Cemetery: Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord)
Country: France
Area: Nord
Rank: Private
Force: Army
Official Number: S/3959
Unit: 9th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders.
Country of Service: British
Details: 18th March 1916. Age 20. Son of Donald and Margaret Patience of Rochfield Village Portmahomack Ross-shire. II. C. 195 A letter written home by Dannys Cousin supplied by Annette Mackintosh. France 12/4/16 My Dear Cousin, I feel quite ashamed of myself for not writing you sooner, but you know why. I felt the loss of you dear brother very much indeed and Netta I could hardly sit down even to write home. For nights after, there was no sleep for me and even now I can hardly believe that he has been taken away from my side. When I wake up in the morning and look around I think I see him at his bed and then it dawns upon me that he is gone. I shall never forget that fateful night March 17th. We went marching up to the trenches at 7 o'clock singing and laughing, little thinking of what was in front of us. At 10.30 while working at a new trench, poor Dan got hit by a German bullet. We dressed up his wounds and carried him to the dressing station where he was well cared for. He was quite cheery all the way and spoke to me sometimes. I saw him off in the motor ambulance, which took him to hospital and his last words to me were. "Tom you have been a good friend to me. Tell father and mother and Netta not to worry. I am going home. I have done my duty. Goodbye." Wasn't that a sad parting, away out here on the bloodstained battlefield away from home, everything. Just two boys, Cousins, and one mortally wounded. Wasn’t it enough to make me sit don and cry. No wonder I could not write a letter to his dear sister although it was my duty to do so. March 19th. Poor Dan passed away, away to the Great Beyond where sad parting and German bullets are not known. God has a happy Home above for heroes such as him. And my dear cousin in your sad bereavement, always look to Him and He will help you. And although it's hard for you to know that you will never again see him on this earth, be proud of him, be proud to have a brother (and such a dear boy he was) who nobly went with a happy heart to defend his home, his country, his King and above all his loved ones, and who paid the penalty by giving his young life for the cause of civilization. Yes dear, his body lies out here but his 'soul' is Home with God where someday we shall meet again in that Happy Place. My cousin, I know you will be tired reading this, but I have no news for you just now. We are having very good weather and I hope you are having some at home. L/Cpl Patton let me see the letter he received from you last night and it was very good of you to write him. He is a very nice quite fellow, belongs to Edinburgh, and has been chums with Dan and myself since September 1914 and I tell you he misses Dan just as much as I do. The fact remains, that if it wasn't for 'Billy' I don't know what I would have done. Well I hope you are all enjoying the best of health at home. I am all right. Still facing the east and looking for summer and a finish to this terrible war. Now I must come to a close as time won't permit me ? more. You have all the sympathy we can give you from officers and men alike of our company. They all liked Dan and felt his loss very much indeed. The Captain often spoke to me about him. I haven't seen his grave yet, but ? getting along some day soon. It's about 10 miles from here. Now in closing we all send you our deepest sympathy in your sad bereavement with best wishes for the future to you all. But love to yourself from your faithful cousin. Tom
Photograph by Chris Cosgrove
