Letter to Mother from London, England
[Letterhead Union Jack Club
91a Waterloo Road
London]
Sept 19th 1916
Dear Mother:–
Just a line before I leave an other soldiers comfortable stoping place. I just came this A.M. to see what it was like and I find it biger maby than ours and a little more confortable more expensive furniture and etc.
I am going from here to the Hoistoric musium away out by Hyde Park and I want to spend a few minuits in The Jew Town today. tomorrow I go back in the evening I think most of the boys are broak because I have seen only two of our cap badges at this club. but the quicker they get rid of there money I think the better it is for them
Well I must go back up Victoria street will write some more on this sheet to night as ever
Laurie.
Well, Mother. I am back at the Peel House and have to wait for over 30 min. till dinner is ready. I met two of the boys from our Hut there were away down near the Union Jack Club. They told me they had not been drunk since they hit and they have ran across two Jewes girls that have done a lot to keep them straight it seem funny how respectable girls will associate with reckless boys, I guess it is because there own brothers and father have been and are the same.
It is raining out to day so the fire is going in the fire place in our writing room here. I was to meet the boys again at 12.30 down the street but I had wished that I hadent to and when I came in and asked what time dinner was on I found that it an’t on untill 12.30 so I can’t very well make conections.
All the places to write are fild up so I am at the corner of the table and using this old pencil. I got to wishing this A.M. that I had the Mail. I would like to know how you folks are this morning.
I never felt better in my life and I guess I look quite natural
I am quiting again I want to read a little while before I eat so bye bye.
10.58 P.M.
I got in a few minuits ago from Hyde Park I have been up to the West end mission again to night. I heard some very good talks, And an address by a Dr. Palmer a Canadian on the History of our nation and his profesy of our nation’s future in relation to Christianity. It was good. The mission holds solid services from 3 P.M. till 9.30 every day they must do a lot of good so many of the people stop to here then as they walk along, and there seems to be several of very sicere wemen we heard some great testomonies yesterday but tonight the address took up a lot of the time.
I took in the Natural History Musium and say Mother I could spend weeks here instead of six days and would not wast a minuit I wish every one of you folks could have seen and heard just what I have in the last 5 days and I havent walked a step or talked to a girl since I hit here out side of the Ladies in our house here and the S.A. girls, I hear some great discriptions of the trench life every day but no two have the same story men come right out of the trenches on 8 and 10 day leaves and we see them here right away they tell use all there is to it it an't any different that our sham fights only there is the cold lead, and the boys all tell about loosing there palls right beside them all in a second.
But they say that there is very little fighting ever done with a bayonet if we are sure enough that we can take a trench to try advance when we get to the trench they quit shooting and run or else surrender they seldom fight.
Well Mother dear good night as ever your loving son
Laurie.