May I, belatedly, thank William Fraser and "Name and address supplied" (Letters, October 12 and 19) for supporting my recent call for a new Home Guard and my advice on rifle-shooting skill.

Drum-beating jingoism at its worst, some of it, but I like it.

Of course, the do-gooders and trendies think "the next war" will be conducted by professionals with computers and nuclear bombs but let them look at the Northern Alliance Afghanis now.

Not only do they use rifles, they also ride horses into battle again, rather like something from Beau Geste.

Let us all recall the famous medieval archery lament:

Instedde of shuttynge at ye Buttes."

Let us have a new class of Sussex Riflemen, trained and ready for call at times of national danger.

Nanny can "keep the home fires burning" for us.

-Richard Halfpenny Rustington, Littlehampton