Dear Emmie

Yours to hand of the 18th inst: it was addressed to the Reception Camp but only took one day in getting to me from there. Glad you liked the carte-postal. I bought that at Bully-Grenay when I was on the Lens sector about two months ago. Of course you know I have moved from there and we arrived in front of Cambrai about 8/10/18 before it was taken. We attacked on the south side and within three days had outflanked it and were round the back of it. We have had some lively scenes in open warfare and it is not bad when the enemy is running away especially as Johnny did towards the end, in motor cars. I am now at a place named Auberchicourt, rather a nice name to go to bed with, but we are moving tomorrow and I will let you know in my next letter if poss, where we are stopping. We are now working our way southwards along the line. The batt: has already done nearly a weeks marching and we have about fifteen miles to do tomorrow. You say I don’t express a desire to be home, well I wish you could hear me sometimes. I won’t stay in the army five minutes longer than I can help. Dad expects me to go back and finish my apprenticeship but I was supposed to be out at 19 so I have asked him to state clearly on what lines he intends to take me back on. I am sorry to hear about Mrs Boston it must be a shock to Mr B. By the way, I wrote to Mr Ferraro the other day so I expect he will tell you. I don’t know what army we are in now. I think we have been transferred back to the first and are making for somewhere near the north coast. I have felt shaky on there being a revolution in England. I hope that it does not happen it would be one of the worst possible things. My watch still goes in fits and starts so I will not send it home yet. I would like you to send me some books please, about one a month I think would be sufficient.

Well my dear I will close now still longing for the time when I can (?) visit you at my leisure.

From Yours Ever

Will xxx