Letters From the Front

Dated: December 6, 1916

Mr. T. A. Gaetz has received a very kindly letter from Lt. P. J. A. Andrews, of the 5th Canadian Battalion, B.E.F., who was in the same company as the late Major Gaetz when the latter was killed. Lt. Andrews writes:-

I don't know if you will remember me, I was one of the 89th Battalion party who spent a very pleasant Sunday with some of your good citizens at Sylvan Lake last May, I think it was. When I got to England I was sent to the Fifth Canadians and there met your brother, the late Major Gaetz. The Major and I were in the same company and I consequently came to know him pretty well. Our work on the Somme, I think I may say without fear of being censored, is now finished and we are off to another part of the line. I haven't felt like writing for the time we were up there, but it occurred to me that you and Mrs. Gaetz would like to know from one who knows you all something of the Major.

On the 26th of September at about noon our battalion, along with another Canadian battalion, made their first attack on the Germans. The Major was in charge of a certain party and was wounded shortly after the start. He kept on going and when forced to stop, and while being fixed up by his batman, he was wounded again fatally. He was buried on the battlefield up in front of Courcelette, or should say about northeast of Courcelette a mile.

Our battalion was hit pretty heavily in this engagement. You probably will remember Capt. Walker and McTavish, who were also with us at Sylvan Lake. They were both, I am sorry to say, killed at the same time.