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Date: October 16th 1916
To
Mother
From
Petearson, Chaplain
Letter

16th Oct. 1916 23rd General Hospital S.P.O S. 11 B.E.F Dear Mrs. Fargey, I have no doubt that by this time you have heard the very bad news of the death of your son J/C Fargey, who pained away in Hospital 26 yesterday fornoon. I saw him for the first time on Friday, and shall long remember with pleasure and thankfulness my visit him. He did not seem then to be very seriously ill, and he talk so much about him home, and how you have brought him up in the love of Christ and of which was proper and good. He said it was that that had kept him fine and strong & much [?] many [?] of army life. Before I left he asked me to read him a passage of Scripture, & on my taking out my own testament he begged me to read it from the Bible his mother had given him which he said he never failed to read day by day. On Saturday I had to be away from here all day and yesterday (Sunday) moving, I received a message that your boy wished to see me. I came immediately and found him evidently near his end. He was however quite conscious, and asked me if I would, when this was over, write to you and say that he died happy & that his last thoughts were of you. After prayer with him I had to leave him as it was the hour of my morning service and by the time I got back he had passed away. May I confess my deep and warm sympathy with you in the great sorrow that has come over you - and I hope and prayer is that, amidst your grief you may be comforted and cheered by the thought that your boy laid down his life a sacrifice in the noblest of causes, that he died in faith and peace of Christ, and that now he has to receive the reward that awaits a good soldier of Jesus Christ. I am yours sincerely & Sympathetically W. Petearson Craig Chaplain In due time your son's personal affects will be delivered to you by the authorities.

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