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Date: November 1st 1916
To
Mother
From
Harold Irwin
Letter

Nov 1st 1916

Darling Mother

I rec your cablegram yesturday O.K. just befor the funerel, We buried Florence yesturday at 3 45 It was a very nice funrel, the Flowers where beautiful, the boys at shop sent up a most beautiful reath, also one from the officers, besides a dozen or so of ours & her friends and the Major also sent six boys from the shop as pallbairers and they walked on both sides of the coffin, Boby Taylor took Photos of the Flowers & if they are any good I will send you one I seen Florence But once as she lay in her coffin, and she looks to be only asleep, it was a lovely coffin, she was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, one of the nisest Cemeterys in London, in Grave No 45185. square No 198–16, I did not have enough money to buy a Grave, so she had to be buried in an ordenairy grave I will pay so much a year to have the grave looked after, as I can not put a stone on it, for other people are buried in same grave, I am staying with her mother for a fue days now as there is no one at home and her Mother has taken it very bad, as she was her Mothers right hand in evey thing,

They have all been very kind to me her father and all, which I can thank God for, for I do not know what I would have done if they had not, Florence has gone to Heaven Mother and is with baby now for Florence was a good girl, every body loved her, she has always been an angel, and God has taken her to him now, I loved her Mother as I can never love any one else, she was my all & all, although we have been apart so much, I loved her all the more and was always looking forward to what was going to happen now all has gone, and I am alone, But her sweet face will never leave my mind, she was kind & good to me, and was all I wanted, and now she has gone, I am going to live a good life, & just wait for the time that I can go to her, & Baby, for I know they are both Happy together, watching me in every thing I do, Mother you dont understand how I loved her, and how it hurt when she was taken from me, But maybe it is all for the best, we never know, But I can never love another as I loved her, she past away in a deep sleep, I was with her to the end, she past away at 12 40 A.M. Friday on the 27th of Oct 1916, she was operated on, on Monday at noon & baby taken from her, he only lived a very fue minutes, I did not mind that if they only could have saved her she was very low, But on wedensday she knew me, & was geting on so well, niures asked her then when I was with her if she knew me & she said yes, it is Harold my Husband, & then smiled, she also new me Thursday morning put not so well, I was with her from 6 to 8 Thursday evening untell she took the realaps, so I had to leave, I did not see her again untell 10, and niurs told me then that there was no hops, and I hoped & praied that there was, But she never know me again, and I seen her pass away at 12 40, and I never want to have the same pain as what past through me then, and the feeling as I Kissed her lifles face for the last time, The where all Kind to me, I am lonely Mother, But am going to do the right thing, and try and foreget the best I can, I am going back to work on Monday, I am feeling all right, and am eating good. I am going to room with my chum Boby Taylor, as he will be company for me, Bert has gone back to camp, he did not get up to funeral, and I have not heard from him sense he went back, But expect a letter tomorrow, But it seemed funny he arieved just at the right minute, I was so glad to see him, for at that time I was nearly out of my mind, and then he turned up and he seemed a God send, for he seemed a friend & eased my mind, The boys at shop, & Major done all they could for me they could not have done more if they tried, they where very kind to me, they gave me money, all the time off that I wanted, the reaths, & the pallberrers, Major Sterling talked to me as if I was his son, I am geting along all right now Mother, and hope the war will soon be over so that I can get back to Canada again, & back to see you all again, you nead not send any more money now Keep it for yourself, I am just going to bed now every one else has gone to bed, Mrs Jones was very tierd, hoping all are well at home and dont worry about me I am all O.K,. and will do the right thing, With all my very best love to you all, Will Write again next week,

I am as ever your
Loving true Son
Harold

Original Scans

Original Scans

Irwin.Harold.1916.11.01.01 Irwin.Harold.1916.11.01.02 Irwin.Harold.1916.11.01.03 Irwin.Harold.1916.11.01.04 Irwin.Harold.1916.11.01.05 Irwin.Harold.1916.11.01.06 Irwin.Harold.1916.11.01.07 Irwin.Harold.1916.11.01.08 Irwin.Harold.1916.11.01.envelope