Sir Maurice Laing

Peter Harper, chairman, Maurice and Hilda Laing Charitable Trust, writes: Maurice Laing's generosity was legendary (obituary, Feb 29). He set up and endowed various charitable foundations, including the Rufford Laing Foundation and the Maurice and Hilda Laing Charitable Trust, the latter particularly supporting the relief of poverty and the spread of the Christian religion.

Modesty was Maurice's overriding characteristic. Seldom speaking of his wartime experiences, he should be remembered for his bravery in the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945. Having crash-landed the glider he was piloting he came under heavy fire from German strong points. He and his co-pilot then became infantry soldiers, firing Piat rockets to knock out the machineguns pinning down his crew.

Bertie Smalls

Edward Thorpe writes: I knew Bertie Smalls (obituary, Feb 27) briefly, a few months before his revelations as a supergrass. We met occasionally in a Friern Barnet pub. Our mutual interest was in fast cars. One day Bertie asked me if I would look after his car while he was on holiday. I agreed and parked it in my driveway. A week or so later two plainclothes policemen knocked at the front door and asked if the white Elan was mine. I told them I was looking after it “for a friend”. Would I be kind enough to open the boot? Of course, I said. I experienced horrified surprise and bewilderment when the boot revealed an armoury of sawn-off shotguns, revolvers etc. The police were very understanding. They took the car away and I never saw Bertie again.

Judge R. S. Pathak

Michael Beloff, QC, writes: Your summary of Judge Pathak's career (Feb 25) referred to his role in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. In 1995 for the first time the court appointed a panel of 12 international lawyers to act as the final court of appeal for disputes arising at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. Judge Pathak was the first president of that panel and, although not sitting in a judicial capacity himself, he was responsible for supervision of the panel's work. I had the privilege of serving under him and sitting on some six occasions. At our first meeting he would always make an opening address. He spoke with such elegance and quiet emotion that he convinced us all that the mission to bring justice based on universal principles of law to such important sporting events was a task of genuine importance. He will be sorely missed in Beijing.

Julian Rathbone

Francis King writes: I was a member of the jury that shortlisted Julian Rathbone's (obituary, March 7) King Fisher Lives for the 1976 Booker Prize. Mary Wilson was not reluctant to include his novel on the shortlist because of its sexual content but because it also dealt with cannibalism. During the reception before the dinner I asked if I might introduce Rathbone to her. She recoiled. It was only when I assured her that “he won't eat you” that she relaxed and conversed with all her usual charm and warmth.