Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Colchester

Dear Emmie

No doubt you wonder why I have not written before. Well, I thought I was sure of seeing you tomorrow, but I am not quite so sure now. I have been trying today but have not got one step forward towards get. leave. If I do get a pass the earliest I will be home will be 5 o’clock.pm. If I do not come home I would like you to tell me that dream in your next letter. I am going to the station tonight to find out the time of the trains in case I need them. I did not go on parade at all this morning I chanced getting caught so I had an easy time. It will be about another two months before we get our six days leave and then:- well, I don’t know what will happen. The Captain said that he wouldn’t grant leaves under eight weeks. It is only five weeks since I was home but it seems like five years. I am going to bring some of Desmond’s compositions home tomorrow (needless to say “if I get my pass”.) As I forgot your badge I will try to recompense you by buying you a piece of Goss. Well my Love I will close now hoping that my luck will serve me at the right moment.

From your sweetheart Will xx

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

Dear Emmie

I have been out since ten o’clock this morning and it is now 7.30pm. Why do you hope I do not come home? What was your dream. Our captain has told us to keep our best tunics clean as we may want them on leave soon; never-the-less I will try again this week and I think I will be able to “wangle” it. If you sent me all your bills I wouldn’t let you go bare; I have an old bathing costume at home. I have managed to remember one thing concerning home affairs; it is Mabel’s birthday next Saturday: she seems to be getting quite old. You must excuse me closing so soon but you have knocked it out of me mentioning so much about leave. I am going to start that “wangle” now; the only thing I don’t care about is it is not straight. I suppose one cannot be very straight in the army. You see I nearly had to do an hours extra drill the other day for being straight. Never mind. Dear, I hope I do not have a crop (as is promised this week) to greet you with if my dark scheme succeeds.

I will now close

With Love from Will xx

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Band Room No 5, Colchester

Dearest Emmie

I thank you very much for the gloves they “fit like a glove”. I am shure they will keep my hands warm this cold weather. You say it has been raining in London; although we are so near the sea the weather is very dry here. I see by the papers that the Zeps have started their old tricks again; I half expected a card from you this morning, but I dare say you are all spared again. I should think the French have put the “wind up” them by bringing five down. I wish they had been brought down in England. I am sorry I havn’t your last letter to hand so you will excuse me if I fail to answer any question you may have asked. I am sorry to hear you have a cold but please don’t think I “don’t care” because I care for you more every day while I am here and each night I think it is one day nearer peace. I hope you are not troubled with air raids during the period of this moon: I see it has started to show itself. How are you going on at the office; have you put in for that rise yet. How is Mr Clark going on with his girl. On Friday afternoon we were out from two till seven o’clock manoeuvering and when we got back the lights went out because of the air raid warning or I would have written before thanking you for the gloves. I started eating my ration before the order was given and was awarded one hours extra drill Saturday afternoon which I did not do. The other night some boys in A company had a free fight in their mess room over some soup so as punishment they had to go on a route march this afternoon; a thing never heard of before on a Sunday. They had been gone about ten minutes when they came to a hospital of wounded soldiers and shouted out they were doing extra drills. The boys in blue started hooting the officer till he turned back with the “wind up”. They do not have all their own way.

I now conclude

With Very Best Love Will xx

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

Dear Emmie

Thanks for letter received this afternoon. I should think there is going to be some heavy gun-fire on the event of another raid, but still I hope that the weather makes it unfavourable for the “Bing Boys” as you called them once, to visit England. If ever “those” times come again I hope I will be able to make as good, if not a better impression than I made before. Now it is too late I realise the precious minutes I used to loose.* I am glad to hear that you are getting on at Mr Rolfs’, what pieces has he put you on? do I know any of them. I went to the pictures last Saturday [* You once said I was rather slow] and they were not good so I went to another Tuesday to counteract it. Charlie G. Is getting on fairly well but he will persist in reading my library just when I want it. I have a very interesting book, I don’t know whether I told you before but it is “Harry Coverdale’s Courtship”. It has been fairly fine today here. Yesterday we went on a route march in the rain and I didn’t like it much but we all got through it. I with the help of C.G. enticed one boy to fall out as he has weak ankles. He came back and got off all todays parades and in the end I think he will be reduced to B. or C2; I hope he is for his sake. I got a new pair of boots this evening and I think they will be comfortable when they are worn in a bit. We are going on a long route march tomorrow so I will have to wear my old boots or I shall be foot-sore. We are being transferred into another Brigade tomorrow so I suppose we will soon be moving again. I don’t believe soldiers ever stay in the same barracks more than two or three months, I think they get too settled. It is pay day again tomorrow so we will all be expecting our extra money. Have you spoken to E.V. lately and how is Maude going on. I hope you consider this a long letter. I have taken long enough to write it. Please remember me to your Ma and Pa and all the string of them and I will conclude by offering you my most sincere compliments or I will go one further and give you my

Best Love From Your Ever Loving Will xx

Bandsman W.Metcalfe 46534 Colchester

Dear Emmie

In answer to yours of the 13th; I am sorry you had to wait in Saturday evening but you know that I was not certain until 12 o’clock Sat.

I thank you very much for the parcel received this afternoon; I have tried of the rolls and they extreemly satisfy my taste thank you. I don’t suppose I will want to take revenge after anything from the contents of that box. I have been to the pictures tonight and have left it rather late in writing this. I will be able to make some Oxo before going to bed tonight; we have a fire and plenty of water.

Fancy that policeman visiting you at such an early hour: What was you conversation. I guess it turned you a bit didn’t it. It just shows you what muddlers the English are. I bet such a thing wouldn’t occur in Germany. I don’t want you to think that I am a pro-German but you know what I mean. I have just remembered to say that I was not cross with you when I wrote last. What made you think so? I went through (Axphyxiating) poisonous gas last Sat. with a gas mask on and I was not layed out. There were no casualties. I am in the Christian Science place writing this and it is just on closing time.

I will endeavour to write you a much longer letter next time my little dear. How I wish I was with you now! I wouldn’t be thinking of going home now 9 o’clock. See how I am improving. Well I will now conclude

With Best Love

Your Will xx

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.