AFTER starting work as an apprentice at the age of 12 and working right through until I was 70, I am now retired and live on a state pension plus additional benefits I get for delaying retiring until I was 70.

At the age of 21 I was forced to serve in one of the armed forces for an 18-month period on seven shillings and sixpence a week, and then forced to remain on the forces reserve list for another four years.

During this time I was liable to be called up to serve in one of the armed forces for up to three occasions, for 20 days maximum on each occasion. Some did and ended up fighting communists on hills in Korea.

Now retired, my state pension is paid monthly and goes towards buying reduced price food when available and reduced council house rent.

There is no money left from my monthly pittance to buy carpets or curtains or decorate the house nor buy and run a second-hand car, or if still keeping the car bought when working, pay for its keep.

And this is called living in a land ‘fit for heroes’. I would be far better off living in communist Russia than as a so-called free man in Britain.

Knowing what I know now and starting all over again I would be better off living a life of crime than repeat a life wasted supporting such a greedy, selfish system as this one definitely is.

Robin Hood ‘stole from the rich to give to the poor’.

This system steals from the poor to give to the rich.

DOUGLAS MILLS

Fraser Road, Poole