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Date: July 14th 1916
To
Mr. A.T. Platt
From
Sgt. Major Edward Harvey
Letter

3rd Battalion Toronto Regiment.
British Expeditionary Force. France.
July 14th 1916.

To
A.T. Platt Esq.
Toronto Ont.

Dear Sir:

Major Alley of this battalion was good enough to hand me the letter which you wrote Pte.Lambert, some time ago. Unfortunately, Pte.Lambert was killed in the fighting near Zillebeke before your letter arrived, and as Sgt. Nottingham and myself were with him when your son was shot, I presume the Major wishes me to reply to your letter.

You will be comforted to know that your son did not suffer much, and he did not regain consciousness after being hit. He was struck by a bullet clean through the head, and it was impossible for us to do much for him, except bring him in and make him as comfortable as possible on a stretcher until Death came. This we did, and I spoke to him two or three times in the hope of him replying but it was futile. When we found him in a shell hole I said, “Where are you hit, old man?" but he never replied. He was moaning then, but shortly after he fell off into a doze and gradually drifted out.

It was a pity poor Lambert did not live to get your letter. It would have pleased him immensely, I know. You may have heard that your son was very popular with all the boys and he was a splendid officer. Everybody felt very sorry when they heard of his death and we missed him very much in the trenches.

Sgt. Nottingham has read your letter and he joins me in thanking you for your good wishes. May we also express our deepest sympathy with you in your loss. Your boy is buried in the Military Cemetery near Poperingke (Wippenhoek). Quite close to him lies Col. Marshall of the 48th Ndrs.  

Any other information which I can furnish you with, will be willingly sent you.

Yours very sincerely,
Edward Harvey. (Coy. Sgt Major)

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