LETTER FROM BELGIUM REFUGEE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1335, 10 December 1914, Page 2

LETTER FROM BELGIUM REFUGEE.

Mr F. Vertoagen, a native of Antwerp and now a resident of Foxton, received a letter by the last mail from a niece who is at present in England. The writer is employed as governess to a Belgian family with whom she escaped from Antwerp after the bombardment of that city commenced, Her two eldest brothers and uncle are fighting in the Belgium army. Another uncle, his wife and child, escaped from a village and are now sheltering in Antwerp. The writer has not received any news from her parents and brothers as postal communication) with Antwerp is cut off. An aunt, who is mother superior of a convent, managed to escape with the sisters of the institution, but her whereabouts are unknown to the writer, who concludes as follows : “I hope, dear aunt and uncle, that you won’t have to suffer through this terrible war. I cannot tell you all the terrible happenings. I think you will know of them through the newspapers. The details are sickening. I could do nothing but cry all day long if I hadn’t any distraction. Your children are really fortunate to be out of all danger and to keep their daddy near them. They are not like their little cousins.” After some touching personal references the writer asks that they will “pray God to keep their cousins and uncle safe.” We have also been shown two photos of the young fellows mentioned who are bravely upholding their country’s honour at the front and fine young men they are, too. May the family be protected from harm and be again re-united to enjoy a lasting peace when plucky little Belgium again comes into her own, is our earnest wish.