was in a very hot corner indeed but the men were splendid and we were very fortunate, not a man killed, but some wounded. The shrapnel fire was very heavy and lot of the very big shells; we were making some soup in a farm when 5 big ones dropped around it but we and all the horses got away.

My major with whom I mess was shot thro the lungs. I did not think he would pull thro, as we could not get a stretcher or ambulance to take him away, after a long time we got a motor ambulance but it was wrecked about a mile

BC Archives, MS-0455 Box 1 File 1 MEARES, Cecil Henry, 1877 – 1937. Victoria; traveler, British military officer. Predominantly selected letters and cards from Meares to his fiancée, Lola Spengler, 1914 – 1918.