Bed 45 Ward A

W5 General Hos

London SE

Nov 5/17

Rev M Irwin & family

My dear friends

Just a few lines in answer to yours received yesterday & dated Sept 2nd & was pleased to get it. You will probably think me long winded in writing, but I was waiting for some work & as you know it is pretty dull living in hospital, but now I can get about again & can do a little walking around. Well sir I am pleased to know that you are all in good health I am in touch with Karl & hope to see him sometime this week, as he tells me that he is having 2 days leave. I tell you it will be a treat to see some of the old norwood boys again. Well sir you will know that I have had my accident from my friends. I tell you I had quite a few narrow escapes. I was buried 3 separate times in two weeks & came out without a scratch & also blown up in the air & dropped into the mud on the Ypres-Comines canal back, pretty near the place where I met my accident. I have also 3 German bullets, one I got into my blanket in my pack & the others went through my tunic. how my dear friend & Bror I am telling you this in private, please don’t let it out was I have never mentioned it in any of my letters & it would only upset my wife. Well sir I went thro the messines & Wychette Ridge to, I saw all the mines go up. I was only about 600 yards away from one, so I was pretty near. Well sir I am glad to know that you have seen the family frequently. I know that they are pretty lonely, but then all we can do is to go on praying & trusting for a speedy ending of this terrible strife. Well sir I am in good health but lame & I expect I shall be for quite a long time I had the semilunar cartiledge of my left knee cut away & I tell you that it was pretty sore, but still it is going along fine & I can get about splendidly. Well sir I will have to come to a close & I hope that this will find you all in good health. I am glad that the gardens were successful. Well Goodbye & God Bless you all & continue to pray for us, we need it.

From yours sincerely

(Can Engineer) Sapper Iden Bonds 195.560