Ken Campbell

Brian Aldiss writes: Ken Campbell’s (obituary, Sept 2) magnificent Illuminatus! unfolded every evening throughout the week. My enthusiastic review for The Guardian was instrumental in bringing the show down south to the Cottesloe, where John Gielgud played the voice of the computer. My media agent, Frank Hatherley, got together a series of sketches into an entertainment called SF Blues, which ran for four years. Ken joined us, together with a ravishing leading lady, Petronilla Whitfield. We performed all over Britain and further afield. While Ken was on stage, we were fireproof!

He was a merry man, and a generous one. When we were performing in The Hague, Ken was performing in Glasgow. He flew over to the Netherlands and back in one day, just to be in the programme with us.

Professor John Barron

Professor John B. P. Stephenson, Balliol 1953, writes: What a splendid photograph you published (obituary, Aug 29) of a man who had pretty well the same benign appearance when he was an undergraduate at Balliol. John might have been amused to know that the Balliol College Third Eight 1954 “Seven Bumps” oar — with his name at number 6 (J. P. Barron 12”4”) — hangs in our hall in the Isle of Islay, catching the rays of the sunset as they glance over the water.

Sir Bill Cotton

Malcolm Pinhorn writes: Your obituary of Sir Bill Cotton (August 12) mentioned his schooldays. It is probable that he was deeply religious because Ardingly College, at which he spent nine years, was a Woodard School. His old headmaster, Canon Ernest Crosse, conducted the service when he married Bernadine Sinclair in 1950 and baptised their three children.

He was a school prefect, played cricket and football, was drum-major of the training corps band and senior prefect of C dorm. I particularly remember one evening when he entertained us with jokes and stories non-stop for 15 minutes.

Lieutenant-Commander Ian Fraser

David Salmon writes: In regard to the obituary of Ian Fraser, VC, (Sept 3) it ought to be mentioned that the X-craft in fact had a four-man crew, which included Sub-Lieutenant W. J. L. Smith, Royal New Zealand Navy, and Engine Room Artificer C. A. Reed, both of whom were decorated. The operation involved the whole crew being at their stations for at least 50 hours in the most horrid conditions and all involved showed courage beyond the call of duty.