MY family was fortunate in not having any member who died during the Great War, but many others were not so lucky.

It is fitting that they are remembered and feel their lives were valued.

My parents were young during the war. The hardships they suffered and the aftermath often came up in conversation at home. It gave me an abiding interest in the First World War and other events.

I did national service in the army but have not felt it right to volunteer for war.

Ironically, that conflict was expected to be the war to end all wars, but it has been far from that. When I have been abroad I have visited war cemeteries so I have been constantly reminded of the tragedy of war.

I am sure that those who volunteered to serve their country during a national emergency have believed they were doing the right thing.

Following the Great War there have been three narratives, one of complete support for what we have done, another of opposition for some reason, and at the time opposition was paid for by ostracism, the other was to blame our losses on incompetence in high places.

We have the luxury of looking back, but men then had to make life-changing decisions.

I have the space to make the arguments I think appropriate and the only usefulness is how I apply it to current international problems. I don’t think any problems are solved on the battlefield.

G Bulmer, Billingham.