance Day, like everyone else, my thoughts will be with loved family members who died in the two world wars and all the fallen. On Armistice Day in 1918, my father and five of his brothers were still away from home helping, they thought, in a "war to end all wars'.

With my white poppy, I also think of my contemporary conscientious objectors in the Second World War who voluntarily parachuted, unarmed, into the front line in France, carrying first aid kids, to help any wounded they found. Not the act of cowards. Refusal to take part in war and patriotism are two entirely different things.

Before she died, the First World War English nurse Edith Cavel, who was shot at dawn, guilty of helping a few patients to escape from the field hospital, said "Patriotism is not enough, I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone".

Now, at 91 years, my constant hope is that before the next Millennium all nations will allocate as much money to peace, education and reconciliation for their multi-racial populations, as they now devote to war with its waste.

Surely with more understanding and tolerance, and less fear, wars would then belong only to history.

Marian Bullock,

Heslington Road,

York.