Letters home from a 19 years old soldier from Afghanistan, including the one he wrote after he was killed in action on June 2, 2009. The family gave the letters to the Independent to publish.
In the spring of this year, the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles deployed to Afghanistan. Halfway through the battalion’s tour, it has lost nine soldiers, with dozens injured.
Of those to have given their lives, four were teenagers. Here Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher, who was 19 when he was killed by an explosion near Gereshk seven weeks ago, tells his own story, through letters home and the last letter he left behind to bid farewell to his family – his mother Helena, father Robin and brothers Zac, 21, and Steely, 17.
Following are the words of a proud soldier described by his officers as possessing "a rucksack full of potential", and by his friends as a rascal always cracking jokes and helping to keep morale high. Most of all, they are the words of a young son to his mum, dad and brothers.
You can read all of his letters here.
In one of our galleries (I work at a local history museum) you can listen to an audio letter sent during the Vietnam War, from a 19 year old soldier to his mother. The quality of the reel to reel recording is a little shocking. You can hear his bunk squeak as he tries to get comfortable, and the wind blowing past his spot on Dineen Hill. He talks about the family and girlfriend he misses, and the parts of everyday life he appreciates being sent over (like FrancoAmerican Spaghetti in a can). He talks about filling out paperwork to try to get home for Christmas.
He didn’t make it. He was shipped out in May and was killed by November.
When we opened the exhibit I was able to track down a couple guys who served with him. One came to see the exhibit. He couldn’t listen to the letter. His had his son do it. He cried just the same.
I f**king hate war.