PJ Clifton Letter to Richards
Dear Mrs Richards,
I suppose by now you have heard the bad news about your husband and I am writing to tell you the few details there are to tell and to ask you to accept the deepest sympathy of myself and the other officers in your great affliction.
The Battery was shelled from about half past seven to half past eight on the morning of the 24th May and was again shelled from 9 nine o’clock on. The sergeants had gone to breakfast in the interval when the first shell of the second lot burst on their mess, smashing in the roof on them. Sergeant Dubery, whom you may know as a friend of your husband’s, was the only one saved: he was wounded; we went in to see to the others at once but they had died instantly and clearly without any pain. They were buried in the military cemetery some way behind on the same night. The general and colonel were to have attended the funeral but, as things were still a little upset, they had to send officers both who had known the battery and known your husband and the others, and I, and those NCOs who could be spared, went to pay our last respects.
Your husband’s effects have been sent to the Base and should reach you promptly. The grave has had a cross put up with the names on and we are going to send over some flowers. A few letters have arrived since addressed to your husband. I propose to destroy these if you agree.
I can only tell you a little in this letter of how very great the loss has been to us and ask you to feel how deeply our sympathy goes out to you. It may be a consolation to you, as it was a relief to me , to know certainly that death was immediate and painless and we who saw them buried were able give evidence that their spirits went away without stain and blemish to another life.
Your husband was one of the very best in the battery who helped make it a good fighting unit as it is and I am proud to have had such men under my command. Whether it was mending a gun or building a battery position or any of the other manifold duties entrusted to him he worked keenly and energetically and always successfully. I do not know where his equal for his job could be found.
He was liked and admired by all the men and could be trusted to command them as well as do his own technical work. At the time I was short of officers and he had almost charge of the Battery when I was observing.
How can I do anything for you more than the sympathy which I hope you will accept as from a friend if so, let me know to C236 Battery 236 Brigade RFA BEF France.
One or two letters have come since, addressed to him and unless you object I propose to destroy them
Yours sincerely,
Percy J Clifton, Major
This letter reproduced here with the kind permission of Margaret Angus