'My Dear we have got about 700 miles to walk up the country before we start fighting at all My dearest Wife the Officer is going to send home some money to the mens Wifes so you might expect to hear some thing about it soon after you received this letter my Dear I do not know how you are getting a living in Chatham........My Dear I have no idea what kind of Christmas you spent but I desay it was a very unhapy one which my Dear mine was a very unhappy one all though I had a very nice dinner.........My dear I have no moar time to say aney moar so Good Buy and may God protect you and the dear Children....Good Buy all Kiss the Dear little Ones For theire Father.'
Sapper H Cuthbert, 5th Field Company, letter to his wife 6th January 1879
(Killed at Isandlwana, 22nd January 1879). Spelling as in original