Dear Emmie

Yours to hand of the 23rd inst. I had forgotten that I told you about the French classes but the officer who was taking us has gone away so na pas French classes. Nothing can be done with any certainty now as those who least expect it seem to be going first. All the rations we got yesterday was hard biscuits and a little meat for dinner. I believe there has been a strike on the railway or something but everything is all right today so there’s nothing to grumble about. We (the drums) don’t have any classes now at all because there is no one to take us. It is surprising how much one forgets after a few years from school. There were one or two different little things that I had almost forgotten which were recalled to memory by these classes; they are much better than drills. I think we do get a suit on demob: or the money, I think I will take the former anything does for working in. I hope you don’t lose your job I don’t think you will. How is Mr Clark going on you havn’t mentioned him for quite a long while. I suppose Mabel will soon get “le grand sac” with nothing to put in it. There is another dance for us to play at again tonight I am getting tired of playing at them it would perhaps be a little better if we had a little swing sound ourselves but “pas chance”. I was dreaming of you the other night again and woke up to find my arm round my bed-mates waist, rather a disappointment; what! (oh !! “Mum’s” the word). Mon enfumez ou mal de gorge est plus meilleu maintenant Je vous merci. Comment allez vous? Tres bien je Espoir. I am just off guard again this morning. I have to go on for 24 hours every three days but soon some boys will be back from Tournai and then I will have a little easier time. Well my dear I have no more to write now and dinner will soon be up so au revoir.

With Fondest Love

From Will xxx

Dear Emmie

Todays letters are not yet up so I am just writing a few lines in advance. I was able to attend another book-keeping lesson this morning, the first for quite a long while. Our teachers’ papers are through and he expects to be going soon so I suppose our lessons on this subject will soon cease. I see by the papers that the Government is sitting on the question of the Army in occupation. I can see some of us going to Germany yet, I wouldn’t mind betting that some of the troops in England who have not yet been to France will have to come out and take their share in this work. I saw one of the Concert Party this morning and he says that the Electric light will be used tonight so our work will not have been in vain. Some of the boys are playing football in about four or five inches of snow. I guess it is some game and will join them and finish this letter later. I have just had a short game of footer and it was not cold at all but rather slippery, I went up once but didn’t hurt myself. There is only a French mail up today as I havn’t a letter from you. By the way I don’t care for that paper you sent me but of course I will finish it up. I have a fair amount of this kind here so I am alright for paper for a little while. I hope I don’t have to write home for any more. One of the boys had a letter which had come by air. It was French mail and had on it (“Par Avion”) By Air. Well I don’t think there is any more to write this time so will conclude,

With Fondest Love

from Yours Ever Will xxx

Dearest Emmie

I am writing a few lines this morning as I didn’t write much last night. I was on guard yesterday and didn’t have much time. I feel in a rotten mood lately, don’t know whats the matter with myself. I think it is that longing feeling. Can you give me any remedy for it. I can’t read, write or do anything to pass the time away. I think it is the want of some decent music. Pumping flutes the way we do it is more irritating than anything else; or perhaps it is because I want you so I hope I get leave or get to England soon it is so monotonous here. We have had to fill in some more papers this morning – more red tape. Somehow or other they had me down for 2½ years service in the Army: I don’t know how they did it. One year and nine months is quite long enough for me and I hope that I never see as much as one years service in France. I have been doing my hair differently lately I wonder how you will like it when you see it. I think it is Jack Morrice’s stile with no oil or grease. I havn’t had a word from you yet about the organ, I expect a very minute discription of every detail you know. Perhaps that is rather a big job. We have been sliding all over the place today; after two days snow it has turned very frosty and everywhere is slippery.

We have no curtains up at our window, I am not going to ask you to send some out but we paint them with white blanco and the “artist” is now at work on a new pattern. All the electricians of this town have gone on strike so our light is cut off. Rather a coincidence but I have just this very minute been asked to go and help put up the electric lights for a concert tonight.

It is now nearly ten o’clock; I went and fixed a lot of lights this morning I was glad of something to do but they were not used this evening; the oil engine which drives the dinamo for generating the electricity was out in the snow and was so cold that it wouldn’t go but ce ne fait rien, they had acetelyne gas which went just as well. The concert was “Aladin” and went down very well it has quite cheered me up. The parts were taken very well especially the girls who were boys dressed up. One cannot tell the difference either in looks or voice until the end when all the wigs are taken off. They also had very good dresses, I suppose they were borrowed from England. I don’t think I have any more to write this time only asking you for a nice letter to cheer me up a bit, an extra special one I mean. Well Emmie dear I still think of the Mizpah which you gave me on the 29-3-18 the last day which we were together and I hope it will not be long before I can hug you close once again.

With Fondest Love

From Your Own Boy Will xxxxxx

P.S. Please remember me to your Ma & Pa and the boys.

P.S.S. Have enclosed nib for you to change please, a very fine one please

Dear Emmie

Yours to hand of the 20th inst received this evening. I will send you some more views of Tounai if you like them so. I do not think you as cheeky in asking me for some more views, you don’t ask me to do much for you and I like doing something. I don’t seem to be getting many letters from you lately and I havn’t received one mentioning anything about a puzzle yet. I suppose it has got lost. We have had a fairly heavy fall of snow this last two days and it is not very safe underfoot. This is rather a funny coloured ink it is certainly not black. I have asked Dad to get the Firm to write again and I hope he will I think it will hurry things up a bit. A few more chaps are being demobilised tomorrow. They all seem to be long service men. That song “Nearer my God to Thee” must be at home somewhere as Dad did not send it out. I have been going to tell you for some time that I have read “Paddy the next Best Thing” one of the boys had it sent out Christmas: it is not a bad tale. I do not feel impatient at all at the other boys going home although I want to go very much but I must take my turn when it comes. I feel in a very bad mood this evening and have nothing cheery to write so will close.

With Love

From Yours Ever Will xxx

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

Dearest Emmie

Thanks very much for parcel received yesterday the mince pies were tres bon. The writing pad will do very nicely thank you. I don’t mind what paper it is as long as I can let you have a line occasionally. The “loofa” will be just the right size for me to pack up, for every little thing has its place in the pack. I think every soldier ought to be able to make a small parcel by now. I had my paper from the labour exchange yesterday from the firm. It is now in the Orderly Room and I hope I havn’t many weeks to wait before a vacancy comes through for my district. I have had to give up book keeping as I don’t have sufficient time to keep it up what with guards and playing at dances etc. I don’t think I will send the nib along now, it is not going so bad now and I hope it is not long before I am able to change it myself in Blighty. Well I don’t think there is any more to write about now so I conclude.

Fondest Love from

Yours Ever Will

Dear Emmie

Yours to hand of the 14th inst. It came with “Dad’s” letter which was also posted on the 14th. We did not have an English Mail for two days so I suppose that is why it was a long time coming. I wish I could have bought you something at Lille but there was not much there and still less at Tournai but if I go again I will have another look. I hope when I do get home it will be for good, we have about 7 or 8 men go from this Batt a day so I will be glad when my papers come through. Frank Champ always was a very quiet chap and often went about on his own before the war. I don’t think he finds much comfort at home worse luck. There is one thing, when he gets to work it generally takes him all over the county and that will suit him. We had a whist drive last night and I did not get the booby prize this time. Dad has told me a little about the organ at home so now I expect you to give me a few details. From what he says it must be a good one I thought it would have to be for him to buy it. Now you guess that I am wanting to get home to try it. I suppose you have played it havn’t you. Has it any pipes? That is asking rather a lot and what kind of swells has it? With the knee I suppose. I have got the writing pad which came for one of the boys who has gone home. Of course I wrote and told him it came and that all in our room uses it so it wont last long. “Loofa” is the word I couldn’t think of it and when I read it I wondered what it meant. I have just grasped the idea. I do smoke a pipe sometimes especially lately as cigarettes are scarce. That tobacco you sent Xmas was very nice thank you I meant to tell you so before French “cigs” cost 1 franc for twenty and are no good. The Frenchmen smoke anything; their tobacco is just like ordinary leaves dried. I cannot think why a soldier back from the trenches is transparent, why is he? What kind of a hat shall I wear in civvy life a soft felt like before I think will be best. What do you think of my brother Leslie joining the Navy rather a funny thing to do at this time too but I dare say it would be better than the Army. If I hadn’t any prospects in life I might stop in an army band but the worst of it is one is never free. You should see some of the things we get up to such as pulling down trees for fire wood etc. It seems funny but anything belonging to the Govt. such as clothes equipment etc, if we are short of anything we simply go and “scrounge” it. We scrounged a door from a school here and it is now a table in our room. One chap was “scrounging” some “froggies” (Frenchman’s) wood the other day and a dog came out and put a stop to it and nearly had a lump out of his leg. All these things must be attained before one is an efficient soldier. That is not down in K.R.R.s (Kings Rules and Regulations) which by the way nobody thoroughly knows but is a part of the men’s own creed. Well I don’t think I have any more to write about this time so will close.

With Fondest Love

From Yours Ever Will xxx