From, And Death Shall Have No Dominion – Dylan Thomas

And death shall have no dominion.
Dead men naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

A selection of excerpts from WWI letters to and from the front:

1 - Corporal Alfred Chater to Joyce Francis:
“Darling Joy, I must write you one more line dearest to say goodbye before we go, as god knows when I shall see you again.”

2 - Gunner William Munton to Nellie Munton:
“I want you to know that I am always thinking about you, ay, dreaming about you and longing to be back with you again. God hasten the end of the war and shorten these days of suffering and pain.”

3 - Mary Corfield to Captain Frederick Corfield:
“Goodnight you Darling Thing. I shall feel better after a good old howl when I get to bed tonight and hope to continue more cheerfully tomorrow. Your devoted and very sad, Missus.”

4 - Kate Gordon to one of her three sons serving in the war:
“I keep thinking what a different world it will be to mothers; when you all come marching home again! And when you do come marching home, bring me back the same boy I gave my country, - true, and clean, and gentle, and brave.”

(Gordon lost two of her sons to the conflict.)

5 - Lt. Robert F. Mitchell to Winifred Bostwick:
“The war news continues to be the best ever. These are stirring times and regardless of my personal outcome I’m glad to be part of it.”

(Mitchell was killed nine days later.)

6 - Gunner Frank Bracey to Win:
“Dearest Win, I am writing just a line, Win, in case of accidents. Just to let you know how I have always loved you Dear. But I have a feeling that I shall not come back again.”

(Bracey was killed three months later.)

7 - 2nd Lt. Francis M. Tracy to his wife, Gertrude:
“My girl, my girl, how I do miss you. I didn’t think it possible for one to be possessed of the longing I have for you.”

(Tracy was killed seven days later.)

8 - Amy Handley to Pvt. John Clifton (Jack):
“Jack – my own – my only love – how I look for your next letter – How much longer shall I have to wait? My heart – Surely it will burst – Jack – Jack – I want you – I live for you – always, always my own.”

(Clifton was killed less than a month later.)

9 - Pvt. Walter Bromwich to his pastor:
“Dear Reverend: Does God really love us individually or does He love His purpose more?”

10 - Nurse Maude B. Fisher to the Mother of a soldier:
“My dear Mrs. Hogan: Your son was laid to rest in the little cemetery of Commercy. His grave is number 22, plot 1. His aluminum identification tag is around his neck, bearing his serial number, 2793346.”

11 - German prisoner Rudolf Sauter to his English sweetheart:
“All, all my love! That is near and about you wherever you are. Love knows no distance, time is ours and Beauty finds no breaking shore…”