TCD MS 10247/1/841 folio 3 recto
[3 June 1917] heel or instep started to itch violently & when he went to scratch it of course it wasn’t there! also he said he could feel two toes crossed & of course they weren’t there to uncross! the nerves I suppose are all still active <even> after the leg has gone. There was a German officer there too – he had got poison in the leg so it had to be cut off – I watched the first preparations as the door of the theatre was open, but before they actually started they closed it so I couldn’t watch the job. But when he came to he was roaring like a bull and shouting and bellowing – you could here [sic] him all over the place. I can’t say that I could raise much sympathy for him. They say he’d have died if they had left the leg on – I’m sure I don’t know why they didn’t! You must excuse the writing as I am sitting out with the writing pad on my knee. It is about 8 o’cl[ock] – a perfectly glorious evening, how grand your all having such a great time at home – I do hope the mines hurry up – I had a very cheerful letter from May. I think you’ll have to give Jack a bit of disciplining as otherwise he’ll be destroyed altogether for out here!