Sergeant Arthur Petty
A Final Farewell
The following is a copy of a letter sent by
Sergeant Arthur Petty to his wife. The letter features in my
book and I am pleased to be able to replicate it here.
R.T.A. Rohilla
Thursday, Oct, 29th 1914
My dear wife and child
I am writing to let you know we leave here for France today, so by the
time you get this letter we shall be there. We shall have a few days
hard work getting the sick and wounded on board + landed them in England,
if you keep your eyes on the papers you will see were abouts the wounded
is landed, it might be London, Dover or Southampton. We leave here at
4.oclock this afternoon + will arrive about Saturday morning, Dunkirk
near Ostend so you see we shall not be far off the fighting. I have
told you where we are going because by the time you get this letter
we shall be perhaps be leaving, so the censor wont object.
My dears you will have got our Elsies parcel
by now, I thought about a doll, but its such a long way + it might have
got broke, so I sent her two little brushes so that she could help you
to clean up a bit, I hope he will get them, you can let her have them
now. So I will write from France if we stop a few days, but don’t be
anxious if I don’t because we shall be busy, so good bye for the present
give any love to all, your loving + affectionate husband Arthur.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Copyright © Colin Brittain 1999 - 2014
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