Dear Emmie

I have not had a letter from you to answer for about four days so am just giving you all (which is not much) the news. I wrote half a letter to you yesterday but as I had no time to finish it, have started again this evening. I do not suppose I will finish this this evening as we have a dance on and I do not know what time. We started French classes last night so that is something else to help us pass our weary hours away. We have lost another drummer on demob: He has only been out here the same time as me but good luck to him. He is a G.P.O. employee up the north of England. Has my Dad heard what is being done in the case of broken apprenticeships; in the book I read on demobilisation it said the case was still being considered perhaps by now they have come to some decision. I dreamt of you two nights ago and did not seem to be in want of practice of how to “carry on”. I went to Tournai this afternoon to a lecture on the war in the east. The men there must have gone through more hardship than some of us what with snow and rain and no fuel. We were lectured to by a Major who has been out there since -15. We also saw pictures; photographs of numerous places he had visited including the Towers of Babel and the Gate of Damascus etc. I am the last in the house now. They have all gone so I will have to hop it and finish this tomorrow.

It is the 20th today but I will only write a few lines as I expect a letter this afternoon.

We didn’t have an English mail up yesterday only French. I have got something which I wanted before my ticket and that is a new pair of boots. They will be alright for working in and should last some time. Perhaps I am speaking rather previous; there are all sorts of rumours going around; to top the one that says we are going to Germany is that we are all being demobilised within a month: of course it does not say what month. Well I will pack up for now hoping you are quite well also hoping to see you soon.

With Fondest Love

From Will xxx

P.S. Have enclosed a rather comical sketch