4th November 1916
“Last Saturday night I went up to the trenches & had tea with Capt Hargest. He is in great form, & was only a few days back from having had 10 days in Blighty. I suppose you know that he lost his brother on the Somme, poor beggar he is taking it like a little Briton. The first news he had of his death was to go along the trench & find him himself, was it not too bad. However, in speaking of it to me he said that the operations of the two following days were such that he was very much relieved to know that his brother was out of it. He at least knew where he was; where as if he had been in the advance he would have been worrying about him & it was only 1 chance in 100 he would have had of getting through, & had he gone under he would in all probability never have known where he was.”
Ernie McIntyre – Letter 83 – France.
Read full letter here.
James Hargest 9/286
Image Source
Onward: Portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Vol.2
www.onwardproject.co.nz