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Can. Forestry Corp Hosp.

4^th Dist.

Dax –

Jan. 20, [1919]

Dear Papa –

Thanks for the Posts etc. which have all come through. I have about 3 of your letters to answer but have nothing much to tell you. We hear we may leave here very soon but to-day flu is reported to have broken out again so we may be busy again. For the last 3 weeks we have had scarcely any patients, as most of the Companies are packed and ready to leave and the men are very keen not to be kept in hosp.

I sent Mother an account of my trip to Pau Lourdes and Cauterets so shall not repeat. It is great to have the war over and feel you can go off for a day or two without the dread of bad news awaiting you when you return.

I felt so certain that Don would not come back that it made me very depressed for a long time, and while I miss him terribly, that terrible feeling of dread has past. I expect it will be awfully hard for you seeing Eric again, and knowing Don will never come, but do not feel that it was the worst sorrow we could have known – death to me now is one of the least of the horrors of war, and we must only be glad for his sake that he went as he did.

I wrote to the Regiment for definite location of his grave and have forwarded them to Miss Ridley who is arranging for me to go up. They are Sheet 57B – O24d, and the grave is in the Bois de Gattignez between Clary and Maretz, 15 miles S.E. of Cambrai. The adjutant said in his letter that Don was one of their most valued men, and expressed his sympathy for us all.

I do not know when I shall be sent up, not till I go up north again, I think.

Work is finished here now and everything is being packed up, so unless the flu makes a difference we shall not be here more than a few weeks from all I can hear.

We have filled in our Demobilization papers, but have not heard a word about the probable date of our return to Canada. They are sending a great many Sisters from England and a few have gone from France, but no one that I know has got away yet. However it surely won’t be long now.

Is there anything I can take home for you. Our stuff goes through duty free so let me know if you want any thing.

With much love I am,

Yours lovingly,

Helen.

War Office Response to Helen Regarding the Location of Don's Grave

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