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Date: October 1916
To
Hillyard Leech
From
G. [H.?] Nash
Letter

[Editor’s note: While the statement below is undated, October 1916 seems the earliest plausible date of origin and has been used here for continuity purposes within the collection. It may well have been composed sometime considerably later.]

 

G.H. Nash
Oak Lake, Man

In morning of 15 Sept I was in 11 platoon Hart was 12 platoon.

We were sent out for raiding party – 30 or 40 of us, got surprised we started 6.30 to go over When we got over lots [?] were waiting on us, very little artillery, we were surprised, they were ready for us, very few got back not more than a dozen Hart and Leut Greenwood were back of pty – Greenwood was wounded Lieut [?] was also in [?] arm [pby?] wounded two places and has [since?] been killed

I was wounded [?] we had only shell hole protection, [went?] in 10 P.M. in shell holes and at 6.30 started back, Germans came at us with bombs, we were badly surrounded and had to get back fighting all the way,

Hart was with us [abt?] 1½ hours on the road, we were out there in no-mans land 3 hrs

We went over at 6,30 and were 3 hrs in shell holes before getting back

We got within 20yds of German line could not say when Hart hit, but was told by stretcher bearer that while serious first wounds would not be fatal,

2nd wound on left side above heart, It was 1 hour after he got back in trench, He had been all dressed and was lying there till we got chance of getting him out,

I spoke to him. He asked how the thing came off and a few general remarks, I think Hart did not expect he was dying, He was all numb from wound.

I saw him after dead I am sure it was on left side, a book was [?] [?] his side – a diary or small pocket book

The hole in his side, He had a private’s uniform, no belts exactly same as private,

Caswell was Cap. of C. He did not go over,

I think Greenwood was fr Lieutenant.

He would be recognized as an officer by the burial pty by two stars on shoulder,

Our burial pty took him out of trench

Hart had no glasses on, [statement ends]

[partial message written in pen along the torn left margin of the first page, context unknown and possibly part of an entirely separate document: “of the Senate and House of [?] of Canada [?]”]

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