This is the earliest of the letters in the collection. It finds Clifford Bowes arriving at Camp Sewell, east of Brandon, Man., for basic training. The camp would change its name to Camp Hughes in honour of Major-General Sir Sam Hughes, the Minister of Militia and Defence. Ada is the wife of Cliff’s older brother, Elliott. My Dearest Mother, Your most beautiful letter received today noon and was sure glad to hear from you although it put me most painfully in mind of our last parting. I will remember your words and always do my duty even though hard at times. Well, we arrived here safe and sound, got yanked up before the captain for outstaying my pass and drew a two-day Confined to Barracks for it. Well Mother, Almar Dorn is here, now also Edgar Wilson, Preacher Wilson’s son that...

by Tom MacGregor “This is the saddest letter I will ever have to write,” so begins a letter by 25-year-old Clifford Bowes written near Vimy Ridge in the weeks preceding the big battle when Canadian troops would so distinguish themselves. In that letter he has to tell his mother, Margaret Bowes of Boissevain, Man., that one of her sons, his brother James, has died and another, Fred, lies wounded in a military hospital. The First World War touched every small town and every family in Canada but the Bowes family had more than its share of suffering. Before 1917 finished all three of the Bowes brothers who enlisted in the Great War would perish. Throughout their service Margaret Bowes’ boys wrote home faithfully and she in turn sent letters and parcels. The letters were collected and kept to...