Transcription
Dear Papa,
I received your letter dated Jan. 4th on Saturday and was mighty glad to get it. I had been enquiring twice a day for several weeks and could not understand why it did not come. But it was censored so that holds the mail up. It is censored in Canada (by the way just address me after this as "Mr." as sergeant no longer applies. I am a cadet now.) I think in my last letters I had got as far as the war office. On Thursday the 17th we reported at 11:30 a.m. I got in the Royal Field artillery which handles two signs of [?] - 18 pounders and 60 pounders. I can have either. I gave up the Garrison Artillery as I found it is pretty uninteresting and the officers are not mounted. Besides both the officer at the war office and the commandant of the Royal field artillery school thought I had better go unto the Royal Field Artillery. Everybody seems to want that. I met E.C. Smith who left our university company August last on an imperial draft. He got what I am in and is through now - fully qualified and he says it is the pick of the bunch. We reported at the school the headquarters of which is at St. Johns wood on Thursday, I've interviewed the commandant and were outfitted with the Artillery cadet uniform. We then ordered our officers' uniform for "walking out" at a tailors. It will be done in two more days and is fine. We dress as officers when appearing in public off duty, except that we wear a white band around our caps. The uniform including a "Trench Coat" which is waterproof and lined with sheepskin, cost me 13 guineas which equals $65. So it is cheaper than I could have got in Toronto. The tailoring is splendid too.
There are 7 of us in artillery which makes it more pleasant.
This is the foggy season in London, and it rains often and suddenly. I know my way fairly well now. The motor bus service is splendid. You can go almost anywhere for a penny. Also there is a tube system which costs the same. There are queer regulations in London just now. Sugar and butter is very scarce and you can't get much. You are allowed to eat only two courses at lunch at noon, and three courses at evening dinner. One can not fill one's stomach like you can in Canada. I find that a €1 note goes like a dollar bill in Canada. It is awful. You can not show anything for your money either. I think I told you how the city is darkened at night so that you can hardly find your way about. The blinds of the shops are all drawn, so that they have to hang out little lighted sign reading "open" else you would think they were closed.
On Friday last I opened an account at the Royal Bank here and was well received. The accountant congratulated us saying he admired the Canadians "Pluck" in coming over as we have done. The recruiting sergeant at the office near the war office, where we enlisted as a matter of form before entering the coast school said (turning to a bunch of civilians near) "Here is something real, these boys have paid their own way all the way over here to join up."
On Friday I also went through the Troves of London, which consists of many towns. I saw the very room where the boy princes were murdered and which also imprisoned sir Walter Raleigh for a time. Outside this cell is a stunt balcony which is called Raleigh's walk because he used to walk there for exercise where he could see the shipping on the Thames in which he was intensely interested of course. The coronation crowns of all the kings are there too with the jewels glittering magnificently. The town whip the good old English history back to me - it and Westminster Abbey. It makes it so real - as history text-books could not do. There is all sorts of amour of the the knights of the different centuries. There's one suit being for a man 6 feet 11 inches tall.
I also saw the zoo. It was great. They have snakes there 15 feet long, as big as a man's body. I saw one smaller snake swallow a rat with great effort. All the snakes are fed dead rats or rabbits according to their size.
On Saturday the 13th I had dinner in the evening at Simpsons Restaurant - a famous old resort. They have veteran carvers there with roasts on a dumb waiter which they wheel to your table and you pick the part you want. The youngest of the carvers has been with the restaurant for a quarter of a century.
I've also located a restaurant seen by Belgian refugees. It is splendid and we talk French to them. From the proprietors to the waitresses they are all refugees and have very sad stories to tell us.
On Monday the 15th I look in Madame Tussauds wax works where all the famous characters of history are there life size, with real hair and in the clothes of the period - so life like you would speak to them if you were not careful. In the chamber of horrors are the criminals etc. In the latter room are the heads of famous people guillotined in the French revolution including the head of Tinville Fouquier the villainous public prosecutor whose lust for blood sent thousands to the guillotine and where he finally was sent himself. These heads were taken from the original heads the moment they fell, and were done faithfully, every spot of blood showing. Among the heads are those of Louis XVI and Marie Antionette the queen.
On Tuesday the 16th I went through Westminster Abbey, staying for the service. The tombs of all the [?], kings, authors, poets, and other famous people are there with inscriptions replete with history. Among them are sir Walter Raleigh and admiral Blake in both of which I was always uninterested. I may say that the latter really is in St. Margaret's church adjoining the abbey. Above his tomb is a coloured window shinning scenes from his stunning life. Among them is one of him towering over a shivering monk, the inscription of this picture being "I would have you know that name but an Englishman may chastise an Englishman." He was a great man.
I do not like the course very much yet. It is fearfully hard. We get up at 5.30 a.m. and parade at 6.30 in the dark. It is a very morose parade. We work till 6 p.m. so that makes a long day. I think the course is going to prove good though when one gets used to it. We had our first real day today - when the course really started. We had horseback riding, sword drill, howitzer gun drill and other matters. The course will last 3 months. We are then sent for a further month to showcliffe for gunnery practice. We will then have a further wait of about a month before we get posted to a battery. This months pay I find is paid in advance then. We are allowed also $250.00 tonight ourselves by the Government then.
There was an explosion on Friday night last here in a chemical factory where they make explosives. It wrecked sheets around about and woke anyone for a mile or so around.
I got a letter from Blanche at the same time as I did yours. I certainly was glad to get them. Write often please at the same address-- The Imperial.
I have not as yet received the slippers, but they may be at the office tonight. I have not as yet inquired. I came here every night to inquire for mail and also to meet the boys. It is convenient place for meetings. I find I cannot get leave to go outside of London so I will not be all to see Hermon when he comes to London. I have not yet written him, I have been so busy. I will do so tonight though.
Well I must get back to barracks now, so goodbye for the present. Please write me often. I will write you again this week. I want to hear what you are doing for company too.
Yours affectionately,
Harry.Transcriber
Victoria Stewart, Sopie Neang, Mia LaguerreLanguage
English
