How are you and the kids? I hope you're doing well. I am included in the 16th Battalion. Lily, to be honest, going to war is not what I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be fun and exciting. I was wrong, life here in the trenches is very hard. It was a big shock not just for me but for other soldiers too. We have to live in these trenches where it's so hot especially in the day. We get restless nights and we don't really get a chance to sleep because we have to watch our enemy. The smell of unburied bodies is so strong that sometimes it makes me feel sick. The dead bodies attract heaps of rats and flies. They infect other soldiers causing them to die.
As for me, you don't have to worry. I 'm fine. I can go through this. Even though life here is hard and you have to carefully watch your every move, you and the friends I made make all the heardships disappear. I met kind soldiers who are older than me. They taught me many things that helped me a lot during the war. I am very grateful to them. Due to the stress and anxiety that are enveloping us, others soldiers sometimes get into fights.
I know you want to know about our enemies. They are very cunning. They'll kill you without mercy. You have to act and think quickly for you to be able to survive. You have to be tough and brave.
War is very hard. You cannot take it lightly. You have to put your needs and feelings aside. The battlefield is a very harsh place; it's like hell. Whenever I go to war, I don't think about anything else; I focus. Going to war has changed me a lot. It taught me how to be brave, fight and most importantly, it taught me how unity and teamwork can lead to success.
Well, it's time to say goodbye now. Lily, you have to take care of yourself and the kids. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I don't know when I will be able to write you a new letter so until then, please be safe. Always pray to God. I love you and the kids. I miss you. Goodbye.
Sincerely, Thomas
