Mabel Ross – on her fallen son.
Grafton, Ontario
October 23, 1918
Dear Friend Conners,
My Friend Conners is the way my Dear Son Donald Ross spoke of you when he wrote me the last letter he ever will write to me, said letter being dated “somewhere in France Aug 30th.” He was killed Sept 2nd, I believe the day you were wounded. You know I do not know what your name is but believe Donald mentioned it in his letter but I do not want to read the letter just now if I do I shall not be able to finish this letter to you. I am very sorry to know you are wounded then again if not dangerously so I am glad as you will be safe for awhile at least and now I am going to cry out a mother’s sore heart to you for some little news of my son’s death or at least something about his last days or hours on earth.
Ah if you only knew how I want to hear something about him you see he wrote me the Friday before he was killed and he said like this – my old friend Conners is Sargent and I am going in his company so do not be surprised if I get a stripe myself that is if I am lucky enough to stay here long enough to get one. And as I have nothing except the cable and a letter from a Chaplain by the name of Jackson who put another man’s name and number in the letter he wrote about my boy’s death so you see it had very little interest for me. So I just made up my mind I would appeal to you for news. Perhaps you can give me some details and if not get into connection with some of the boys who were near him when he fell and also try and have his little personal effects sent to me they are as nothing to anyone else but ah how precious they would be to me his Mother anything touched by his dear hands.
Ah Connors may you never have that longing to see anyone that I have to see my son for I am so lonely for him and have been waiting for so long and now ah now I must wait all in vain and I loved him so. Please do all you can in this for me and I shall give you a Mother’s blessing.
We are holding a Red Cross concert hear Monday night Oct. 28 and Kate went down to see if Frank Mallory would sing for us. Our Minister Rev. Le Bonnie got your address from Paddy Gale so I will get it from Mr. Bessner tomorrow and send this off to you hoping and praying that you will be able to write me some news any little thing about him even the fact that you spoke with him and how he looked etc. etc. would be a great source of comfort to me.
Now I will close and I do hope this awful long selfish letter will not tire you too much and that you will try to send me some little news.
Hoping this finds you as comfortable as can be and trusting you to do what you can for a poor lonesome mother. I will close with best wishes.
Mrs. Hugh Ross
Grafton Ontario Canada