Transcription: [page 1] Sgt Edward Heafey 8/RDF; In the Field 15-8-17 Dear Miss Roberts Your Kind & ever welcome letter to hand yesterday also Your parcel today ever so much thanks for your kindness in sending same sorry to hear that You have been ill but (Thank God) You are once more in Good health as I am at present. I am sorry to say Kirwan is in Hospital but I cannot say what is wrong with him he was on his way and up to the trenches one night when he took ill & went away to Hospital. I seen a letter yesterday for him in Your Handwriting I asked for it but they would not let me have it I was going to send it back to You. If I can get I will enclose it to You. we are having awful weather just now raining day & night & what a pity to [too] just as we were making so much success no one knows how we are going thro' it all we are having a most awful time of it just now & I have lost nearly all my old platoon poor boys & it has upset me very much I went to [page 2] to see them after our last Battle & there are only nine (9) of them left so You see Ireland is doing Her share in the Great Struggle I had a very narrow escape last week myself a piece of a shell just missed me (Thank God) I have great Faith & I believe I shall pull thro' this war alright but still we have much to go thro' Yet. & by the time You get this I suppose we will be in the thick of the fray once more. I am so sorry I did not get Your last letter & a nice long one as You say I always look forward to Your letters & my letters from home & I like writing to You very much of course I tell You more news than I tell them at home if I told them all that was happening poor old mother & wife would fret so much of course as it is mother frets now ever so much more than she should but then I suppose it is because I am her favourite or she says I am. I must now thank You for sending me the papers but up to now I have only received one paper that was last week but still they may turn up to me Yet. but if I find out [page 3] anyone else has taken them there will be trouble I am pleased You liked my Post Card & if you would like some more views I will send You some You have only to say You would like some & I will send them by return of Post anyway I will send You some as soon as I get a chance back to civilisation again as at present my abode is in (no mans land) as we call it. we are very busy to tell the truth but really I would never neglect to write to You as You have been too Kind towards You [? !] about R..... I dont know what will happen in the end. I am pleased to hear You have been enjoying ourself & there is nothing like enjoyment while one is Young. I am sorry to hear about the old Country is so much upset. if I had my way with the Sinn feiners I would put them where I am just at present up to our eyes in muck & wet & then they would know what war really was like anyway they will get what they are looking for when we Boys see this lot over. there is plenty of souvenirs flying over my head at present so [page 4] You can just guess why my writing is so shaky & bad of course the longer one does out here the more his nerves give way daily I can see my own system breaking down & I am not half what I was a year ago. but still (Thank God) there is a little fight left in me Yet. & once more I will cross the bogs [?] with the Bhoys again. I have a couple of very painful letters to write to the parents of some of my boys who are now laid low somewhere on the Battle Field & Good Brave & True Boys they were by my side in days gone bye. Well I think I have told you all the news for the present will now close once more thanking You for Your Kindness Give my kind regards to mother & the best of wishes not forgetting Yourself Good Luck & may God Bless You. I remain Your very Sincerely Edward. [includes envelope]

Sargeant Edward Heafey, 8th Royal Dublin Fusiliers. 6 Letters From 14th April 1917 to 31st August 1917.