The Earl of Devon
Michael Olizar writes: Your obituary of the 18th Earl of Devon (Aug 22) mentions that he was born as the Luftwaffe was dropping bombs on nearby Exeter on May 5, 1942. He was to have the unusual distinction of being made a member of a Polish fighter squadron.
On the night of May 4-5 the Polish 307 (City of Lwów) Night Fighter Squadron was in action defending the city. The 17th Earl and Countess had shown great hospitality in Powderham Castle to the squadron stationed near by. The unit awarded their eagle-Owl badge to the heir and the accompanying scroll read that the squadron awarded him — “born on the night during which Polish Beaufighters took pleasure in a hunt and kill of four German Junkers aircraft over his Lordship’s Country” — honorary membership of the Squadron.
Professor John Hull
Dr John Lloyd writes: As a new student in Birmingham, and following an eye injury playing rugby at school, I found myself in the next bed to John Hull (obituary, Aug 18) in Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital. It was daunting enough as a 19-year-old far from home but John and I struck up a friendship that saw me through a difficult time. John was having experimental laser treatment and, immobile as we both were for much of the time, we shared “talking books”. Winnie the Pooh was our choice leading to deep philosophical discussions about the meaning behind AA Milne’s stories and trying with much humour to outdo each other in requests on the hospital radio. He invariably beat me at dominoes too, relying on acute memory skills to outplay me. While continuing my own studies at Birmingham, it was always a pleasure to look him up at the School of Education.
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The Right Rev Ronald Gordon
Edward Towne writes:Your very full obituary of Bishop Gordon (Aug 25) said little about his time as bishop of Portsmouth. He was, of course, in post there throughout the Falklands war, and he described to me on two occasions the ministry he gave to the families of those serving on the Task Force. He was so moved by their distress that he told me that he felt that using force to recover the islands was a mistake and that force should not always be met with force.