Chaplain, 46th Canadian Infantry Battn.
B.E.F, France – 31/1/18

Mrs Emily Beath, Cor: River and Rose Sts:
Winnipeg, Man.

Dear Mrs Beath,

In answer to your letter of Jan: 1st, I very deeply regret to have to inform you that there is no more available information regarding the death of your dear Boy than that which I gave you in my former letter. Owing to the extremely desperate nature of the fighting at Passchendaele, and the continuous enemy bombardments it was utterly impossible to recover many of the bodies of our brave boys, although every possible human effort was made to do so – sometimes, indeed, entailing further loss of life; by the time that it became possible to organize burial parties many of the bodies were beyond identification. Your son was killed instantaneously by a shell whilst bravely carrying out his duty as a stretcher-bearer. My heart goes out to you in your great sorrow; and I only wish that I could be the bearer of more comforting news – but, alas, I cannot.

Prayerfully committing you to Gods sustaining Comfort and Love.

Believe me, yours in true sympathy.

Mr. [?]