Bertie Ling's Letter Home

6-7-17 My darling wife and children, Your loving letter of the 1st ins.to hand on the 4th. So glad to hear you are keeping well also that the little one’s colds are all so much better. It is Coleman’s where we are now, but soon get used to it. Take very little notice of shells after one gets used to them. Well dearest,I see you,like me,get the weather being changeable, but it is grand for the crops. Things are looking well out here.I see you are having a nice parcel from Nance.I hope they will be of good use to you. Isn’t she a good old sort? I haven’t heard from her a week or more.I should hear about today. How do the new potatoes go and the green peas.We get our share of the former but no peas up to the present.My word, would it not be a treat to sit down to a dinner with a piece of pudding and sweets again. Roll on that time my dearest, what say you. I hope and trust it will be some time this year. Yes, what you saw in the paper is quite right, and worse luck I shall be in it. Never mind my love look on the bright side of things.I do. When I heard from William last time (at Clacton-on-Sea) he promised to send me a cake, but it has not turned up yet.Have you seen Nurse Weston since she has been down your way? You have never mentioned her again. How is Florrie? Give her my love. I guess it is all off with Mr. M. Are you still distant with them next door. Remember me kindly to Father and Mother trusting they are well.Kiss all the little dears for daddy. God bless you all.Will now conclude with fondest love and heaps of kisses. Xxxxxxxxx From your own Xxxxxxxxxxx Loving Hubby xxxxxxxxxx P.S. I see you have heard from Mrs.F again.Give them my kind regards when writing.I hope dearest you are keeping well, I am A.1. Bert 7-7-17 I had a letter from Nance yesterday as expected. She is sending you what you mentioned quite well. On the 12th July his death was reported as follows: France July 12th 1917 Dear Mrs. Ling, You will have heard everything of the death of your husband. I am so sorry for you. This is a time of terrible distress for so many people. May God grant you His strength and comfort in your hour of need. I thought you would like to know that your husband was killed instantly by a shell at 1 a.m. of the 8th so had no pain whatsoever. You will like to know that I went with his platoon officer and some of his comrades and buried him in a little cemetery not far from the spot where he fell. With most sincere sympathy with you in your trouble I am Yours faithfully (Rev.) Edmund B. Potts C.F. 24th Field Ambulance B.E.F.