THE councillor vilified for allegedly referring to the Union flag "a piece of rag on a stick" (Citizen, June 13) has my support.

My husband served as a young volunteer in the Second World War, until his late demobilisation from Africa, long after the war ended.

During those years he served in Yugoslavia, fighting with the Partisans and later served in Egypt, the Sudan and Ethiopia.

He didn't come back flag-waving, showing his medals or talking endlessly about 'his' war. He returned to make a life for our family and the future.

His experiences were certainly put to good use as he became a teacher of geography, using his five years abroad as the basis for passing on his knowledge about the people and the climates and the problems of countries he knew.

His concern was for the future. The war and its glory days were his past life. He respected but never showed adulation for the flag.

Too much flag-waving has produced xenophobia and, ultimately, war. What's more closely associated with Nazi Germany? The swastika.

The councillor who referred to "the piece of rag" probably is aware of the efforts put in by our Chancellor of the Exchequer last week at a summit meeting in Canada for the need to bring 67million children out of poverty and into education. How many ardent flag wavers either know or cared about that?

Mildred Ford, Lulworth Place, Walton-le-Dale.