As the Centenary of the WW1 Armistice approaches, I'm posting extracts from letters written in 1918 by Private Tom Fake to his wife Charlotte back home in Bristol.
Tom had been in France since the end of 1916, serving with the Rifle Brigade, and wrote home regularly throughout the war. His letters could be both amusing and touching, and I used many in my book Letters from the Trenches.
In November 1918 he was writing home roughly every three days, although there wasn't always very much to say. On November 8th he began by replying to news Charlotte had included in her letter, sympathising over the poor health of an uncle and warning his son not to play around with photographic film that obviously needed developing. Tom then continued:
"I am glad all my letters have reached you, and I have had all yours up to date, this one came today. I am sending you some more cash tomorrow, have been paid this afternoon 50 francs. I have not much to say this time, I am not in the line and according to the way the wind is blowing out here, fighting may finish in a couple of weeks time, but of course this is not certain. I should not be surprised to be told off [allowed to go on] leave any time after the next week, so keep smiling. Now I will close, so goodnight my dears, God bless you both, with fondest love and kisses."
Pictured below is Tom's letter from November 8th.
Tomorrow: "Thank God he has brought me through"
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