Dearest Emmie

I don’t know what you must be thinking of me writing so little lately but I have been busy. We are now on open warfare and I, being up the line and advancing so quickly, have had very little chance to write. We are now in a village which four days ago was occupied by “Jerry”. There were a few people left behind and of course they have been sent away. We are now in civilian houses which have not been shelled very much. Everything is like home. Beds to sleep in, plenty of coal and fires and also plenty of veg: which we lose no time in digging and having for dinner. Of course when we first took over the houses we were very careful with what we touched; especially wires and electric switches etc. We lit an oil lamp and it had not been alight two minutes before it went up as if it had been set to go off. Of course it might have been a trick of a Jerry and perhaps not: anyway we are very careful. I hear from the papers that the latest big town taken is in ruins but I fear that statement is a bit exaggerated. I am pleased to say that our Batt. casualties have been very slight and I hope they remain low. I haven’t had a letter from you now for over a week but I know there must be some for me somewhere. I went over a ruined church yesterday but there was no organ in it. It [was] a pity to see all the vestments strewn over the floor which must have cost over £1,000. There are plenty of pianos in the empty houses and I have lost no time in having a tune. There is a lot of buck-shee furniture everywhere, one side-board in a house or cabinet is worth about £300. It is a shame to see the destruction but if course this is only a pin’s point on the line. The boys are now making something with flour and water. Some want to make pancakes and some jam tart. I think it looks like the paste we used to use at the shop. The latest up last night was that peace had been declared but the guns are still going this morning so I suppose they have not heard of it. If they are going to have peace this year they had better hurry up about it.

I am very lucky in one way and that is so far I have always been in a house, barn or cellar every night whereas most of the boys have been in the open. We have had to dig in about half-a-dozen times and I am getting quite used to it. How is the organ at the church going on have they finished it yet. I don’t think I have nay more to write this time so will close with

Fondest Love

From Yours Ever

Will xx