FORMER marine Paul “Pen” Farthing may wish to value his team and his own life as equal to that of his animals, but there is a question: Why should brave British soldiers risk life and limb for his pets?

British soldiers are admirable in upholding British honour in rescuing Afghanis who risk their and families’ lives to support us.

Do animal lives count for more?

Read more >> Colchester soldiers return to the UK from Afghanistan

In my book all human life is of greater value than any animal.

I salute the bravery of our soldiers and hope to see them safely home soon.

Paul Gurnett

Constable Close, West Mersea

Those who helped Afghans are heroes

IN a world of Love Island, which is more like Mockery Island, where celebrities are ballooned out of any relation to reality, how humbling it is to read of former old Harwich man, ‘Pen’ Farthing and his team, await evacuation with 173 animals (Gazette, August 30, “‘Pen’ makes it back to UK with 200 animals”).

I prayed they made it.

While it is hard to claim the Afghanistan involvement to be a triumphant success, one has to applaud unconditionally the sacrifice and valour to those who were in engagement to make a better country for the leading people there.

Democracy isn’t coming to Afghanistan any time soon, but those who have contributed to the struggle are, in my book, real heroes, as opposed to the terrorist sect, who are in all frankness, just parasites.

Collin Rossini

Main Road, Dovercourt