In a letter 4th Jan 1915 Hugh Smith writes
"It is most sad about Robert McCol, and I feel sure his people will feel the present calamity. I wish I had lost my absent limb on the battle-field, instead of the undignified manner which was employed. Robert like myself will get used to his one handed life, and will forget sometimes that there were two. One loses a lot when a limb is lost, but not so much as one thinks. Selfish thinking is a most dangerous thing, and its from this source that so much misery comes."