Dear Emmie, Dear Will

Dearest Emmie

In answer to yours of the 3rd inst I didn’t think I was writing any less to you lately than I always have done. I think I had the flue when I only wrote one letter and a field-card but I told you then the cause of it. Our post goes at such a funny time that I often miss it unless I write the day before. I don’t say always how I am going on as I think it advisable not to; why? I shall explain in my next epistle if I don’t forget to. It is the first I have heard of the “li’l dawg”; we had one before but it was too vicious so we got rid of it. I had a thick headache with my “flue” and felt pretty rotten but one or two developed pleurisy and bronchitis but we haven’t had many deaths and none through “flue” only. I am sorry to hear Mr Clark is bad and I hope he gets better soon. I suppose it makes more work for you doesn’t it him being away. I have not had a chance to answer Mr Ferraro’s letter yet but I will do so as soon as I can get the time. I have soon started, two bad knees, one, the edge of a bit of corrugated iron scratched and the other well I fell up stairs and found myself down the bottom and thought I had broken my leg but came off lightly with a “knocked up” knee. Of course it is not a favourite trick of mine to fall down stairs. I was coming up so did I fall up or down. Well enough of stairs for now let’s get on with something else. When A German aeroplane was brought down in our lines the other day a Frenchman showed his delight by laying on his back and clapping his hands.

Well ma Cherie I must now conclude with

Best Love From Will xx

PS. Please excuse scribble as here is something wrong with the pen.

Dearest Emmie

In answer to yours dated 1st, yes! I have had an “elegant sufficiency” thank you, I think the mysterious epidemic is passing away now, of course the “flue” is only a fictitious name for it. I don’t quite “compre” the “secret designs” you speak of, do you mean to sit for an artists model. I have not answered Mr Ferraro’s letter yet, I might do this evening. I should think Bert had his work cut out rowing you two he is becoming quite an athlete what with boxing and cycling. He does ask some quere questions, doesn’t he the wipperwopper. Has he said any more about wearing trousers; tell him he mustn’t think about it if he still keeps on with his “Mum”. Thanks for the Mags received today. I see Bert G. is mentioned rather a lot he can’t have a bad job being a sig: I noticed a few uncorrected printers errors in one Mag: I don’t think that would occur if C.R.H. was still mag. sec. What did you tell me the organ repairs would cost. I thought you said £1000 in a letter I had some time ago but I must be mistaken. Well I don’t think I have more to write this time so will conclude.

With Fondest Love

From Will xxx

Dearest Emmie

Yours to hand of the 27th ult. I hope you have had a letter by now. I saw C. Gibbs last night, his chum who is also a S.B. is away on a chiropodist’s course; sure cure for corns etc. etc. I hope Will is better by now and also the twins who have both been in bed with “flue”. I had a letter from Mr Ferraro yesterday and will answer it today if possible. We played out last night and we are going to again this afternoon. Will Arnold is no more A1 than a man without an arm. I guess he’ll be in hospital soon. I did come across an army doctor who said that he wouldn’t mark an unfit man A1. I don’t think I told you before but we wear knickers now and have to wash our knees every morning, that’s one to tell “Herbert Bertie”. Please will remind Mum that I wrote for some cleaning tackle some time ago; perhaps it went down with that mail-boat which was supposed to have sunk. I will now close this short epistle as I have to clean up for this afternoon.

With Fondest Love

From Will xx

Dearest Emmie

Yours to hand of the 26 ult received yesterday. I am quite better now thank-you. I hope you don’t get it you know you might catch it off of my letters shall I still write. I suppose you’ll say “Don’t write if you don’t want to”, but I’ll wait and see. I hope you enjoy yourselves with les mères but I suppose these little trips over Hampstead are not uncommon to you in the fine weather. I haven’t heard from Frankie Winslow yet but I thought I had a letter from him the other day and when I came to the end of it I saw it was from Mr Behr of Colchester I think I have mentioned him before (Rev. Behr).

I can almost say for certain that I won’t be home by Sept; unless miracle happens. Look out for me about next March unless the war is over before and I think that is unlikely but don’t give up heart. I received your field card and thought it very nutty: there was one line which was fully censored that I am rather curious about.

I will now close as it is dinner time and post goes directly after.

With Fondest Love

From Will xx

Dearest Emmie

The batt is now up the line and we are at what is known as “details” that is where all the surplus men stay and if required up the line through casualties occurring they are sent up. I think I have got rid of my influenza now; I have just a cough left that is all. It don’t seem to be flying about now like it was, hundreds of men went in hospital with it and I could have done if I had liked but for one thing I didn’t want to and our Major didn’t want me to either. We have lost our Colonel I think he’s got a staff job in Blighty at any rate nobody will mourn the loss. What do you do with yourself of an evening now you must feel lonely. I think I would play the piano to pass the time away. I don’t have anything to do of an evening here so the time drags to me now at any rate its better than being up the line. I dare say I will see Charlie Gibbs in a few days time and then I will be “thumbs up”. My friend Bert Thorne has not come out of hospital yet with the “flue” he has been away about eight days quite a long time. I had a letter from Mum at Battle today but of course she is in London by now. This is too late to send today so I thing I will wait until tomorrow and I might have a letter from you by then.

It is now tomorrow morning or rather the day after yesterday and we have had our usual practice. I haven’t received a letter from you today because the post is not up yet but I hope to have one when it comes.

Is Mr C. back to work yet. I suppose his better half has returned to duty now. Old Jerries’ airmen dropped some leaflets over our line I think they were meant for his own men, printed in German and saying how we have utterly lost etc. etc. I think old Fritz will have to wait a long time before he wins. Well my dear I will now conclude

With Fondest Love

From Yours Ever Will

Dearest Emmie

Yours to hand of the 21st & 22nd inst. I have just got over a second dose of influenza and I hope I am quite free from it now. I did not [censored] doctored myself on hot bread and milk which I think is about the last thing to bring a high temperature down with. Well I don’t think I will stay any longer on the subject of the “Flue”: or I might develope it upon myself again. It is strange that you should send that rose the same day as I sent one to you, twin though what? I will get my photo taken if I find a decent place but I havn’t seen many good examples yet. I heard from F. Champ the other day and he says a lot of his chums have the “Flue” “Yours [ ] F.” and that’s about all he wrote. You know he had secret designs on E.V. once upon a time if that’s the girl you allude to, at any rate she’s a straight forward object literally speaking for one to make “designs” upon. Hard luck on Mr C. having the general complaint especially under the circs. I suppose that book is by the same man I forget his name now. It might not appeal to you as it did to me but I found it interesting. Well my dear I must perforce close now

With Best Love

From Yours Ever Will xx

Dearest Emmie

In answer to yours of the 14th,17th & 18th inst and thank you very much for parcel received yesterday. The contents were tres bon as usual; please thank your Ma for making the cake for me. I am much better now than I felt the other day. Bert Thorne my chum has gone to hospital with same complaint but it generally only lasts about four days so I hope to see him again soon. I received the drums from Dad this afternoon. Dad told me Mr Westfold was a prisoner in Germany and I am sorry to know that he is wounded and hope it is not serious. Tell Mrs Todd to write to the “Officer Commanding” George’s company and he might be able to give her some information; I hope he is alright. I wrote Mr Warder about a week ago as I dare say you know by now. You said nothing to me of motoring in any previous letter to 17th and I would sooner that you stayed where you are but as I know that you have been wanting to get away from the office for some time for some reason or other I don’t suppose my advice would hold much sway. The weather has turned cold here last week and we could do with blankets especially with stone floors. Do you know how much the organ fund has risen to at all. Well I must now conclude

With Best Love from Will xxx