Posted on by leftoverlondoner

4th March 1918

Cromer
Dearest Emmie

Perhaps by now you have received my card; I would have written a letter last night only I did not feel well. I think I had a touch of influenza but now it has worked off and I am my old self again. We are going to a place called North Walsham to play in front of a Tank while the money rolls in the Bank; it is lasting till next Sunday so we will have might be called a weeks holiday. I played on that four manueled organ yesterday morning and with a little practice on it I will be alright. It has about 70-80 stops which come out by pressing respective buttons. It has a fine group of solo stops and is blown by electricity. I haven’t met the organist but will have to get an intro to her. We are going this afternoon about 3 o’cl. (15.00 as the army terms it) and it is about an hours ride. (nearly twenty mls.) I do want you so much, you don’t know how I miss you, but I hope this war would end soon and then perhaps my wishes would come true.

Well my dear I will have to conclude as cookhouse call.

Much Love

From Will. xxx

PS. Please remember me to your Ms & Pa and the little branches.

PSS. Have just received 5/- for last Sundays orchestra playing, it comes very acceptable nowadays.

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Posted on by leftoverlondoner

1st March 1918

(“Same as before”)
Dearest Emmie

I hope you have received my last letter by now. I posted it as usual the same night as I received yours. We played at a Scotch concert last night and it is Officers’ Mess tonight. It is much nicer being with the band because we can have quiet feeds of a night whereas no food is allowed in the billets in the boy’s. One of our first violinists went as a first-aid man with some bombers and he was hit in the eye with a piece of bomb and it is feared he will lose the sight of it. He has done his bit in France without being hit so is very unlucky. He had to instruct the other men how to bandage him up; it must have wanted some “grit”. I would get as much practice on the piano as I could if I were you, I often wish I could play much better, as I hope to “some day”. I was told off last night for being late for the orchestra so I do not lose my old style much. I was told by the sergeant major that I would never make a soldier; well he is an old hand and I wouldn’t like to serve the years he has. I am in No.2 Com’y. C Coy. 6 platoon. recognised as very smart of course. I would very much like you to send me a weekly paper as they are almost imposs to obtain here; I haven’t heard any news for a fortnight. It was so windy this morning that it blew me over and I want some capsizing. Well my Dear I will now conclude

With Love

From Yours Ever

Will. xxx

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Posted on by leftoverlondoner

26th February 1918

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, The Band House, 52 Royal Sussex Regt, Cromer
Dear Emmie

I haven’t yet received a letter from you today so I am writing in advance. We have had a hard day today, walking through swamps and lying down in them. One boy was covered with thick mud right up to his shoulders and then had to drill like it afterwards. We are playing at the Y.M.C.A. this evening, the people here like our music very much and it is the talk of the town. We were wakened from our sleep yesterday morning by two loud reports which at first I thought were antiaircraft guns but it turned out to be rockets fired from a vessel in distress as there was a very rough sea at the time. I do not know if any people were drowned or not but those saved were taken into Yarmouth harbour and the life-boat was just being put into the shed.

-  Interval for tea -

Yours to hand just received; I am finishing this letter by candle light. You must be getting on well with the piano if you are on Chopin’s Valses; I am becoming very envious I think, I will have to have some more lessons when I come home. I am sorry to hear the organ is in such a bad condition the best thing to do is to start an organ fund I think, it ought to be well patronised. One meets with so many doubtful characters in the army, I was simply sitting on the pier when they tried to make trouble but it did not come off so all’s well that ends well. I don’t suppose I will see you before the final and I don’t suppose that will be long now. “B” Company goes out next week. I heard of a man in France who would not have leave because he didn’t like the going back part; but I am different to that you know if I got a chance I would spring to it as a drowning man clings to a straw. I do not mind you asking “when I am coming home” I only wish I could give you an answer that would please you. I am sorry to have to “pack up” now but I have to wash and dress in a quarter of an hour for this affair tonight. I get ready a little quicker now than I used to.

I remain

Yours Ever

Fondest Love

From Will xx

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Posted on by leftoverlondoner

24th February 1918

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Band House, 52 Royal Sussex, Cromer
Dear Emmie

Thanks for letter it was a bit better than the last one. Somehow I knew that you would guess I hadn’t heard of the raids, have you had any more yet. I don’t think that you usually leap before you look because I know that you are in no way narrow minded and that is one little point that I like about you. We are having fine weather here lately and it is nice walking along the cliffs in the moonlight the only thing I miss is you. I havn’t seen any “vio's” yet but if I do I will not forget you. I have an idea that I have seen Alma house somewhere so I look out and let you know. Who is it you know down here? (excuse me asking, your other boy perchance. I hope you get enough to eat when you are rationed, there seems to be plenty of meat in the shops down here. Last night I had a kipper for supper bought it and cooked it all by myself. I can’t tell you exactly what that dream was all about but you were in it so therefore it was nice. We are supposed to be moving to Keelem camp or something like that. at any rate it was condemned for German soldiers (prisoners). You know you will see me before I leave England because I have not had my final six days leave yet. I am glad to hear that you get on the organ frequently:  I went to Cromer parish Church this morning to the parade service and there is a four manuel organ with electric push stops there. e.g. instead of pulling the stops out by hand you just press the button and out pops the stop. – I have just finished tea but I have done a lot since I left this letter. We played on the pier this afternoon and the place was full. I think we get something for it. There is a Scotch regiment down here and the men still have that enmity which they had years ago. They say they are going to smash our lot up but I think they will find they are tackling a hard job. I nearly got into a scrape with about a dozen of them who were drunk but by a little bit of diplomacy we shook hands and parted good friends. I am now going to get ready for church so I will be closing this epistle.

With Fondest Love

From Yours Ever Will xxx

PS. There were 1,300 people on the pier this afternoon which is a record. One up for the Sussex.

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Posted on by leftoverlondoner

21st February 1918

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Band House, 52nd. Royal Sussex R., Cromer
Dear Emmie

Thanks for letter, but I am sorry you are in such a bad mood. No doubt you will be surprised when I tell you that I didn’t know anything about air raids until a few hours before I received your letter. We get no London newspapers down here and I tried to buy one yesterday (a local paper) but they were all ordered. You know I would have written had I known so perhaps you will cheer up a wee bit when you know the rights. How was you nearly crushed, by a crowd I presume. I am sorry to hear there has been so much damage done. You know I always pray for your safekeeping. We have a very select six in our room and we say our prayers together at night. We have to be in our rooms by 9 o’cl at night and lights out is at 9.30. There is a wreck on the beach which has been blown in half by a mine. We got a lot of coal this afternoon so now we have a nice fire. I wish we were going to be here in the Summer that would be alright, but I hear we are only to be here for six weeks and then we are being sent to the worst camp in England but I hope not. Thanks for the Mag: I would like it every month just to know how things are going. Thanks for the stamps they will come in handy. I dreamt of you last night, a nice dream too, but I wish I was with you and it would much nicer. Well my dear I will conclude now

With Love

From Will.

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Posted on by leftoverlondoner

19th February 1918

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Band House, 52 Royal Sussex Regt., Cromer
Dearest Emmie

No doubt by this time you will be thinking that I have forgotten all about you, well this last two or three days we have been upsidedown. (I am sitting on the floor writing this.) We moved very early Monday morning and were C.B. Sunday except for Church Parade. We had dinner yesterday in a church hall but our proper mess room is the dining room of Marlborough Hotel. It is a shame the way these places have been knocked about by the troops. Last night we slept on the floor boards with one blanket each and no fire in the room so you can guess what it was like. I hope that by this evening we get some more blankets. There is a fine looking church here but I think it is “Low church” I don’t suppose I will be able to play the organ here but time will prove. We are back with the rest of the band now and our house in peace time is called “Russle House” There are no lights here of a night so we have to provide ourselves with candles. Opposite our window is a room in which there is a piano; so near and yet so far. There are six in the the room I am in, and we have a picture galary on the walls in which you have a place. This is not such a lively place as Colchester but there is a skating rink on the pier which is open three nights per week and I dare say we will spend some good times there. We can see the sea from our window and can hear it roaring in the nights when all is quiet. It seems quite a long time since I heard from you so write something nice won’t you. Well my Love I have to close now

With Fondest Love

From Will. xx

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Posted on by leftoverlondoner

13th February 1918

Bandsman W Metcalfe 46534, Colchester
Dear Emmie

You don’t say what you would never have done if that letter had been any shorter; but I know you would have written. You was not scared then when the mouse appeared in the office, I should say it is a rather funny sensation to have a mouse running up ones leg. (I mean the clerk’s) I guess you will be passing me if you are tackling Prelude; you will have to give me a few lessons when I come home I am very sorry in appearing to have forgotten your Mother for so long and I hope she is still enjoying the best of health. Don’t forget to tell her how sorry I am. We put our identification discs where we like they are only made of lead. I know what the “inevitable” means but I think I used the wrong frase there I meant the unexpected happens at times. What shall I call you when I mean to be serious What have you been doing with the organ, have you been dancing on the peddles. If you were going with some of the girls, you knew such as Eva or Maude I wouldn’t mind you going; but then you don’t want to work on a holiday. I have not done any work all day today dodging it as usual and I am going to try to get a light job tomorrow. You do not say wether you think of coming on Sunday or not. Our transport went to Cromer today and I shouldn’t be surprised to move off at any moment from now. I hope the war does come to an end pretty soon some people seem to think it will. I do not think you are too formal and I know you are not forward, you are just as I like you Emmie dear

I will conclude now

With Fondest Love

From Yours Ever Will. xxx

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