THERE is a band of friendship among those who stand together in war.

Frank Curry, a friend and fellow soldier on the hill positions of Burma in World War Two, set out with his company on a patrol to clear a Japanese position.

From another ridge, we gave covering fire. A Japanese machine-gun opened up and my friend fell from the top of the ridge into the jungle below.

It was too risky for anyone to go down and retrieve his body, so we withdrew from the area.

For the rest of your life, you feel that there is something that you must do. You want to tell someone that you knew him - that he was young in heart, with a sense of humour.

But, then, you remember that all of this happened over 50 years ago and may be now there are none of his relations still alive. You want to tell them that he was not alone because that is something they would like to hear. Those who think wars are macho should think again.

F G BILLINGTON (Mr), East Crescent, Accrington.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.