Day 4 - 1916 Dear Father

Dear Father,

I’m not sure where we are, somewhere in a trench. We are taking a beating by the Germans. There are just so many of them and they bombard us and shoot at us constantly but the gas is the worst. It just kills. If the wind shifts, sometimes the German’s get killed too but they wear gas masks. They look like some sort of bug men in those masks too.

I am sorry that I ran off like I did but Remy was homesick and tired of fighting in Pancho Villa’s war so I went with him. By now, you must know that I am in the Belgian Army and my name is Henri Defense. It’s worse here than anything I could have imagined before I came.

I am sorry for the worry that I have undoubtedly caused you. You have to know that I never deliberately cause trouble but it does seem to find me most of the time. We are attached to a French unit right now but are hoping to get back to our own unit soon.

Please write to Miss Seymour and tell her that I am fine. She tried to talk me out of this but I refused to listen. Perhaps I should have.

Did I tell you I met the woman they call Mata Hari? I will tell you about her when I return. We had quite an adventure and I certainly learned that things are not always as they seem.

I don’t have much time and have no idea right now when I can write again but I will as soon as I can.

As always,
Henry Jones, Junior

This letter was undated but I think it was written about 1916 when my Grandfather fought in the Belgian Army in WWI.