[Published in the Winnipeg Tribune newspaper, November 3, 1928; similar in content to that of the Manitoba Free Press of the same date.]

War Victim’s Note, Written In Trenches, Just Received
Lt. Hart Leech Penned Letter to Mother, Did Not Mail it; Killed Soon After

A letter written by a young Canadian soldier on the eve of his death at Mouquet Farm, during the battle of Courcelette, September, 1916, was delivered only recently to the soldier’s father, J. Hillyard Leech, K.C., 57 Home st.

Reaching its destination 12 years after the death of its youthful author, the letter, which is addressed to his mother, laughs at death. It is a farewell letter written just before the young soldier, Lieut. Hart Leech, eldest son of J. Hillyard Leech, went over the top with the First Canadian Mounted Rifles at Mouquet Farm where the unit sustained terrible casualties.

The letter was never mailed. It was placed in the lieutenant’s notebook, which was picked up on the battlefield by a British officer who took charge of it.

His Letter

His letter, written September, 1916, is as follows:

Sept. 13, 1916.

Dear Mother: Just a wee note. I am “going over the parapet” and the chances of a “sub” getting back alive are about nix. If I do get back, why, you can give me the horse laugh. If not this will let you know I kicked out with my boots on.

So cheer up, old dear, and don’t let the newspapers use you as material for a Saturday magazine feature. You know the kind: where the “sweet-faced, grey-haired, little mother, clutching the last letter from her boy to her breast sobbed, ‘he was such a fine lad’ as she furtively brushed the tears from her eyes with a dish rag, etc., etc.

I’m going to tell you this in case my company commander forgets it. Your son is a soldier, and a doggone good one, too, if he does say it himself, as shouldn’t. And if he gets pipped it’ll be doing his blooming job.

In a way it’s darned funny. All the gang are writing post mortem letters and kind of half ashamed of themselves for doing it. As one of our officers said: “If I mail it and come through the show, I’ll be a joke. If I tear it up and get killed I’ll be sorry I didn’t send it,” S’there y’are. 

Then He Was Killed

Only a few hours after this note, Lieut. Leech was killed in action.

The letter was forwarded to the father by Captain Edgar King, late of the Dorsetshire regiment, British Imperials. Captain King found it among other effects in a battered army valise. He had picked it up after the engagement at Mouquet farm. Shortly afterwards, he himself was wounded and there followed weary weeks in hospital.

Returning to the line, Captain King bought new equipment, turning the old valise over to a servant. The letter lay for years in Captain King’s war kit until he discovered it a few weeks ago at Oxford and immdeiately forwarded it to Mr. Leech.

[Editor’s note: Added to collection July 2024]