Wallaceburg June 27 1917 My dear Cousins I received your very sad news about two weeks ago it was the first I heard so I send you my deepest sympathy its late but none the less sincere my heart goes out to you in your great sorrow I wish I was beside you for I feel that your grief is mine you stayed with me in our great loss and I will never forget your kindness to us ast that time I feel for all of you from the bottom of my heart no one knows what it is till the go through it just feels as if your sense's was numbed the war seems awful as it never did before when it comes home in the loss of a beloved boy it was kind of the ministers of the cabinet to send words of sympathy but to them it is one among the others to you its your boy. But say Isabell did you ever think when we have great trouble it might have been worse isnt it a blessing you have John and the others to help hear it and when we look around we can always see some one has a worse trouble than us oh how many sorrowing mothers broken hearted widows and fatherless children and all through the war why there is no doubt at all but Willie has gone home Greater love hath no man than this than a man lay down his life for his country and friends but say you must not lose your interest in life I know its hard and it seems harder when you don't even have a grave to go to I was going to write right away but the girls came home the day after I got your letter Jessie and her 4 and Mamie and her boy and Chrissee and her 3 but she only stay 3 days but the others only left the other day so you may know what chance I had to write with so many babies well we are having lot of rain we have had an awful funy spring cold and wet but no frost and the crops look good only a little late I hope your crops turn out good for its bad when one works hard and don't get much for it I have not heard any word from Trinity for a long time they are having a social there next wed evening well I guess I best close hoping to hear from you soon John joins me in sending deepest sympathy to you all in your great loss from your loving Cousin Laidlaw In loving Memory of Willie [Bell] Sleep on dear Willie in a soldier's grave T'is been your fate to fall You gave your life for those you loved And for your country's call Some where in France in peace you lie The spot we cannot tell But in our hearts of days gone by Fond memories ever dwell The midnight stars will ever shine On loved ones where the lie, Yet there is hope to meet again And never say good-bye Deep down in our hearts his fond memory is cherished He oft fills our thoughts as in silence we sit But we are proud when we think of the way that he perished He died for his country in doing his bit