Dear Mrs. Matthews,
Your dear husband, Pte E.Matthews 1/8 K.L.R was
brought to this hospital on 22nd shot in the left leg & right shoulder, his
left leg had to be taken off.
I greatly regret to tell you he only
lived a few hours, passing peacefully away on 23rd at 2-45 am.
I am so thankful he was conscious
when I visited him & he gave me your address & sent his fondest love to
you and his five children, so his last thought was of you all, but I do not
think he really thought he was going to leave you, & he hoped he might
recover.
He afterwards became unconscious, so
he did not suffer much & everything possible was done for him by the Drs Sisters &
Orderlies of the R.A.M.C.
We laid his body to rest on 23rd in Mendingham Military Belgium.
If you write to the G.R.U (War
Office) St James Sq London SW they will if possible give you a photograph of
his plaque later on.
All his personal belongings that were
saved will be sent to you from the base, you may have to wait 2 or 3 months no
need to apply.
How great a blow has fallen upon you,
go at once & pour out your sorrow to your heavenly father who promises to
be the God of the Widow & Father of the
Fatherless.
I hope you will tell your vicar, that
he may be a friend to you in your past trial.
Try & be as brave as you can, as
he was for your sakes I have told you all we know here and am going on leave
tomorrow to
Truly yours F.G Walmsley,
Chaplain C/E
P.S I rather think his name was S.E
Matthew that is how I read it on his card, but it has verified on the books as E.Matthews.
If there is this little mistake it
probably arose from being entered Matthews.E I read
as
E Matthews so you will understand.