Letters From the Front

Dated:

Dr. Rowat's son William, who is now on military service in France writes as follows:

Dear Mother,

there is so much that I could write about, they don't know where to begin or how much I should relate. In the first place, I might say that we have participated in one of the most deadly and critical battles that has taken place in the Western front. You will, of course, have read accounts of the whole affair in the newspapers. The fighting has lasted over a week now, and although I have had a good many close shaves, I am still fit and well, the only hardships and discomforts gone through being a lack of rations for the first couple of days, a loss of sleep for the same period and a sore throat caused by certain poisonous gases from the enemy's shells. I also had a little accident which bruised up my right leg a bit. We were galloping away from the gun after having fed her up with a load of ammunition and my riding horse stumbling through, stepping in a shell hole went down, and after being bumped around considerably I finally got run over by the front wheels of my wagon, but avoided the second one by turning a somersault over the way. I was very fortunate however, in escaping so easily as the wagon being a heavy one could very well have broken my leg. However, getting run over by a wagon is a minor affair, considering the fact that shells of all sizes and kinds were bursting around and to escape the latter seems more of a miracle than getting out the spills so fortunately. It is certainly exciting when you get right into a hot engagement and gallop around over roads covered by the enemies guns, with chunks of steel and iron whizzing past your ears, and branches of trees coming down with a crash. The places around here have gruesome titles, one being known as the "Valley of Death" and another "Dead Man's Corner" and they certainly come up to their titles, as road is generally pretty well dotted with dead horses, and occasionally dead man as well. This is only an instance of what I've gone through in the past 8 or 10 days, and all that I have mentioned above took place within an hour, so would require more time and paper than I possess to describe even half of the interesting events which took place during that period. It will relieve you to hear, however, that we have taken up a much safer position and expect to be relieved shortly in order to rest up our horses and make up our defenses. The only regret I have is that a good many of my best friends have either been killed or wounded, the former predominating. Experiences of this kind only serve to draw one closer to his God, and fellows who have paid very little heed to the existence of their Maker, have changed remarkably in the past few days. It is no uncommon thing to have a man admit that he offered up a prayer before going into action, and another one of thankfulness on coming out of it safely.

Today, May 8, has turned out very warm after a night of drizzling rain, which most of us slept out in. Having just arrived at a new position, we had no time or energy to look for billets, but just flopped down on the ground anywhere.

I've not received any letters for two weeks now, but except to find quite a bunch only go back for a rest. Will have to close for now. Love to all

Your affectionate son,

Willie