Dearest Victoria, These last two months without you have been awful. We found out yesterday that the final attack is to be tomorrow

Year 11 Original Writing

Dearest Victoria,

These last two months without you have been awful. We found out yesterday that the final attack is to be tomorrow, but I don’t wish for you to worry, the stress is no good for you or the baby and you must stay strong for the children and reassure them I will be fine.

All of the men are starting to get nervous now, except for a few of the newer men who are slightly too enthusiastic, but I’m sure that will all soon change. Most of the men know what is likely to happen to us when we go out onto the front line tomorrow; only a few days ago four soldiers and an officer were killed whilst making a raid. It was a huge shock to all of us; especially Captain Stanhope, when we found out it was Officer Osborne. He was a fantastic officer and a great man. His death seemed to have a huge impact on Raleigh too; he was one of the enthusiastic ones I was saying about earlier.

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Raleigh’s welcome seemed to be slightly awkward at first. Although nobody said about it there was a strange atmosphere between him and Captain Stanhope. Even though things went back to normal after a while, Osborne’s death seemed to change things again. It was like he had been the peacemaker. I think, in a way, Raleigh may have felt guilty about Osborne’s death. You see Raleigh and Osborne had to make a raid in one of the Boche trenches to capture a German for questioning and whilst Osborne was waiting he was hit by a hand grenade. It was a terribly awful way to die and for all we know he could still be out there and probably is. I’m so afraid it is going to happen to me. It just shows you how anything can happen out here. Of course the Colonel and Sergeant Major didn’t give a damn about any of the men that died; all they cared about was getting information about that poor German boy. He was only about 17 and he looked scared to death.

I’m sorry to go on but I’m just thinking of all the things I still want to say to you in these final moments of my life. I want so much to tell the children I love them. I want to see the birth of our new baby and I want to be around to help you look after the children. But most of all I want this letter to reach you in time so that I can tell you how much I love you.

Now my fate is in the hands of Captain Stanhope. He really is a wonderful leader (despite being so young) and I am happy to obey his orders, he really knows what he is doing. I do feel awfully sorry for the young lad though. He’s only 21 and he has so many responsibilities, it’s no wonder he drinks himself into the ground every night. I honestly can’t imagine what it must be like having to send men out onto the front line every day knowing that chances are we’ll never see them again, especially when it’s your close friends as Osborne was. And all this time he must be wondering why he hasn’t died yet. He’s the only original man out here; everyone else has either been killed or injured and sent home. Six months he’s been out here now and some of the men say he hasn’t even been home for a break. In all that time? I really don’t know how he does it? He really is a truly amazing man.

Anyway I must have a quick sleep before I am due to go up. I’m not sure what to say now, all I no is that I love you and the children and I always will do.

All my love, Christopher.