The Matthew Rae Letters have been preserved as part of the John Lunau collection by Markham Public Library.

Matthew Rae in Uniform

Saturday, February 27, 2010

His Last Days

More information about Matthew’s final days came through letters from a fellow soldier in prison:
It is satisfactory to know the doctors & nurses were kind to him & did everything to aid his recovery, for at one time I felt so afraid he might have been starved, for everyone knows how hard up Germany is for food & of course the prisoners would be the first to suffer. I don’t think Matthew realized he was so ill for this p.c. on Feb. 9th seemed quite bright. I know when I read it I felt so pleased he was getting on so well, altho he did mention he was too ill to be moved. It seems awful for him to lie 4 days before being rescued, probably he would only be half conscious, but it shows what a fine constitution he must have had. I can’t believe Matthew dead, I always felt there might be some mistake, but now when his friend has written that hope is gone.

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