Dearest Emmie

Thanks for the book of papers received yesterday. The Batt is out for a few days so we are fairly busy and I havn’t had much time for writing. The other day a shell struck the church here and made a bit of a mess. A fatigue party was put on the job of cleaning up which was soon finished. In the meantime I had a tune on a small organ which was there. There was not much damage done, the greatest was the hole in the roof which was not very big. I don’t know if I will be able to get my photo taken this week but I will try. The French are still going strong with their advance; of course you get the news before us so I can’t tell you much. It is surprising how many people stick in their homes within range of actual warfare. Well I will close before I take a walk for my drop of stew (“Gip”) so au revoir

With Best Love

From Yours Ever

Will xxx

Dearest Emmie

In answer to yours of the 24th inst I hadn’t time to answer it before the post went so I sent you a field-card. It’s a bad thing to catch a cold in a hollow gum. I guess you knew it some what at any rate I sincerely hope it’s better now. I nearly had the flue, but counter attacked it with two successive forces of hot milk. It is also very showey here and it flops down too. I ask the cause of a double rainbow, of one of the boys and he suggests taking a little more water with of course I point out that that couldn’t be the case. I have seen a similar scene and I think it is a reflection on a mist. I am going to have my photo taken next week if possible so you will see if I have altered much. I don’t know where I will be on Bank Holiday Monday I might be in Blighty or anywhere. I don’t even know what’s happening this afternoon. I hear we are having a change in Colonel so a lot may happen in a week. In answer to your first question. “C” can have three names:- B♯. C. D𝄫. Therefore C, C♯, D have each three names and so has D♯ if you are going to write “D♭x”, D♯, E♯. I don’t think you would find D♭x written in music.

I think that all the other notes except D♯ G♯ and A♯ have three names but these three have only two each. Another way of giving them these is:- (D𝄯♯ D♯ G♭) (G𝄯♯ G♯ A♭) (A𝄯♯ A♯ B♭). I hope you understand that half of the question. These changes are enharmonic. I think that is right but it was a teaser.

Q.A major scale consists of tone, tone semitone tone tone semitone.

Longest note is not a semi=half breve but a breve.

Shortest note is not a 𝅘𝅥𝅰 but a 𝅘𝅥𝅲 (128th note).

I understand your 5th ans. but 1/8 is an octave from C to G is a second.

I hope you understand all this

Fondest love from Will xx

What is a tetrachord

What is syncopation

Dearest Emmie

Just a few lines as I am malade ce matin to let you know that I am still alive and kicking. We had a job this morning of cleaning out an old barn. The mud and dirt in places was nearly a foot deep and it must have been there an age, so you can guess that we wanted gas marks on. We had a rather funny experience yesterday, on returning to our billet yesterday we found that next door had fallen down; rather funny I think, we used to practice in there so I suppose we made the foundation loose. The post has been round but there was no letter for me. What does Mabel say about Will? has he gone yet? I have never heard from him since I have been out, did you say he was going to write? Perhaps he wouldn’t condesend to write to a common soldier.

Well I won’t write any more now as I have a head-ache so au revoir.

With Best Love

From Yours Ever

Will xxx

Dearest Emmie

By the time you receive this letter I dare say this month will be nearly gone. I must thank you for the blanco which just came at the right time and needless to say the other contents of the parcel were très bon, which I presume were your make. We are cleaning cookers again this morning and they will look très chic when we have finished. Did you get my letter of the 24th. We mustn’t write in French because we might break rules & regs thereby. It is much easier to converse with the French than to write their language and it is surprising how the children pick up English; in some cases the “prime” words first. I don’t know what you think of this mix up of a letter and I won’t tell you how long it has taken me to write it but I dare say a few words are better than none at all so I will conclude with

Fondest Love

From Your Will xxx

Dearest Emmie

Just a few lines to let you know that I am still alright. I went to the pictures last night and they were very good. There are numerous entertainments out here for us such as kinemas and various concert parties. I often think when sitting on a form with no back at the pictures, of the settees at the Rink.

Many thanks for parcel just received with très bon contents as usual. I ma sorry the dentist had such a hard job with your tooth but I dare say you will have forgotten all about it by the time you receive this. I am sorry I do not write enough for you, I write as often as possible and if it is every other day I have nothing to write about. Merci pour le lingerie ou couverture c’est très bon pour mépal polisage.

We have been of a job cleaning field-cookers and they are in a mess too. They look as if they have never been cleaned at all. How is Bert going on I suppose he is back at school by now. I think the flue has left this district now, I suppose it will go out of England as quick as it came.

How is the swimming going on? Would you like any help. I dare say I could teach you (to swim) very well, what!

I would like you to find out for me if there is a 5/4 time in music? s’il vous plait. I have never seen it but I have been told there is such.

I have had another letter from F.Champ, he writes very frequently. I told him about W.L. and he doesn’t like the idea much. Well my dear I must perforce conclude now if I would catch the post, so

Au Revoir

Best Love

From Your Will xx

Dearest Emmie

Yours to hand of the 11th & 19th inst both received this afternoon. What baths do you go to for swimming? Most of the milk in canteens out here is liquid although in tins and may be diluted by about 50% of water so you see where the milk comes from. A few sticks and a match soon makes a little fire, hence the hot milk. Although it is unsweetened it all goes down the same way. No! I have no tennis shoes but having to obey orders I wear a white lanyard on the right shoulder and the snow whote blanco will add to the whiteness. I really like that photo’ of you very much I don’t see anything wrong with it. Of course I noticed the Sussex badge. The “Red diamonds” concert party consists of about 10 men of course they are soldiers, and they have to dress up to make female characters. I am sorry I put a “D” in college but is this the American way of spelling “neccessarily”. There is something wrong with me I can’t spell for nuts lately. I hope that Bert is better by now, he mustn’t go swimming too much. I saw by the Mag. that W.Arnold had moved so I didn’t write. I had a letter in answer to mine from Mr Warder yesterday.

Yes! I know W. Watts is out here. I guess he’s having a flighty time. It is just as quiet here but I hear the French and Americans are doing things down the line

Perhaps all of Mr Ferraro’s girls have joined the W.A.A.C.s or Wrens of something like that I suppose the boys are under military age. I have still got [] & [] and I am really charmed. Oh! that night, poor old Joe! But I didn’t make such a bad do after all in the long run. I don’t remember writing anything that would give you a good character just as if I would. Did you have the teeth out or did they stop aching when you got to the dentist’s door. I didn’t think you considered yourself thin perhaps you might beside Eve Y. You expect I am brown do you well my knees are. I burnt one with a cigarette so I am not yet free from sore knees. Le tete d’cheveux est tres long merci beaucoup. Well I havn’t any more to write this time so will close.

With Best Love From Yours Ever Will xx

Dearest Emmie

Yours to hand of the 15th inst & thanks very much for the photograph. I think it is very good of you and I don’t see any “commonness” about it. I’ll have mine taken when I see a decent place. We are playing on the square this afternoon at 6.30. Sometimes we play retreat and sometimes a programme, we are playing a programme this evening.

Yes! I hope to get a leave before next year but there are yet some 15 months men in the batt; one has just gone on leave. It has turned very dull so I expect we will have some rain. We are in another billit now where the rain does not come in so much and as one of the men is a house decorator he is able to repair the roof. The French people feel shure that the war will soon end and this new advance by the French will add to their confidence. Dad sent me out a pair of instep supports and they fit very well, he also sent one of those animated photographs which he had taken a long while ago much to the amusement of the boys.

We scrubbed our billitt out this morning and it looks tres bon. I am orderly man today but there is not much in that.

I don’t know if all this interests you but not much else doing and is almost the same every day. How is Bert going on with the piano does he still have lessons you tell him that he ought to be able to beat me by time I get home. Has W.L. been taken yet. I dare say he will protest and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that he has got off. You know he tried to join before me and his firm couldn’t spare him but since then he has changed his views upon the Army and its purposes. Well my dear I will have to close this epistle now.

With Fondest Love from Yours Ever Will.

Dear Emmie

In answer to yours of the 10th inst. we are having fairly good weather here but for a few thunderstorms. I hear old Fritz has started his push without much success as yet and I hope he is kept back and then perhaps the tables will turn. Do you get any allowance made for your railway fares to Ilfracombe. I hope you enjoy yourselves there but you have two months to wait yet. I will answer your big “Why?” as soon as poss but not in this letter. My knees are better now thanks; does sound funny does it not? I should think Bert felt highly honoured being the only guest of Mr Ferraro’s. Which Tarrantella are you going to play, you have three; one in the ‘Star’ in G minor I think, one in another book I gave you, and one in A flat by Stephen Hellar: it is the latter one I suppose. I havn’t been able to write you for two days. Yesterday we went to Corps Headquarters to play at Officers’ Club; it was quite a days outing. We went by motor, it was about an hours ride. After playing we went to a concert named “Camouflage” it was very good the acting, the make up and the scenery especially. Of course that’s what the whole thing consisted of but female characters were men dressed up and only in one case was the male voice disernable. I managed to get a tune on the piano the other day from music and after playing only one line for some time I felt lost at first having to look at two staffs. We practise in the morning from 9 till 12 and sometimes in the afternoon. This evening we are playing out at 4.30 for about an hour and again at 7 o’cl so we are fairly full up now. Yes the time goes fairly quickly here but you speak of leave well that seems to be the general topic lately but much of it does not exist. Well I will close now hoping you are keeping fit and in the pink.

With Love from Yours Ever Will. xx

P.S. Please remember me to Ma & Pa.

Dear Emmie

Just a few lines to let you know that I am alright. I hear Mr W.L. is called up. I am utilising the half sheet that you didn’t write on but I don’t suppose I will be able to fill it up. I could tell you just as much on a field card. I would like you to send me some writing paper please. I hope you don’t get tired with my wants. I went to a church service this morning in a kinema at which the drums played the hymns and chants: it went very well. There was a H.C service afterwards. I hope you are answering my questions. I have quite taken to music lately although I rarely hear any. What are the longest and shortest notes? What is duple time and compound time? Well I have no more to write this time so will conclude.

With Fondest Love from

Yours Ever Will xx