McC-02

France
Tuesday 6.0 am

G. H. Elliott Esq.

Sir,

I am sure you will be surprised to hear from me, but I take the opportunity of letting you know how I am going here. Well Sir since I saw you last I have been in the trenches for a spell. I have got my baptism of fire over.

This is a lovely country but in the war zone everything is in ruins, as I was leaving the trenches I took stock of the country round about it is a picture of desolation, ruined villages, churches destroyed by high explosive shell, farms wrecked, farm implements lying on the roadsides no person to use them orchards growing wild etc. I had no idea of what war meant until I came here, I have seen its effects in grim reality.

I am writing this in a French soldier's house. He has gone to the front leaving his wife and children to the tender mercies of the invaders. There are no young men left at all everyone is away defending his country, not leaving it to a few like the English system. I hope this war will soon be over. You people in Ireland have no idea of the suffering the French people have to endure, especially the farmers it is quite a common sight to see a farmer working beside a line of trenches at one time occupied by the enemy, as I was passing through a garden I saw two crosses side by side. I had a look at them one was the grave of an English soldier and the other a French, both sleeping their last long sleep, one far from his native land, and the other in his beloved France, I though it very pathetic. I will end up now as my time is limited.

I am Sir,
Yours respectfully,

John McCausland

P.S.
I am sending add. in case you would like to have it.

13227 Corp. John McCausland
B. Coy 8^th R.I.R.
107^th Brigade, Ulster Division

British Expeditionary Force

France