I THINK that the comments by Millius Palayiwa that the £2 coin struck by the Royal Mint to commemorate the outbreak of the First World War are misinterpreted, misguided and offensive.
I believe that this was a dark and terrible time in our history and needs thorough research to understand how it happened.
The coin and all the other events are in place not to glorify war as Mr Palayiwa suggests but to honour those who laid down their lives during this conflict and for us who owe them a great debt to remember the suffering and sacrifices made and to understand the conflict.
Millius Palayiwa
The depiction of Lord Kitchener on the coin just reflects the times that were lived in then, not any ‘glorification’.
His comments on Iraq and Afghanistan are notable but I am afraid, despite all the goodwill in the world, you will always get those who consider that violence is the answer to all problems, despite religious and Christian teaching for over 2,000 years. I suggest that he considers this. The sacrifices made by our armed forces in all wars are not to be used as cheap publicity for any organisation.
The controversial coin design
I suggest that if Mr Palayiwa comes across an ‘offensive’ coin in his pocket he donates it to a military charity to help those who are suffering as the result of war.
TERRY ROPER
Claymond Road
Headington
Oxford
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