No 4564. 10 Plat C Coy 3/5 Leicesters, Belton Park, Grantham. Lincs.
Oct 4th 015
Dear Rev Walters,
This summer has been full of varied experiences to me. It has indeed been a most wonderful summer.
The miles I have travelled, the scenes I have witnessed; the people I have met with. I have had days of pleasure & days of pain; days of courage & power; & days of weakness & despair.
Such a summer fills one with amazement. Today finds me in a county of historic interest & beauty. Old Country Houses & wonderful woodlands. There are hills & glens, streams & lakes, wonderful bye-roads bounded on either side with fruit-bearing trees, fruit that will never be plucked because there are none to pluck it. Another marvellous feature of Lincolnshire is the wonderful assortment of wild flowers. The scabus abounds everywhere, & the field are dressed in the color of blood. Poppies abound in countless numbers.
Truly it is a county of beauty.
I have travelled many many miles along these wonderful country lanes, but I have not met with a dozen able-bodied men.
There are many old people. Even the dear old women dig potatoes & prepare their produce for the market. There is often a touch of pathos as we pass through the villages. Eyes are wet; tears are falling, telling us that sons or grandsons have gone to the war.
To the war men must go. The place of young men is in the ranks of heroes, not that there are not heroes in civil life. There are heroes everywhere.
Strife & war must be ended; & to end war & give a lasting peace, every man of today must place himself upon the altar of sacrifice & be determined to do his best.
Truly this is not the time for chasing butterflies. It is a time of serious couse juence, which not only involves us, but future generations. Many victories have been won by armed war, but I know a Book of love & peace which has won more victories than armed war, & if men knew and realised what that Book means to them, war would cease, & men & nations would live in peace.
Well, Sir: – I trust that you are well & that the spiritual work in your Parish is progressing. You must know that I love Whitwick but who does not love the place of his birth? And that is why I am so interested in its welfare. My own health has been most wonderful & today finds me (as soldiers say) in the pink.
I do pray God to grant you much grace in the fulfilling of your most responsible duties.
The Preacher stands above the soldiers, one prepares for war, the other prepares for peace.
I am doing what I can for the soldiers I sing with them, I pray with & for them. In our Hut there are 28 men & out of the whole lot there are only 3 professing Christian, in fact, as I write this letter the men who are gambling by my side will ask me to pray for them.
Rev Walters, I ask for your prayers. It is no light task to pray among men of evil, & in such a work I cannot stand alone, therefore I ask you to pray for me.
I do pray God to bless you & your family, & the work of your Parish. I must close.
I shall be delighted to hear from you & when I can come home on furlough I will attempt to get on the 3rd Sunday of the month so that I may once again attend that inspiring mens services.
I remain
Yours most respectfully
J W Brotherhood
S.P Excuse pencil. No pens or ink available
Good-bye til we meet again.
In envelope addressed to Rev T.W. Walters, Vicar of Whitwick, Whitwick Vicarage, Leicestershire.
Letter postmarked Grantham 10 AM 5 Oct 15
The Bay Museum & Research Facility 