Love Letters - From the Front

This next love letter come courtesy of a soldier who fought in World War I. It is perhaps particularly poignant because like many others, it was written at a time when a soldier didn’t know if he would ever see his loved one again.

What do you say to someone in your last letter? How would you say all that you needed to say and let that person know how much you loved them?

Regimental Sergeant- Major James Milne served with the 4th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. The letter below is a farewell letter to his wife Meg in the event of his being killed in battle....

July 1917
My own beloved wife,

I do not know how to start this letter. The circumstances are different from any under which I ever wrote before. I am not to post it but will leave it in my pocket, if anything happens to me someone will perhaps post it. We are going over the top this forenoon and only God in Heaven knows who will come out of it alive. I am going into it now, Dearest sure that I am in his Hands and that whatever happens I look to him in this world and the world to come.

If I am called my regret is that I leave you and my Bairns, but I leave you all to His great mercy and goodness knowing that He will look over you all and watch you. I trust in him to bring me through , but should he decree otherwise then though we do not know his reason, we know it must be best. I go to him with your dear face the last vision on earth I shall see and your name upon my lips. You, the best of women. You will look after by Darling Bairns for me and tell them how their daddy died.

Oh! How I love you all and as I sit here waiting I wonder what you are doing at home. I must not do that. It is hard enough sitting waiting. We may move at any minute. When this reaches you for me there will be no more war, only eternal peace and waiting for you.

You must be brave my Darling, for my sake for I leave you the Bairns. It is a legacy of struggle for you but God will look after you and we shall meet again when there will be no more parting. I am to write no more sweetheart. I know you will read my old letters and keep them for my sake, and that you will love me or my memory till we meet again.

May God in his mercy look over you and bless you all til that day we shall meet again in his own Good time. May he in that same mercy preserve me today.
Goodbye Meg,
Eternal love from
Yours for Ever and Ever,
Jim


Milne came through the war and returned home to Scotland and was reunited with his wife Meg and their Bairns (children)