Dublin: “the War is finished”

[poorly copied letter with much of each page off the edge]

[probably St Patrick’s Ward, Mater Hospital, Dublin]

13.11.18

My Dear Mother

…have been so long in … But I hope you and …are in good health. …Is very trying on people…at present. Today is…the day the Germans…on the 21st March. …do you think of the …reached up last night…the War is finished aft[er]…Well I do not think …to say I am sorry…not. But when I hear[d]…news I thanked…I was spared to …it safe. I just…paper of a going…had been out from…killed by a stray…before peace was…I think that was…luck. I received…alright today. And …from Jennie. Well…I was so long in …expecting every day …week to go to Belfast…have been talking…all North men to be…I do not know when… or if we go at all…when of all the …home. But there is a lot of deaths in Dublin. I never go out but I meet 8 and 9 friends in one day. And there was some slight riots in the city last night. And a few people injured. I am sorry to hear of Annie being ill, but I hope she is got alright again. Miss Gardiner was not expected to get better but she is up and able to move about again. There has been not cases amongst the soldiers in Dublin yet that I have heard of.

Well I think this is all at present. Please forgive me for being so long in writing to you.

Goodbye
Your loving son
Johnnie

PS In this cutting Sir D Haig is speaking of the Retreat of the 21st March. And also of the (36) Ulster Division and is for Jimmy. I shall always remember those times when we were fighting the Germans 3-to-1.