The Marques de Lendinez writes: Your obituary of Reginald Cudlipp (obituary, January 27) does not mention his war service. As Gunner Cudlipp he spent four years on the Rock of Gibraltar (1940-44), where his commanding officer was Anthony Quayle, destined later for fame on stage and screen.
Always the newspaperman, he soon found an important gap that needed to be filled. Gibraltar was starved of war news and views, The Rock magazine had just begun life and was on the lookout for professional assistance. Reg was appointed editor and was the only person to have the complete set of The Rock magazines from January 1941 to August 1944. These bound volumes took pride of place in his study. One of his favourite photographs was of the Governor, Lieutenant-General Sir Noel Mason-Macfarland, with his brother, Hugh, who paid a flying visit to the Rock from North Africa where he was editing the Forces newspaper, the Union Jack, and himself. Despite their lowly rank the Cudlipps were entertained to dinner at the Governor’s residence.
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Peter J. M. Stoney writes: A measure of the kindness and calibre of Admiral Sir Horace Law (obituary, February 1) remains in my memory from more than 40 years ago when, having been placed on the Commissions and Warrants (department of Admiralty) at a young age, I received a handwritten letter of encouragement from him while he was Flag Officer Sea Training at Portland, even though I was only one of many hundreds of cadets and midshipmen whom he had known while Captain of Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. His firm and fair leadership at the college was never in question, on one occasion resulting in the Royal Marine Band having to remain on parade for half a forenoon due to their music being out of synch with the cadets’ marching — a judgment that was much to the relief of the cadets.
Tom Pocock writes: Admiral Sir Horace Law was a direct descendant of Lord Nelson’s elder brother William, who was made Earl Nelson after Trafalgar, but had more than a passing resemblance to the great admiral himself. This was noted in his later years by some attending meetings at the Royal Naval Museum at Portsmouth, in which he showed a keen interest, and at an annual dinner held by naval historians at the Garrick Club. Nelson was said to have had a charming smile and, on one such occasion, a biographer of Nelson said he felt sure that Sir Horace had inherited this from he admiral.
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Anthony Swainson writes: There is a small gap in the excellent obituary of Admiral Sir Horace Law. In 1952-54, he was Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, a reward for his sea time in command of Duchess. As a lieutenant-commander, I was a member of his staff and he was inspirational. When duty commander, I had to take the salute of ships entering and leaving the Hamoaze in Plymouth harbour. Horace Law was on his lookout and woe betide any of HM ships looking scruffy or even with slack halyards. The Chief of Staff would instantly order me to dispatch a signal to the captain of the offending ship. He was also very human and cared for all the sailors under him.
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