DearestEdward,

Imissyousomuch.Possiblymorethanwhenyoulefttheorphanage,orwhenIwasplayingfootball.Imsure
youveheardaboutthegreatlossattheSomme.ImwritingtoinformyouthatIamindeedokay.Tobequite
honest,IwasntsureifIwouldstillbehereaftereverything.Itwassohardtocomebackaftermyrecovery,and
thentoparticipateinoneofthelargestbattlesinourhistory.Iheartheyresayingthatfirstdayisthebloodiest
dayinBritishmilitaryhistory.Thatisinsane,lad.

Thosefourmonthstrulyfeltlikethelongestofmylife.Ihavetosaythough,thefirstdaywasdefinitelythe
scariest.Wehadshotandtriedtodestroytheirminesandtrenches,buttheywereexpectingit.AndasImsure
youveheard,wewerentverysuccessful.Somebulletsdidntevenexplode.Thatwassuchadisappointment,
especiallyaftermyfirstrealdayoffighting.Whenwewentinthenextday,allwewereequippedwithwasrifles
andbayonets.Itwasplainbroaddaylight,wewerentconcealed,andtheGermansawthatastheiropportunity.
Theystriked,andwewerentpreparedtoproperlyfightbackagainsttheirmachineguns.Ikeptleadingmymen
though,evenwhenIknewweweregoingtogetcrushed.Itriedtoprotecteveryone.Butthen,themost
devastatinghappened.Isawabulletgorightthroughmybuddyshead,onthatfirstday,andletmetellyou,
hardlyanythingastraumatizingasseeingyourfriendgetkilledrightinfrontofyoureyes.

TheGermanArmywasstrong,andtheyjustkeptpushingusbackintoourtrenches.Which,bytheway,are
awful.Sleepingontheground,andofcourseeveryoneconcernedaboutthebattle,theyseemedtoforgetthatwe
neededtoeat.Allwehadusuallywasahalfaloafofbread,andbrownstewfordinnerifwewerelucky.You
knowhowIgetwhenImhungry,andbloodyhell,Iwasstarved.ThereforeIcouldntfunctionatmybest,soas
Imentionedearlier,ImjustnotsurehowImadeitoutok.Thegoodthingthough,isaroundthetrenchesand
campeveryonewasprettynice.Imeantechnically,becauseofoursocietyssickideaofraces,noonehadtoobey
me.Asyouknow,Iwasquitesurprisedwhentheyactuallyappointedmeassergeant.Ididgetsomecriticization
atfirst,butithaswatereddown.Andnonetheless,everybodyfollowedmycommands.Thatsonething,itdoesfeel
goodtobealeader,Ivealwaysfeltgoodaboutbeingaleader.

AfterJohndied,though,itwasreallyhardtokeepgoing.Itfeltlikeeveryonewasdying,andwejustseemedtobe
nomatchfortheGermanarmies.Thensnowcamein,andwehadtoputahalttoeverything.Inallofthis,we
hadntcoveredmorethansixmilesofground.Finally,ChiefHaigendedthingsonthe18thofNovember.Iwill
neverforgetthatday.Bothgoodandbad.Goingback,knowingthatwehadntaccomplishedourgoal,thatwehad
lostsomany.Butgoingbacknonetheless,feltgoodatthatpoint.Nothavingtoliveeverydayinthatbloody
environment.

Ofcourse,itisnotbyanymeansgreatherenow.Ourrationsaremoresubstantial,butitisstillthesame
devastatinggloomofgettingup,gettingyourweapon,andgoingout,orstayingintheawfultrench,notknowing
whereyourfatelies.Idohopemydearbrother,thatIwillbeabletocomehomesoon.Lifeinwarisnotwhat
Iexpectedittobe,anditisbyfarmoredifficultthananythingIsufferedthroughinourchildhood.Ijusthope
thatsomehow,whenthisisallover,IwillfeelsomesortofsatisfactionforhowIservedourcountry.Seeyou
soonoldchap.

Sincerely,yourdearbrother,
WalterTull

Sources:
http://spartacus-educational.com/FWWtull.htm
http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/somme.htm
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-the-somme-ends