Dear Mrs. Bowes,
You will wonder why I should write you, a perfect stranger to you. I have hesitated about doing it but you will excuse me when I explain to you why I am doing it.
I had a letter from my boy in England, a day or two ago, telling me how things were going there. You may possibly have heard of him before this. He is Lieutenant Cecil H. Gunn of the 222nd Battalion. He happened to be away on sick leave when [most of the members of] his platoon were sent over to France and he wrote to tell me that many of his platoon had been killed and quite a number wounded.
He says, “It is so hard to realize I won’t see most of any old platoon again. I had two brothers, they were excellent young boys, just 18 and 20 years old. They were both killed. That’s why I am writing you today. I am just wondering if you would write to their mother. I will write myself, also.” I have just given you his words. It is a terrible blow to the people at home. Their names were Fred and Jim Bowes.
I sincerely sympathize with you and yours but words fail at such a time as this. I can only hope and pray that He who alone knows what a blow it is to you, will sustain you. He sympathizes with our grief and for our comfort sends relief. I will add no more at present, such sorrow lies too deep for human ministry.
You have my sincere sympathy,
Mrs. John Gunn
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