Letters: How can Britain stand as much as the Russian menace with such depleted defences?

The large freeze

SIR – I went to boarding faculty in Oxford and, like Ian Brent-Smith (Letters, January 19), spent loads of time on the frozen river Cherwell throughout the winter of 1963.

We had been unable to play subject hockey due to the snow, so we scoured the junk retailers for ice skates and performed ice hockey on the river as an alternative. 

I might solely discover a pair of pace skates, which weren’t very manoeuvrable, and I nonetheless bear the scars of a buddy’s determine skate on my proper index finger. I don’t bear in mind ever carrying gloves.

We did get again to hockey on grass in the direction of the tip of March when the snow had principally gone, however the floor was arduous and we performed solely a few times earlier than the tip of time period.

Tim Tayler
Bristol

SIR – In the course of the winter of 1963 I used to be a postgraduate pupil in London. Most pipes had been frozen; we requested round amongst pals who might provide a sizzling tub, and would proceed en masse on the Underground with sponge baggage and towels, some carrying tub robes and loofahs.

Nevertheless, I feel the winter of 1947 was worse. There have been energy cuts, coal was frozen arduous in depots and potatoes couldn’t be dug out of the bottom. We frequently had classes by the sunshine of paraffin lamps. 

Sure, we wore shorts and I acquired chilblains (from which I nonetheless undergo to today), however general no hurt was finished. Maybe we had been inured to hardship by the conflict years.

Jeremy Hamilton-Miller
Twickenham, Middlesex