Dear Ma-

Went over the top today- or at least, that was the objective. We were all lined up and it was silent as the grave, watin for the orders. Most evryone left all there persinil things in the trenches- I didnt unnerstand that. I have so few belongins, I brawt em all with me. I figir that if Im gonna die in No Mans Land (thats what we call the space between trenches), then watever poor Jack comes rootin threw my cloths mite as well have my things- theyd do him more good than my ded body. At leest Im not a selfish ded man.

But I didnt die, Ma, becase Im a coward. Wen the wisles blew, and evryone was hallin themselfs over, I just stood there. I wated and wated until I coodnt wate any longer, lisenin to the gunfire and the exploshuns. Wen I went over the top, there were so many ded men... All over the plase. Cood hardly take two steps for all the ded bodies piled hi. Dirt and bits of bodies went flyin evry time artiliry fired. I ran till I coodnt run no more. Then I stopped hidin behind the peeple in front of me and flung myself to the grownd. We all started crawlin acros the grownd... Im not sure how long it went on but evenchaly I jes fown a chunk of conkret that felt like it wood sheltir me and stayed there. I sat and sat and sat and somehow stayed alife until we somehow manajed to capchir the enemy trench.

Neerly scared me to def wen they fownd me out here. Took me back- "treeting" me for shell-shok or something or other. Im not reelly loony- Im jes scared shitless to talk. If I do, and they find out Im jes a coward, Ill probily get shot or something. But if they think Im a crazy, I get helf care and an onrable discharj. But yiknow Ma, I shooda never enlisted. Im not cut out for the army. Unkul Sam dusnt want chiken shit like me, althow hes a pritty good liar. Ol Woodrow Wilson wooda taken one look at me and known I was no good for anythin; sent me rite on bak home. Good ol prezidint. Alays talkin to the generals, ho talk to the other hier-ups, ho talk to my hier-ups, ho deliver the mesijis to us privats, so, in efect... Wilson sends me more letirs then you do Ma.

Wassa mater with you, Ma? Arnt you never gonna send me any letirs? I miss you... Im comin home soon, so dont worry, Ill take care of you.

Luve,

Danny