Letters From the Trenches

A Day in the Trenches

Dear Mom and Dad,                                                 June 16th 1915

Thank-you for all the previous letters you have sent. We recently arrived to fight in Beaumont Hamel, France. I hope everyone is feeling good, unlike my new friend Tim, who  recently got sick. So, how's the weather at home? The weather here is bad. It has been raining all week. Having to expose myself to no man’s land to rescue a friend I got wounded in the right leg.

I would just like to tell I am safe right now because I am with a nurse in a safe shelter to wrap bandaging around the wound. My nurse said you are pretty much healed.  I should try bending it more, so I went on a short bike ride to the Beaumont Hamel Memorial Park. It was relaxing but kind of hurt. I might have overdone it. I enjoyed the fresh home made jam, but now I need some new socks because all of mine are sweaty stinky and wet from the trenches. I hope to hear more about back home. 

Love from your son, 
John

Dear, Beloved Family                                                                           1915/03/23

             Today is my nineteenth birthday, I am missing you guys every moment I am gone and spending this day without you guys makes me go insane. Instead of being at home, I am stuck in the trenches awaiting to attack the enemies. We sit here awaiting orders to attack or we wait for the enemy to attack. I hate this war, it seems that there is no end to it. They told us it would end in a couple months and it has been a year already. I am counting every day that goes by.

There is also terrible smell in the trenches. It is probably the worst thing I have ever smelled but I am not sure what it is, maybe it’s the gas they have been using I have no idea. I am also getting black spots on my feet and we are not so sure what it is, maybe it is because we spend so long in the mud down here and our feet are always wet. 

Anyways let's stop talking about me. How is my dear family? Is everyone doing fine? Is the dog still giving you troubles? I am always wondering if anything new is happening so don't forget to tell me everything when you get the chance.

Anyways, I am running of room on this paper send me a letter soon.

Love, Braden