Letter of Pte. Ross, January 1, 1917

Somewhere in France, Jan 1 1917

Dear Mother,

My cold has left me quite deaf. This morning a couple of shells landed within 10 yards of me but I did not hear them. But the dead certainly make me creepy. I never was quite so bad. The mud is terrible, over your boots, everywhere. You would not know me now if you saw me. I am covered head to foot and cannot get it off me. Katie said in her letter that they are going to send me a parcel. Would it be too much trouble to ask you to send one every week?

I am your loving lonely son

Pte. Donald Ross

Letter of Pte. Ross, March 15, 1918

March 15 1918

Dearest Mother,

I rather expect to go over tomorrow. They put me back in training company. But I had already completed my training and they tried to put me thru it again so I volunteered for France. Maybe I was foolish but I am simply fed up with training. However it is done now so there is no use crying over spilt milk.

Letter of Mrs. Hugh Ross, October 23, 1918

Grafton, Oct 23 1918

Dear friend Cormers;

My Friend Cormers is the way my Dear son Donald Ross spoke of you when he wrote me the last letter he will ever write on August 30th. I do not want to read the letter just now for if I do I shall not be able to finish this letter to you. Now I am going to cry out a mother’s sore heart for you for some little news of my son’s death. I have nothing but a cable and a letter from a chaplain who mistakenly put another boy’s name and number in the letter he wrote about my son’s death so you see it had very little interest for me. Please have his little personal effects sent to me they are as nothing to anyone else but how precious they are to me his Mother, anything that had been touched his dear hands...Ah Cormers may you never have that longing to see anyone that I have to see my son. I am so lonely for him and have been waiting so long and now, Oh now I must wait in vain and I loved him so please do all you can in this for me and I shall give you a mother’s blessing....Now I will close and I do hope that this awful long selfish letter will not bore you too much and that you will try to send some little news.

Mrs Hugh Ross

Letter of Alice Folkes, October 29, 1918

Oct 29 1918

My Dear People

How can I write of this sad event? I never could understand why he should love me so devotedly. He says I was a good woman but I am no better than anyone else. How is it that all the best are taken first? A straighter or more honest man one would never find than your dear son. I am sure he was loved by all who knew him. The love your son gave to me will never be blotted out as it seemed too far above the ordinary kind of love so pure and clean. If he hadn’t have gone to France we would have been married the day before he was called.

My fond love,

your little girl that was to be

Alice Folkes

From   Letters Home: Pte. Donald Ross