SIR – Having seen in the T&A yet again a photograph of a smoking Mr Hockney, I was pleased to read a criticism of his continued habit of smoking.

Many years ago, I decided to give up the war-time habit of ‘having a drag’ – not for health reasons, but due to a price increase from six pence a pack to, I think, eight old pence a pack.

I had cheered up many badly-wounded soldiers, of many races including German, who were given a fag and a kind word before dying.

Geoffrey Smith, Nab Wood Crescent, Shipley