July 27th 1915

Name John McNeill

No 77681

14 Section 1 Company 15 Battalion 48th Hylanders Reg

My darling wife -

I have just received your last letter dated July 5th & I am glad to know that you are well, but I am very sorry indeed to hear about George, I do hope he is all right again, did you have to get his tonsils removed; if not, I am afraid it will have to be done later on, he must take after me in having such a weak throat, when I was a youngster I had a very bad throat every winter & I had to have it operated on several times, at that time I was growing very fast, in fact outgrowing my strength, & I had to be fed up on cod liver oil, if George continues to grow the way he is, it would be as well for you to get him something like that to put some fat on his bones, I wish he was like Eileen, I suppose she will always be healthy looking & plump.

I got the two bags of tobacco all right & I was sure glad to get them, you know, we dont get near enough cigarettes & I like to make my own, send me a bag now & again, dear, for I cant buy any good tobacco here, I am glad you are sending me a ring, it is very nice of you & I will always wear it for your sake, I hope I will get it soon, I am glad you got your initials put on it. I have still got your photo, dear, & Eileens lock of hair & I have a look at them every day, I wish I had a locket to put her hair in, I call it my mascot.

I dont know where Harwood gets his news from, Andy is not being sent home & his nerves are as good as ever they were, dont heed what those fellows in Vernon say, they dont know what they are talking about, you can tell Harwood & those others who are getting out of it, from me, that they have cold feet and they are no good, I will have great pleasure in telling them what I think of them when I get home, when this war started they could not get out here quick enough & now any old excuse is good enough to keep them at home, they make me sick with their old womans talk, they are no good. You say Harlow is going to join up, well, I know he is willing enough, but I dont think he would be able to stand it, it takes a pretty strong man for this kind of work & then I am afraid his eyesight is not good enough.

Now dear, I want you to stop worrying about me, I notice by your letters that you are getting very anxious, I am all right, in fact I never felt better in my life, of course I would like to get home again, dear, but I fear that will be impossible till our work is done here, we have got to lick the Germans & lick them good & then I will be able to get home, but not till then, of course the sooner this war is over the better I will be pleased, I am sick of it & wish it was over to-morrow, but it is no good wishing, we cant get out of here till our work is finished, how dont worry any more, sweetheart, I am going to take good care of myself for your sake & the sake of our little ones.

We are having a nice rest just now in billets, we are in the country away from any town & are having pretty good weather, the country is looking splendid just now, all the crops are ripening & everything is at its best, one can hardly realise that this country is at war, everything is so peaceful round here, I dont know when we are going back to the trenches, but I expect it will be soon, however that is nothing to worry about as I am used to it now.

Well, dear, I must close now, I have not got much news for you, in fact I never do have, but as long as you know I am all right, that is the principal thing, keep on writing to me dear, you know I am looking forward all the time to hearing from you & nothing does me more good or makes me feel better than to get a letter from you, it just puts new life into me. Give George & Eileen a great big love from their dady & with all my love to you, my darling wife & kisses to all I

 remain Your loving husband

Jack

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I am enclosing a sprig of forget me not I picked up about 100 yards from the trenches - J