Dearest Beloved

01/10/1914

Dedicated to the love of my life Zoe O'Neill.

Dearest Beloved,

I am tired. So much has happened since I left you what seems like months ago. I know it can only have been a handful of days but my world seems to stop turning without you. I left with a mixture of sadness and anticipation for the adventure to come yet that sadness and feeling of loss without you has only grown. Know that in this world or the next I shall forever love you and seek you out for we are destined to be together no matter what. Our names are written in the stars for we are nothing without each other. You're the Juliet to my Romeo.

I can't stand to be without you for the many weeks to come but know that we will have won by Christmas so I can come home to you and feel your warm embrace once more. With you my guardian angel and my driving force I know that nothing can stop me!

I shall send those Jerry's back to their own country with their tails between their legs. We're going over the top tomorrow as we finally push the Germans back but I feel in capable hands with a gun in my hand and you in my heart and mind. This new technology is amazing, these rifles are so easy to load and I hear we have machine guns that only take 3 people to fire! In a few months they claim man will have taken to the skies and drive metal monsters, sounds all pretty unbelievable to me.

Our network of trenches are phenomenal, truly a demonstration of our might. My back still aches and my hands are still raw from digging but the French farmers have been kind to leave us some food behind. The Germans are finding it impossible to break through and are getting ripped to shreds by our barbed wire and machine gunners. Unfortunately we haven't been able to get through either up till now but of course that all changes tomorrow! The lions that lead us have had the brilliant idea of firing artillery into their trenches. We've been bombarding them for days, it's extremely loud but they must be nearly all dead by now and those that aren't will soon be finished off by the gas. Their barbed wire will be dust by now. All we'll need to do is stroll across No Man's Land and claim their trenches.

You should see the rats that we have running by our feet. Young William woke up to one staring at him and I guess he took offence because he chased that rat down the length of the trench until it scuttled under a board. I don't mind them so much so long as they don't steal too much of my food! They're already the size of small dogs.

Not a moment goes by that I don't think of you in our kitchen, the warm glow of the stove lighting up your beautiful face and showing the glimmer in your eye and the cheeky smile. Our children will be proud to have you as a mother. I want you to always know you'll be mine. I could never let such beauty and grace get away from me. There are so many things we still need to do, many sunny days in the park eating a picnic, many days riding the horses down to the river, so many dances I still need to take you to but they can wait for when I get home. Just make sure you have your prettiest dress ready for when I get home. I still wear you around my neck and kiss you whenever I go to sleep or pick up my rifle.

They say it's going to rain tomorrow and it already looks like a big one. I can see the lightning starting to build so I'd better take cover but know that I'll see you again no matter what even if I have to seek you out myself. I love you with all my heart and will write to you again when I can.

Forever Yours,