Introduction

This letter was written in 1918 by a young officer named Frank Kelly. 

He had been wounded during an attack, and Sergeant Harry Clare had carried him back to the British lines.  Sgt. Clare had, in fact, saved his life.

Harry Clare was my grandfather; he died in the 1960s from a stomach cancer which had developed out of a wound he received in the War ... so, even fifty years later, the War got him in the end.

In this, the second lesson on the feelings of men on the Western Front, you will learn that soldiers had different feelings in different situations.

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1.  Letter from Frank Kelly (30 April 1918)

Sunderland

April 30th /18

My Dear Sgt Clare,

I was exceedingly pleased to hear from you yesterday.  Do you know despite the number of times you told me your name I could no more remember it than the man in the moon.

And now my first duty is to try to express to you my feeling of gratitude for all you did for me on Mar 27th.  I fully realise how different my condition might now be but for your gallant conduct.  Do not think that you were at all responsible for my wound. It was my duty to rally the men.  Indeed I cannot understand where they got the idea of retiring like that.

I hear you are likely to get to England for a commission.  Needless to say I shall be delighted to see you.  There are one or two things I should like to talk to you about specially.  By the way you may remember when I was hit I gave my pocket-book to a Tommy to return home.  I had it returned to me today.  Do you happen to know who the 'Tommy' was?  I should like to send him something.

And now about my present condition.  I am still lying almost flat but the wound is much improved, it having turned out very dirty.  I fear when I was hit I proved very childish but I hope you will forgive me.  I really seem to have acted more like a drunken man than anything else. 

Please excuse this ill-written rambling letter.  I am sure you will realise that it is written under difficulties and I cannot well write it again.  Write again as soon as you can.  I shall always be pleased to hear from you.

Cheerio. Good luck.

Ever yours sincerely,

Interrogating the source:

Looking at all the details of its provenance, how true do you think this account is likely to be?