THOSE of us who lost close relatives fighting for their beloved country in the 1914-18 and 1939-45 world wars have derived much comfort in our grief and sadness by the knowledge that graves in the Commonwealth war cemeteries are tended so expertly and lovingly by gardeners of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Now, to our indignation and concern, we hear that this New Labour government is to cut the allowances of 75 British gardeners who do such a superb job on our behalf on war graves including Normandy and Flanders.

What an insult to our war dead - and this coming so soon after the desecration of the Cenotaph earlier this year which caused such widespread public shock and anger that our Labour government was reported as being 'taken by surprise' at the ferocity of the nation's outrage.

So, no lessons have been learnt and hence the Government's crass decision to cut the war graves gardeners' allowances.

How sad.

Mrs Ida Mary Goodrick,

Woodlands Avenue,

Tadcaster.