Ward 3, Northamptonshire War Hospital, Duston, Northampton, Eng.
July 6, 1916
Dear Father, Just a short note to let you know I am getting along fine and that I got 10 shillings from Aunt Nellie. It sure was a great help to me as I lost everything I had. I will enclose the Trench Mortar badge off my arm. You will get an idea from that what I looked like when I came out of the trenches. I only had a tunic, a pair of boots, socks, and a half a pair of pants. They had to cut my pants away from the wound. Archie is doing fine. I understand he is soon to be an NCO and that means something in the "front line". His regiment has come through the hardest of fighting, having been cut up several times, but Archie is a war wise soldier and he always comes through. He was in the big scrap on the 2nd June and only got a little scratch on his hand. He certainly gave me good advice when I went in. Well I am getting along fine and soon hope to be sent to Scotland on sick furlough. I was wounded in Sanctuary Wood the other side of Ypres, the city of the dead. Well, Neil, if you could only know how thankful I am for that money. It means tobacco, stamps, and other little things till I get my pay-book again. Well I will close now hoping you are all well. Your affectionate son, Ronald P.S. Neil, don't come out here. You can fight Germans but not shells! Do not write me here as I will soon be leaving for a convalescent home.
R.