Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Band Room No 5, 256 Infantry Battn., Goojerat Barracks, Colchester, Essex

Dear Emmie

First of all I must say that I am sorry that I was unable to get this week end off. I did not now until 12 o’clock yesterday whether I had my pass or not, or else I would have let you know. I will have to try later on and I might succeed in getting a couple of days.

Could you tell me whether Will Mayne at Aldershot is getting his extra money or not. I heard that they got theirs a fortnight ago. The food here is a little better now; it has been taken over by another officer and we get more now. I went to a Baptist church this evening and sang in the choir; the service was very good. No doubt you will wonder what is the matter with me going to all these different places, but I am just having a look round. For some reason or other I cannot think of much to write; I don’t feel quite up to the mark lately; I feel a bit home sick. We have to do all our cleaning up of a night now as it is such a rush in the morning to get on parade. Reveille goes at 6 o’clock and we have to be on parade by 7. I want to say something nice but I can’t think what to write.

Please write soon as I want to hear from you.

I now close

With my very Best Love

Yours Ever Will

Bandsman W.M. 46534 Colchester

Dear Emmie

Thanks for the letter. I am answering it just before I go on parade tonight. We are on night operations from 8 o’clock till 9.30 this evening. Sorry I have nobody’s warm hands to hold. The boys faint with cold and want of something to eat here. It is bad after Aldershot. I am properly fed up, or else I would not mention this. I heard that all leave was stopped only in the case of serious illness can it be granted. I will let you know if I get this week end or not.

Fancy you mentioning saving out of 7/- a week. If they give us seven shillings this week I think we will spend it buying our own food. I don’t think too much importance can be attached to the revolt in the German Navy it would not take much for us to revolt here.

Last year when the Zepps were over London the mobile anti aircraft guns were up and down York Rd. What has Mr Rolfe given you to practice? How is Bertram getting on? I have not played in the band since last Sunday but we can be in the band as long as we are fully trained. We are going through gas tomorrow with helmets on; it is not much, it is weak, and we are only in it ten minutes. I am also reading a tale of a man who is going to die a batchelor but through the influence of some woman I think he marries in the end. These rifles which we have are all breaking. It would be rather dangerous if we had to use them in France.

I will close now as I have to get ready for parade.

With Best Love

From your sweetheart

Will xx

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Colchester

Dearest Emmie

Thanks for letter received this afternoon. Although the work is harder now I don’t think it effects me much. I am still the same “Will”. Things do seem to be looking up lately and I hope the war is over before Christmas. I did not go to Mr Humes to tea after all; he was called away to a military hospital and so I am going to his place later on. I went to the R.C. Church last week just to see what it was like. It was a grand service and the sanctuary was beautiful and lit up with about 100 electric lights and 20 candles. Most of the service was said in Latin but I followed it in English. The only thing I can’t get on with is praying to the saints to pray for us. No wonder G Ray gets home very frequently. I wish our batt. had gone to Wimbledon as it was supposed to some time ago. I don’t think we will have any manoeuvres this week; the wether is too bad. I don’t know for certain; we have drawn our waterproof sheets. I was not going to tell you in case you are disappointed but I am going to try for a week end this week but it is ten to one whether I get it or not. I hope the Mission keeps up: I would not like to know that it had to close. I do dream about you. The other night I dreamt that I fell in love with E.V! I don’t know why and after a little while I found out my mistake and did not like asking you to go with me again. But it was all a dream. I do not like these dark evenings much but I have to put up with them. I am sitting on a box writing this and another boy wants the box to sit on it to write a letter so I will have to conclude. I hope this cutting is sufficient for you to go by and if I come home Saturday I will be able to thank you properly. I now conclude

My very Best Love

Will

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Band Room No 5, Goojerat Barracks, 256 Infantry Battn., Colchester

Dearest Emmie

I am sorry I did not answer your letters yesterday evening, but I was so tired after yesterday’s manoeveres that I went straight to bed. We got up at 5.30, had breakfast and started away with about 2 sq ins of bread and meat (at 7 o’clock) as day rations. We marched about seven miles and had a rest.

One good job was that we were out as a band. We were supposed to be having a battle, but all I saw of the enemy was one prisoner. We returned back to barracks at 5 o’clock: making 10 hours marching (over 15 miles) on not enough food for a cat. We had a good meat tea and then turned in. We are starting fires in our rooms now, it does strike rather cold lately. I would to make me a pair of woollen gloves please, there’s a dear. I cannot describe how I miss you and I will try to get leave soon. You know I am very lucky having had three leaves; most of the boys have only had one. One of the band boys tried for leave last week with the excuse of going home to get his cornet mended. The captain wrote on the back “Try parcel post”. I havn’t got your letters to hand now so I will answer them tomorrow. I hope you are not troubled so much with air raids lately. I think you have had your dose. I hear we are going to have one of these manoeuvres again next week, it will last two or three days so I don’t know how I will go on about answering your letters promptly.

Oct 7th. 17.

Dear Emmie

I have just come back from Church parade; it is pouring of rain here this morning and we got soaked through. I hope it is not like this next week when we are sleeping in a field especially if the gate is open. Please tell Mabel that I am not going to write home any more I am tired of waiting weeks for answers. It might wake her up a bit. Harold always seems to be going through the wars, perhaps it will do him good having a holiday. I would like to know where G Ray is stationed he seems to get a lot of leave. Our captain says he dare says it pays to send 9d home to a chum for to send down a telegram saying that a brother is home from the front. One boy wanted leave because his uncle had come home from France: another boy wanted leave because his chum’s uncle had come home. All the band has put in for a week end so I will let you know how we go on about getting it. I meant that we got rifles to drill with from the stores: we have not had them before. I should certainly try for a rise if I were you; don’t you think you would get it. This afternoon we are playing the orchestra for the benefit of the boys as it is wet. This lasts from 2 till 4 o’clock and then I am going down to St Botolph to tea with Mr Hume. That means that I must go to this evenings service there so I will have to stop writing now to get ready.

I hear some rumours of six days leave but I will not mention that now in case nothing comes of it. Well I now conclude hoping you get this first post Monday morning.

With my fondest Love to my only girl in the world

Will xxx

PS How about [swastika] I missed it last time.

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Band Room No 5, 256 Infantry Battn., Goojerat Barracks, Colchester

Dear Emmie

Thanks very much for letter received this morning. I also had one from Mr Wander this evening but not from home. I would like you to remind them that they havn’t answered my letter of over a week ago. I am sorry to hear you were annoyed again Sunday night: last night was the first time for about ten days that we have had a light to get to bed with. I missed the route march today as I was put on fire picket. We have to stay in barracks all day in case of fire. One of the band boys and myself beat about 150 in running out of the fire hose at practice; we got the water running in 44 seconds. I do not remember if I told you but I am going to Mr Hume to tea next Sunday afternoon. I cannot carry on an argument in letters but I did not “dump” what you told me as a “minor detail” I meant to say I am interested in anything you write no matter how small. Do you mean the front wall is chipped by shrapnel (the one that very often held me up) They have rockets here for night warnings and syrens in the day. I hope that by the time I do get leave I do not get a military haircut; every body seems to be having them. I went sick yesterday with my knee; the doctor said its only growing pains and gave me M.W. Medicine and duty. The medicine I had was a dab of iodine on my knee and now I suppose I should be better. I am too fit yet even to get light duty. Today we all drew rifles; they were covered in vasaline so you guess we have had a fine time cleaning up. They are smaller and lighter than the old rifles, they are the 1917 patern made in U.S.A. Two of the band boys have broken theirs already so I don’t know how we will go on if we have to use them in any fighting. I have just been told that the fire picket have a lively time in the night being called up in case of an air raid. I think they serve us out with ten rounds of amunition each; what for I do not know. I hope you will excuse this paper as I have been unable to go out and get any this evening.

Well my dear I think I will be closing as the pen is running dry. I have that “creepy feeling” now as if I want to be with you; O! for peace time again.

Greatest Love

From Your Will

xxx

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Colchester

Dearest Emmie

Thanks for both letters; I received one this morning and one last night. I am sorry to hear you have been unwell and I hope you get better quickly. We get an air raid alarm nearly every night here. Last night we were warned about 6.40 and then again later. They have only dropped bombs here once and although people get so many warnings they never get scared. Perhaps it would be different if they had a few more bombs.

I hear that the people are not going to be allowed to go down the tubes during air raids, is it right. You did not tell me you had started at Mt Rolfs; you only said you were going home from there. I suppose we will get some sort of a leave before we move from here and I will have to think of an idea so as to get special leave. There is no reason to argue with yourself as to whether I am interested in any minor detail which you may write. I think I will let you consider and decide that question for yourself. The Colonel only told us the meaning of a few badges and how they were won; he also impressed upon us the need of discipline when on active service. He said that the companies would go out with six weeks interval and that the first one would be in December.

I am in C Company now but the batt. is reorganising this week so I hope I get out of C company and into either D or E. I also have that “little creepy” feeling at times when I think of the evenings I have spent with you (in the old arm chair) kind o’ takes ones breath away doesn’t it. My knee is still about the same, I think I will go sick with it tomorrow and get an easy days work. I did not know Ralfe Verlinden much; is that the one who joined up under an assumed name. I wish I was able to take you to Southend for a week end: never mind perhaps I will “apres la gare”. The band is not done away with; we go out on route marches and other special “stunts”. You must have been in a bad way when you wrote to me yesterday: you put 27th instead of 29th. We were not disturbed in the bombing of Essex towns; some of the boys think they heard the guns going off. Where is the GNR granary. I have never heard of it before. If I was with you I would hug you and stop your heart beating so fast. I hope this being the brightest night that the raiders are foiled in their attempt to reach London. I suppose in time something will be done to cope with them as with the Zepps. In what way did G Knowlton look funny. I like to hear your woes so as I can help you to bear them; or if I cannot do that I can sympathise with you.

C Gibbs is waiting for me and we are going to a Roman Catholic Church tonight. I played at St Botolph’s Church this afternoon for Childrens’ Service and I am going to Mr Humes to tea next Sunday. Well my Love I will conclude now

With Fondest Love

Will

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Band Room No 5, 256 Infantry Batt., Googerat Barracks, Colchester

Dearest Emmie

I am in rather a bad mood this evening so please excuse the tone of this letter. I have had to do an hours extra drill this evening for no just purpose so I am going to see into it. I am sorry I did not think of Harvest Festival being this week but I don’t suppose I could have got off had I had a letter down. Only today we were told to get our hair cut short as there was no chance of any leave. I would like to know what you innimate when you suppose I have “other reasons” to prevent me from coming home. Do you think if there was a possible chance to get out of this den I would miss it? I am very sorry to hear about Harry Moore, I did not think he was out in France. I am sorry to hear that you are having such wretched times lately: I suppose you will be glad when this moon goes. Never mind! “Watch and Pray” and all will be well. You did not say whether you had started at Mr Rolfe’s or not; if you have how are you getting on with the piano is there any difference yet. Although I said nothing about the Christadelphians I have been thinking all the more. The Christadelphians or any other religion can prove their side without any opposition but the Church of England does not run other churches down; they take a wide view of things. Colchester is a fairly pretty place. We went for a route march yesterday and saw some of the country; it is decidedly prettier than Aldershot and district. There are some old churches and ruins etc here, there is also a part of an old Roman wall but I have not been to see them yet. We had a lecture by the Colonel today and by what he says I should think we will be going abroad (to where, I don’t know) any time after Christmas. Well Emmie dear, you know I don’t like expressing my feelings on paper, but you may be sure they are great. I now conclude

With Best Love from Will. xxx

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Band Room No 5, 256 Infantry Batt., Googerat Barracks, Colchester, Essex

Dear Emmie

You see I still address myself Bandsman. This morning we all went on parade with the band for an inspection by the Brigadier General. He said that we have been extraordinary well treated and fed. I heard that the medical Officer has been treating the sick too kindly and has been “blown up” about it. Yesterday I did all parades with the company but they did not seem hard. I will resolve to write home directly after this letter. I am sorry to say that it will be too late for me to get home for the Harvest Festival; I didn’t think it was this week. You must always reverse your dreams when they are like that you know I wouldn’t leave you with an ordinary ta ta. Dear Emmie I am pleased to say that I do not think it necessary for that cross on my letters as I never forget that part of my duty. I went to church last Sunday morning and played the organ. I went in the evening and met Rev. Hume? who the twins know well. He was Mr Smith’s friend from Twyford Hall.

I will now close With Best Love Will xxx

P.S. Please excuse paper better next time.

Last night we had an air raid warning and I hear they got to London. I hope you are all safe. I dare say I will hear from you before you get this.