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WW1
Bonser, Arthur
''Dear Mrs. Bonser I am just going to write you a few lines but hardly know what to say to you. Poor Art asked me to write to you if he got killed, as I was his mate.. Arthur has been my best mate right up till now and there is no one here who will miss him more than me so as a mate and true friend of his, I am writing you a few lines to tell you how sorry I am for you and your two children. You three were his everyday talk, I really think you were never out of his thoughts; he was always saying what he was going to do when ho got back to you. Arthur was killed on the afternoon of the 28th March. There is one thing I can say, he never felt any pain; a shell fell and killed him instantly. I hope to come back to Tassy some day and I will come and see you, and tell you a few things that I cannot think of now. There is one thing: Art was a good fighter; he was not frightened of anything. I don't know that I can say any more, except that you have my deepest sympathy at the loss of a good husband. 1 am your friend, (Sgd) Pt G. Arthur Wood, 40th Battalion."
France,
April 2, 1918. "Dear Mrs. Bonser,-This letter is just to offer you my sincere sympathy on the death of your husband Arthur, whom I know intimately and who has been in the same platoon with me for some considerable time. I feel that it is but poor sympathy one can offer in a letter of this kind, but still I thought it might be some consolation to yon to know in what high esteem he was held by his comrades' hero. As a soldier, he was absolutely fearless, and I cannot tell you how sorry we are to lose him. As regards his death, you may like to know that it was painless; a shell came and killed him and three of his mates. The operations we were taking part in were on a pretty big scale, and in a stunt of this kind it is sometimes hard to deal with wounded and killed; but I am glad to be able to tell you his body was taken out and buried decently behind the lines with several of his comrades. Once more assuring you of my sincere sympathy. Yours sincerely, (Sgd.) T. G. Cranswick, Lieutenant." The Mercury 28th June 1918 "My dear Mrs. Bonser,-Most sincerely do I offer you my heartfelt sympathy in the death of your good husband. He mot. his end here, 28th March, with many others of his companions. His death must have been instantaneous, for his wounds were very severe. May God rest his soul and comfort and console you as all who mourn his loss. He was a good man, and attentive to his religious duties. Asking you to accept this short note as a tribute of respect to tho memory of your dear departed one, and of my sincere sympathy with you in your bitter loss. He is buried in the military cemetery at Heilly.-(Sgd.) C. W. Howes, Catholic priest. " France, April 2, 1918.
Photo Courtesy Jim Rouse
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Mrs. Bonser
106 Queen-street, Sandy