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This letter was sent to Paul Siegfried Kreiger, one of the German prisoners of war being detained at the Leigh POW camp. The letter is dated the 8th December 1915. Paul had been a gardener before the war. He became ill and died on the 16 May 1916. His cause of death was believed to be paratyphoid fever and pulmonary tuberculosis.

A translation of the letter appears below:

My dear Siegfried

(?) heartiest and deepest congratulations (greetings?) on your beloved Christmas. How are you at this difficult time? (Illegible) I'm pretty well. Hopefully this war is coming to its end and your dearest Siegfried (illegible) will return (?) to your group of women friends (?)

(This next section is not very clear, but he might be saying something along the lines of he's keen to get back home)

In the hope of really  (?)   And a healthy meeting again (recovery?). Have a really nice time at your beloved Christmas-tide.

I send you my most heartfelt wishes,

Yours Paul Bracklow.

With thanks to Graham Conroy for allowing the letter to be reproduced and to John Shuttleworth for the translation.

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