Dearest Emmie

By the time you receive this letter I dare say this month will be nearly gone. I must thank you for the blanco which just came at the right time and needless to say the other contents of the parcel were très bon, which I presume were your make. We are cleaning cookers again this morning and they will look très chic when we have finished. Did you get my letter of the 24th. We mustn’t write in French because we might break rules & regs thereby. It is much easier to converse with the French than to write their language and it is surprising how the children pick up English; in some cases the “prime” words first. I don’t know what you think of this mix up of a letter and I won’t tell you how long it has taken me to write it but I dare say a few words are better than none at all so I will conclude with

Fondest Love

From Your Will xxx

Dearest Emmie

Just a few lines to let you know that I am still alright. I went to the pictures last night and they were very good. There are numerous entertainments out here for us such as kinemas and various concert parties. I often think when sitting on a form with no back at the pictures, of the settees at the Rink.

Many thanks for parcel just received with très bon contents as usual. I ma sorry the dentist had such a hard job with your tooth but I dare say you will have forgotten all about it by the time you receive this. I am sorry I do not write enough for you, I write as often as possible and if it is every other day I have nothing to write about. Merci pour le lingerie ou couverture c’est très bon pour mépal polisage.

We have been of a job cleaning field-cookers and they are in a mess too. They look as if they have never been cleaned at all. How is Bert going on I suppose he is back at school by now. I think the flue has left this district now, I suppose it will go out of England as quick as it came.

How is the swimming going on? Would you like any help. I dare say I could teach you (to swim) very well, what!

I would like you to find out for me if there is a 5/4 time in music? s’il vous plait. I have never seen it but I have been told there is such.

I have had another letter from F.Champ, he writes very frequently. I told him about W.L. and he doesn’t like the idea much. Well my dear I must perforce conclude now if I would catch the post, so

Au Revoir

Best Love

From Your Will xx

Dearest Emmie

Yours to hand of the 11th & 19th inst both received this afternoon. What baths do you go to for swimming? Most of the milk in canteens out here is liquid although in tins and may be diluted by about 50% of water so you see where the milk comes from. A few sticks and a match soon makes a little fire, hence the hot milk. Although it is unsweetened it all goes down the same way. No! I have no tennis shoes but having to obey orders I wear a white lanyard on the right shoulder and the snow whote blanco will add to the whiteness. I really like that photo’ of you very much I don’t see anything wrong with it. Of course I noticed the Sussex badge. The “Red diamonds” concert party consists of about 10 men of course they are soldiers, and they have to dress up to make female characters. I am sorry I put a “D” in college but is this the American way of spelling “neccessarily”. There is something wrong with me I can’t spell for nuts lately. I hope that Bert is better by now, he mustn’t go swimming too much. I saw by the Mag. that W.Arnold had moved so I didn’t write. I had a letter in answer to mine from Mr Warder yesterday.

Yes! I know W. Watts is out here. I guess he’s having a flighty time. It is just as quiet here but I hear the French and Americans are doing things down the line

Perhaps all of Mr Ferraro’s girls have joined the W.A.A.C.s or Wrens of something like that I suppose the boys are under military age. I have still got [] & [] and I am really charmed. Oh! that night, poor old Joe! But I didn’t make such a bad do after all in the long run. I don’t remember writing anything that would give you a good character just as if I would. Did you have the teeth out or did they stop aching when you got to the dentist’s door. I didn’t think you considered yourself thin perhaps you might beside Eve Y. You expect I am brown do you well my knees are. I burnt one with a cigarette so I am not yet free from sore knees. Le tete d’cheveux est tres long merci beaucoup. Well I havn’t any more to write this time so will close.

With Best Love From Yours Ever Will xx

Dearest Emmie

Yours to hand of the 15th inst & thanks very much for the photograph. I think it is very good of you and I don’t see any “commonness” about it. I’ll have mine taken when I see a decent place. We are playing on the square this afternoon at 6.30. Sometimes we play retreat and sometimes a programme, we are playing a programme this evening.

Yes! I hope to get a leave before next year but there are yet some 15 months men in the batt; one has just gone on leave. It has turned very dull so I expect we will have some rain. We are in another billit now where the rain does not come in so much and as one of the men is a house decorator he is able to repair the roof. The French people feel shure that the war will soon end and this new advance by the French will add to their confidence. Dad sent me out a pair of instep supports and they fit very well, he also sent one of those animated photographs which he had taken a long while ago much to the amusement of the boys.

We scrubbed our billitt out this morning and it looks tres bon. I am orderly man today but there is not much in that.

I don’t know if all this interests you but not much else doing and is almost the same every day. How is Bert going on with the piano does he still have lessons you tell him that he ought to be able to beat me by time I get home. Has W.L. been taken yet. I dare say he will protest and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that he has got off. You know he tried to join before me and his firm couldn’t spare him but since then he has changed his views upon the Army and its purposes. Well my dear I will have to close this epistle now.

With Fondest Love from Yours Ever Will.

Dear Emmie

In answer to yours of the 10th inst. we are having fairly good weather here but for a few thunderstorms. I hear old Fritz has started his push without much success as yet and I hope he is kept back and then perhaps the tables will turn. Do you get any allowance made for your railway fares to Ilfracombe. I hope you enjoy yourselves there but you have two months to wait yet. I will answer your big “Why?” as soon as poss but not in this letter. My knees are better now thanks; does sound funny does it not? I should think Bert felt highly honoured being the only guest of Mr Ferraro’s. Which Tarrantella are you going to play, you have three; one in the ‘Star’ in G minor I think, one in another book I gave you, and one in A flat by Stephen Hellar: it is the latter one I suppose. I havn’t been able to write you for two days. Yesterday we went to Corps Headquarters to play at Officers’ Club; it was quite a days outing. We went by motor, it was about an hours ride. After playing we went to a concert named “Camouflage” it was very good the acting, the make up and the scenery especially. Of course that’s what the whole thing consisted of but female characters were men dressed up and only in one case was the male voice disernable. I managed to get a tune on the piano the other day from music and after playing only one line for some time I felt lost at first having to look at two staffs. We practise in the morning from 9 till 12 and sometimes in the afternoon. This evening we are playing out at 4.30 for about an hour and again at 7 o’cl so we are fairly full up now. Yes the time goes fairly quickly here but you speak of leave well that seems to be the general topic lately but much of it does not exist. Well I will close now hoping you are keeping fit and in the pink.

With Love from Yours Ever Will. xx

P.S. Please remember me to Ma & Pa.

Dear Emmie

Just a few lines to let you know that I am alright. I hear Mr W.L. is called up. I am utilising the half sheet that you didn’t write on but I don’t suppose I will be able to fill it up. I could tell you just as much on a field card. I would like you to send me some writing paper please. I hope you don’t get tired with my wants. I went to a church service this morning in a kinema at which the drums played the hymns and chants: it went very well. There was a H.C service afterwards. I hope you are answering my questions. I have quite taken to music lately although I rarely hear any. What are the longest and shortest notes? What is duple time and compound time? Well I have no more to write this time so will conclude.

With Fondest Love from

Yours Ever Will xx

Dearest Emmie

Yours to hand of the 7th inst. I am glad to know that you can find plenty to do these long evenings. I should think that you could find your way about Golders Green and Hampstead in the dark by now, I am glad you found the brooch again it was very fortunate walking to the exact spot. Is C.H. a sergeant in the Air Force. I think he deserves the rank. Where is he stationed? I hear or rather see by the mag: that Nellie W is back at the “Mish”, and her sister is some musician now; I presume that those letters are something to do with a college of music I forget what they are now.

Are you growing much with all your exercise? If you go swimming mind you don’t get your feet wet. I have received the mags. thank you, what made you think that I wouldn’t get them? I read that paper cutting and am glad to know that the doctors are getting the ‘flu in hand well. I have not received that stuff from home yet and I would like you to find out if it has been sent please. I would like you to send me a block of “snow white blanco” if you please. There is something the matter with my watch; sometimes it goes in 2/4 time (simple duple) and sometimes in ‘compound triple’ and now it is going in 0/0 time.

Ques.1. Why is it needless to write a piece of music in more than 6 sharps or six flats?

Ques.2. Where is C in the alto cleff.

I am going to have some hot milk for supper tonight, that’s the stuff to feed the troops on.

I went to a concert last night: it was given by the “Red Diamonds” and was très bon; “tres beens” as is generally said.

Well my dear I don’t think I have any more to write about this time so will conclude

With Fondest Love from

Will xxx

PS.I heard from Frank C. the other day. He supposed for some reason that I had gone into hospital and was very comfortable himself. His letter consisted of about 60 words and if you count the words in this post-script there are 50 so you may guess how long his letter was.

Dearest Emmie

In answer to your long letter of the 4th inst. I don’t know why you should feel so foolish because I answered three of your letters at once. I hope you don’t think that you write too much. If I happen to get two or three together at any future time how shall I answer them please? I wouldn’t do anything intentionally that you didn’t like you know. We play out at 6.30 every evening so I have more to occupy my time now than I did have. I don’t compre the being too thumbs up. Have I seen your new friend or is she new to the district. Mind you don’t turn the boat over with your crabs it is quite possible you know. I am sorry that I overlooked that small request you made what was it? You asked me some time ago to tell you what the censored part of a letter was and to return the same well that was the date of when we went up the line which if “Jerry” had got hold of it by any means would have been very important information for him. Well, I am returning letter is you little request answered? I had not forgotten it entirely. Did Mrs Day come over to see the new arrival, some joke. If George is taken prisoner I think it takes about two months before a letter gets through. I did not know Lord Rhondda had died until I received your letter although I learned afterwards that it was in the paper two days before. Sorry to hear that the ‘flu’ is so bad in London. I think it has passed away from here now. May I leave my socks off when I get to ‘kip’ or walk about with bare knees. I don’t think I’ll catch cold. I will get my photo taken if I see a decent place. I would like the latest one of you as soon as poss. You are not very complementary about not knowing much of your letter after reading it. I have not had time to write Mr Farraro yet so please tell him I will answer as soon as poss. How are you getting on with the piano? Quest. How does musical sound differ from mere noise? How many kinds of scales are there? I would like you to answer them and ask me two. Well I must now conclude.

With Fondest Love From 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