KILLED WHILE WRITING TO HIS WIFE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1441, 2 September 1915, Page 4

KILLED WHILE WRITING TO HIS WIFE

It wits while iii the act ol writing a Idler home to in-- wife that Private William Horsfall, who lived in Hum-let, England, was killed in the trenches. The intimation ol Horsfall's death is contained in a letter sent (<> Airs I loislall by an ollicer. Jhe lettci reads: “Dear Mrs Horsfall,— ! am writing to break some very sad news to yon. Your husband lias been killed by a shell, and I cannot say how very sorry I am. 1 am an ollicer in his company, and, having seen a jjood deal of him. I am only 100 glad to do what 1 can for you and him. “At (lie time iie was killed he was writing the enclosed letter, and died almost at once, never regaining eoiurkmsiiess. Gne other man wan killed at tlie same time, and two others wounded. We buried your husband at about sunset on the same evening. Mareh 20. alongside several other graves. It lias a. small wooden cross over it, on which is written : ‘R.I.P. William Horsfall. 2nd Half. K.0.Y.L.1. Killed in action, March 21sl. 1 cnedose a photo of him taken with tho company sergeant major about a month ago, I have only just, got the pholo. and I know he was wanting one to send to yon. I am sending a parcel of his belongings, which I expect you will be glad to have, and if them is anything else I can do lor you. do not, hesitate to let me know, and T will do mv Ih'sl,—l am. vour* very trnlv. .1. 11. Oldham.” Horsfall's letter, which hears the marks of the trench, is as follows: "My own darling wife. — It gives mo great pleasure to write yon a few more lines, sincerely hoping that they will (bid yon well and in (be best of health. I am writing this in what we call a dng-ont —that is, a trench surrounded by wood, etc., to help keep off the shrapnel anil tho wet. At present we are in support of another* brigade. The firing' line is a few hundred yards in front, and in ease of emergency we should have to rush up to their help. Even while J am writing sfiulls are screeching through the air both German and ours. A few bullets keep whistling through the wood: we get most of those at nigfit-lime. That is our main time. They don t half rattle the trees I It is marvellous how more men don't get hit. Last night we were out trendi-digging. The bullets kept coming over from the firing line, hut no one got, llit. The night before we were eafrying bricks for flic purpose of milking a toad along a canal hank. We had a few men Jliu there. One chap got lilt in tlie thigh just behind me. 1 bandaged him up and lay with him on the side of the canal lor about an hour until tlie slreleliers eame. Two shells have just hurst over the wood, but 110 damage was done. Return I get, any" further, love, f must tell you that I received your parcel anil loiter; contents of the parcel all very nice, and came in handy and at the proper time. Von can send me a parcel every two or thrco " <r f he letter here finishes abruptly, for ns Horsfall was just about to write the next word lie was killed, his unfinished letter being picked tip out of the dug-out, bv his ollicer.