1 In the Field
18th Dec. 1915.

My Dear Father/ It was with
feelings of the greatest
possible sorrow that I had
to send you the following
wire this morning:-

Assessors Belfast
Horace seriously wounded
Seventeenth. lost right eye.
left believed uninjured.
no immediate danger to life.
Montgomery I was with Horace when
he was wounded. He had
asked me to look at some
work which he had done to
his trench the previous
day. We had looked at this 2 work, and had turned and
had turned to walk away
across a place which has
been freely and safely
used day and night for
some weeks past when
we were sniped at. We
were alone at the time.
Horace called out Ah! Is
it a big hole. Better me
than you. I saw he
was badly hit and called
out to one of his sergeants
whom I caught sight of
to send for bearers and a
Doctor and come out and
help me. We got a field
dressing on at once. Joch Stevenson and another
Sergeant came out overground
with the stretcher and
bearers. Horace was quite 3 4
we were still open to fire. He has been evacuated
very rapidly right away
from near the firing line. I called last night in
the first collecting station
some miles from where he
had been hit and found
that he had left there
about half an hour
previously. (I could do so
because as it happened we
moved there into billets
last night). I waw this
Doctor who attended to him
and he told me, Horace was
quite conscious, likely to
recover, and that he did
not think he would lose
the sight of his other eye.
The bullet passed in TD 2770 D2794/1/1/5 punt 4 5
under his left ear and
out under through his
right eye. The eye is quite
gone. He has had a
most marvellous escape
with his life. I never
knew just what this phrase
meant until this occurred.
I shall never forget how
Stevenson and Horace's Coy
the N.C.O.'s of Horace's Coy
came out under a very
accurate fire and brought
poor old Horace in. l have officially reported
on their conduct. Horace's
whole Coy. were very upset. All the officers of the
Battalion have expressed
their sincere sorrow 5 6.
and have asked that their
sympathy be conveyed
to Ida and his other
relatives. It was generally
and unanimously agreed
last night that the officer
who could least be spared
was taken first. Major Crozier, now commanding
the Battalion, has written
Ida direct. I am having all Horace's
things collected and handed
over to the proper Authority.
They will be forwarded
eventually to Messrs Cox
& Co, Bankers, 18 Charing Cross
London. I am writing Ida 6 7
direct tonight. I need hardly add Father
just how terribly upset I have been
myself by the whole affair. I was Please convey the contents of this
to Jim Haslett and Ita Ida as speedily
as possible. It is possible however
that Ida may be with Horace in
England before this letter reaches you. Your affectionate son
Wm Montgomery

I am untouched 7
Urgent
Harford H Montgomery Esq
Monacherra
Malone Park
Belfast.