SIR - They all believed bigger was better. I'll never forget being in my first class of newly-qualified sick-berth attendants awaiting allocation of our new drafts at Plymouth's Royal Naval Hospital. Our names were called in alphabetical order followed by the ship or establishment to which we were being drafted.

Early on the list came our biggest battleship. There were expressions of approval, almost of envy. There followed one or two smaller vessels, not quite so popular. Then came a few shore bases. HMS Duke would have suited me very nicely.

The stokers' training school at Malvern would have been ideal for a Worcester lad but it was not to be. My name was called followed by "LCB Stoke Gabriel". There were hoots of derision and outright laughter. Almost everyone realised I was to join a recently commandeered Thames drifter. A smaller, uglier, less glamorous craft would have been hard to imagine. The Chief silenced them with a wave of his hand.

"If I could have my pick that's the one I'd choose," he observed. "He will be working without supervision getting experience of a wide range of jobs and learning to take responsibility."

I thought he was merely trying to ease my feelings but it was exactly as he said. I would not have missed the experience for the world.

JOHN HINTON,

Worcester.