North Walsham

Dearest Emmie

Yours to hand; thanks for the Mag: and paper. I feel sure I wrote you more than once last week, of course you have received one from me by now; written Monday. I am glad to hear Will Sharp is home, will you ask him to write to me so that I may know his address. I heard from F Champ today and he is still the same as usual. I am not surprised to hear of H. Chapman’s promotion for I fully expected him to get on well. Once he said he would like to take me as his servant only I wasn’t old enough then. I wish I was coming with you to Emanuel can you remember last time, it doesn’t seem so long ago and yet it seems ages. (Compre). On Friday we were told to do a “stunt” and that it would take a week but of course it sounded too good to be true. As usual there was a lot of “red tape” as to whether we should go or not as we were supposed to be firing a refresher course Monday and Tuesday. Time kept on rolling and at length we found ourselves getting out of the train at N.Walsham (Monday afternoon) to act as a source of attraction for War Bonds this Boom Week. The figure aimed at was £10,000 for the purpose of building four aeroplanes, and on the second day a sum of £13,000 is reached much to everybodys satisfaction and with a new objective £20,000. I think it is very good for a small town with the population of about 6,000. Monday evening there was a free concert (which was no good apart from the orchestra) at which there were two 15/6d vouchers given away. I picked up No73 and one of the winners was 78 but a miss is as good as a mile. By the way, have you heard that a “waac” on the knee is better than a smack on the face. But still that is nothing to do with horse racing so I will proceed.

Yesterday there was a Grand Military Procession in which were Boy Scouts, the Fire Brigade, Grammar School boys, the Voluntiers and also some real soldiers. – Break for Tea –

This afternoon there has been a foot ball match in aid of the same cause at which we played. On the whole we are having an easy time here and the food is better than we generally get. I told you that we were in private billits didn’t I! and they are “tres bon” with bed-steads too. We generally get up about a quarter to eight in the morn. and we have hot cocoa before we go to bed. Oh! we are enjoying ourselves.

I don’t know whether to go to the sergeants’ mess or to church this evening. I had a look round the church this morning, it was built in the 1300ds and its tower has fallen down and the verger has promised to show me the organ. I am becoming quite an explorer of Churches. I hear that we are getting our final leave very soon and I will let you know as soon as poss: so as you can get some time off. I don’t like the final business about it though. I won’t know how to handle you when I come home I am getting quite out of practice. Well my dear I will now conclude with heaps of Love

From Your Most Affectionate

Will xxxxxx