Dear Emmie

There was no English mail up again yesterday and I was on Guard so I was unable to write. I would just like you to see what remains of that “sea Pie” which you sent me. One of the boys cut the best pictures out and stuck them all on the wall with jam. That’s the only stuff he could use as we have no paste etc. Ten men were demobilised from this Batt today. They are gradually going. In the last batch we lost a drummer and now two more have been warned to be prepared to go any day now. One of them is just on his way back from England now off leave so he is lucky. Of course most of these are long service men and some have over fourty months service in France to their account. We are likely to loose the Drum Major shortly and then I don’t know what will become of the drums. I suppose they will put somebody else in charge. We have one man who is a pro: violinist and organist so perhaps he will take the job on. No doubt you know that candels etc are very scarce out here but we have overcome that difficulty. The electrical light has been started again in this town and a live wire passes by our window. We heard a short while ago that men were repairing the power station and we got some old German wire and have fitted up lights in four rooms. I think soldiers can do anything. I don’t think we have right to put in on but if we are caught we say “ce ne fait rien”. The bill of costs goes to the Army as the light is used by our Brig. Officers in a Chateau and this house is on the same estate. I have just had a letter from Leslie he tells me he has one stripe and is in charge of a mess of 50. He has also something to do with the P.O. so I suppose he is a kind of Post & Mess corporal.

Well I havn’t any more to write now but hope to hear from you by next post.

Fondest Love from Yours Ever Will xxx