Dear family,

The battle of Ypres is finally over! Though it was a bitter- sweet victory, I am glad it is over. Many awful things occurred during this battle which will haunt me for the rest of my life.  The trenches that we spent months in were always flooded with rainfall, this was because of the poor drainage system the trenches had. Many men developed a painful infection of the foot that we call trench foot. I suspect I have it. It hurts when I walk, and I can feel my feet swelling every day. I am afraid to take my boots off. Rats the sizes of full grown cats eat my fallen comrades. The rotten corpses probably taste better than the food they serve us. All we eat is bully beef and biscuits made out of cement. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since the war began. The constant shelling and the fear of ambush keeps me awake. The living conditions are nothing compared to the horrors I faced in the front line fighting for my country.

Join now!

On April 22nd we have as just arrived at the front which was located just outside the city of Ypres, near Belgium. Here the Germans have achieved recognition for holding their ground. We were not alone in battle. The French and British aided us throughout the battle. From the beginning, the Germans had the advantage of holding high ground.        

After hundreds if not thousands of artillery shelling, the Germans used their new weapon, chlorine gas. I remember how the gas sank into our trenches and the cries of men gasping for air. I saw many men die a painful death. We ...

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