Is bullying a longstanding Army problem?

WHEN I was a National Serviceman in the early Fifties, bullying was normal practice. I served in three training regiments where senior NCOs were mostly responsible for administration and lectures, while the practical side was left to junior NCOs, mainly fellow national servicemen. We were pushed from pillar to post: we drilled, polished and Blanco-ed. We route-marched with packs and arms and we helped our mates when necessary. We were called many names — but when we’d finished training we were all proud of what we had achieved in a very short time. Sixty-odd years on, I’ve never regretted my two years in the Army. It taught me self-discipline and self-confidence and to take pride in my appearance. Young people today have never been disciplined at home or in school. I think they’ve all been mollycoddled from birth.

A. J. QUINN, Liverpool.

The appalling British Army Deepcut barracks bullying saga made me recall my National Service at Waller Barracks, Devizes, in 1953 where bullying was rife.

We had immature lance corporals screaming threats and abuse in falsetto voices, promotion having made them power-mad. Degrading tasks (scraping urinals), physical humiliation, shovelling vast quantities of sand over 6ft walls and carrying huge piles of plates long distances, all had to be performed under threat. Food parcels from home were often stolen. Forced contributions for ‘charity’ were the norm. Seriously disabled recruits were passed fit by local GPs. I witnessed three soldiers so deaf that they were wearing boxes around their necks (par for the course for the deaf in the Fifties) who were humiliated for their problem — but ultimately discharged. They could not hear a word and would have been a real liability. We were en route for the Korean War as Light Infantry and their inclusion would have been a hideous mistake.

JON COLE, Portsmouth, Hants.