Benny Hobson letter, from the Imperial War Museum's Department of Documents (04/19/1, Doc. 456)

22898 Ptv. B. Hobson
London, March 12/17

Dear Cousin Norman,
    I hardly know how to write to you yet I suppose I must come to the point and although it seems terribly hard tell you the worse and that is of your Dear brother's death in action on the night of the 19th. I was not with him at this time but not far away but from information gathered from the comrades of his platoon it seems he was at this time on sentry and met his death at the hands of a sniper who got him in the head. His end Dear cousin I believe was quite short and painless as he fell to the ground without murmuring. I did not hear of this till the day following and and then my coy. (company?) or what remained of it, where our orders to get back across the river. Now I will give you an idea of what we had to face and the glorious deeds which some day sooner or later will come to light.

Our division have has you will already know been been on the heels of the retreating Turks since the fall of Kut when our marching days began and we had got within 12 miles of Bagdad (sic) when our way was suddenly stopped by a canal which had to be bridged by some means or other and so material for a Pontoon was soon at hand but Johnnie's artillary fire soon put an end to this idea so it was decided upon that our Boat should proceed across in boats 10 men to each but this was cancelled after half of us had hot over and then the band began to play, just try to imagine a weak force like us trying to hold a very much larger force, yet God only knows we held on like grim death every hour brought depletion in our ranks, men fell wounded and killed, our rifles blazed and became too hot to handle and amunition (sic) began to run out and to save as much as possible we had to only fire in case of extreme necessity, once the Turks began to bomb us and we were obliged to reitre to put it in words as deep as I can it was Hell, but some day Dear Cousin if God spares me I will tell you it all, I do not know how I escaped Death as pals around me fell and I had my helmet knocked off by a piece of Turkish shell, help came just as day broke on the 10th and under the devastating fire of our own artillary the Turks began to retire, many coming in to our lines and giving themselves up.

These two nights I shall never forget this trying ordeal and now I mourn the loss of one who could not have been more to me if he had been my brother.

You must excuse this letter Dear Cousin if it be any means too sudden or in any sense too cruel for I did not know how to break this bad news to you and yet I thought you ought to know, I dare not write to my Dear Aunt as I know she will be in a way.

Dear Norman I leave it to you to break this news to her in a way you will think best... thought it be in comparison to the loss of one so dear that he died with his face to the enemy in one of the pluckest engagements.

Known every inch a soldier and a man.

I have made enquiries about his personal belongings but find out that his sergeant got them all but was himself wounded as I intended could I have got them posting them to you at my first opportunity but perhaps he may have the kindness to return them to you.

I hope you will take my deepest sympathy in this sad time and trust with me that your dear departed Brother my good old chum has joined the favoured throng and now dwells in Heaven with out love-ones only gone before.

Now I will close as I do not feel as I can write any more at present, hoping you will all....

I Remain,
Your Sad and Lonely Cousin
Benny

PS
Will you kindly break the news to Gerdie