Pandy
March 1st/00
My dear Kathleen,
I have deferred writing any letter till my evening here. Leaving Evesham at 9.45 I was too early to get the wire at our office of the relief of Ladysmith, but heard the good news at Worcester of course it has been the topic all day everywhere, the Boers may yet concentrate in places and show fight and perhaps make a final stand at Pretoria but the result, always inevitable, is now more fully in view and the triumph of British arms is assured. The gallantry of our troops sustains the highest traditions of the race and no more stubborn foe could be found than the mis-guided Boers. I fully anticipate that the result of this unhappy war will be to draw our colonies and possessions still nearer to the mother country and in many ways to consolidate and strengthen the resources of the British Empire, this and the assurance of peace and freedom in the future to our kinsfolk in South Africa will console us for the loss of many a brave fellow who has fallen in the service of Queen and country.
I expect Mother will have given you some particulars of your grandfather’s death, he like his dear old Mother has had a peaceful and painless finish to a long extended life.
Tell Ethel I congratulate her on her form place, George went one better last fortnight and was 9th. I am very pleased with his progress.
We heard from Jack this morning, he had not much news but wrote cheerfully.
I will post a newspaper with this which will perhaps be a little recreation after retreat.
To-morrow I am going on to Abergavenny and Newport and hope to get home in the evening.
Lewis says his Father hopes to get to England this year but he rather doubts if he will really be able to get away.
Tom has been under fire but his letter has not yet reached us, I expect both he and Hubert have been engaged in the relief of Ladysmith. John Roberts must have been with the Shropshires who so gallantly assisted the Canadians in the final assault which forced Cronje to surrender.
With love to you both
I remain
your affectionate Father
Julius Sladden
