Letters From the Front

Dated:

LIEUT. BEATTIE TRIED TO ESCAPE HUN PRISON

Given Fourteen Days' Punishment by Enemy -- Canadian's Adventures.

Flight Sub-Lieut. A. G. Beattie, a prisoner of war in Germany, has written his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Beattie, Mandaumin, telling of his efforts to escape from the Landshut Camp, and the fact that, as a result, he had been confined in prison 14 days. Flt. Lieut. Beattie took his officers' training course in London, and went overseas with the 149th (Lambton) Battalion, where he was transferred to the aviation branch of the service.

About Christmas time he was reported missing, and it was several weeks before the good news reached his parents that he was alive and well and a prisoner of war at Landshut. The section of the letter, written on February 12, in which Lieut. Beattie tells of his efforts to escape, has been deleted with lead pencil by censor, but so imperfectly that the words written below can be made out. Portions of a former letter received at his home had been painted out with black paint. The letter is as follows:

You may not have heard from me for some time, owing to the fact that I, with two others, escaped from camp and was captured, becoming occupants of cells in the prison here., I have had no opportunity of writing. I escaped on January 28, and have spent 14 days in prison. During that time, I had lots of time to think and read. I read a great many novels, and tried to think out what I should do after the war. I am thinking that if the war ends soon, I may buy a few Horned Dorsets¹ to bring home with me from England, providing, of course, that I can spare the money. For the money which I require here, I can draw checks on my bank in England. I expect from appearances that my 20th birthday, March 25, will be spent here in camp. There is little to write, except that I am well and happy, although I should much rather be fighting.

The young lieutenant has many friends, and relatives in Toronto. A cousin, Mr. J. B. Laidlaw, lives on Grace street.