Shoreham Camp
Sussex, England
Dec 7 / 16 (Thursday 3 P.M.)

291494 Serg't A.W.M.
C.Coy 222nd Batt'n C.E.F.
Army Post Office
London, England

My Dear Betty:-

Another few lines to day, there is just one of your letters not come to hand as yet No 4, I guess that is the , one you omitted to put Blackburn on, The last day or two I have written two or three times & have sent quite a few picture post cards Xmas & view of Shoreham - yesterday I sent a card of views from London & am sending some picture post cards now of London. I was sent there on escort duty to bring back some prisoners & had a night & all day to visit arround in, until they were ready - I stayed overnight at one of the Victoria League Clubs open to colonial troops only - it was a beautiful place - everything fine, about 9-30 am I set out on a tour of some of the old London landmarks - its a great place nothing like it in the world - the very sight of the old historical building - monuments etc, etc with all their century old associations causes ones heart to throb the quicker & awaken's the old pride of race as nothing else can - then the thought that one is at the heart & center of things is an inspiration in itself = here are the Houses of Parliament etc etc, & yesterday happened to be the day of the Political Crisis, a great & memorable day in the Nation's History "Hail" to the new Priemer Lloyd George he has come into his own at last. I spent most of my time in Westminster Abbey, & oh how I wished you could have been with me as I stood in the vast nave & gazed at the monuments of our nations mightiest & most illustrious men & women = Kings - Queens - Princes - -Statesmen - Soldiers - Sailors - Poets etc etc, I stood on the spot where Tennyson was buried & Dryden - McCauley - Chaucer - Charles Dickens - Lord [?] Leichton, & many many other saw the tombs of England's Kings & Queens up to George 2nd the tombs of Oliver Cromwell & General Monk - that of the two murdered baby princes (tell the kiddies the story of Henry 7-8th Charles 1st & 2nd Richard 3rd. Lady Jane Grey - & Jane Seymore - Queen Elizabeth - Marry Queen of Sots & so I might go on - I want to spend at least one whole day if possible in the Abbey before I return - saw also the coronation chairs, & the Chapel Royal also the chapel in which the Knights of the Garter meet, it was great. But best of all I attended a service of intercession a programme of which I enclose as a momento, it was beautiful - solemn & inspiring am marking the place where I sat - & the statues that you san see is just the beginning of "poets corner" Some time we may be able to visit this venerable spot together I shall not be going on leave now until Xmas, I am just as glad - have heard no more re the commission, Give my dear love to my kiddies & lots & lots for yourself God bless you dear.

Your lovingly Will

Shirley xxxxxxxxxx
Billy xxxxxxxxxxx
Betty xxxxxxxxxxxx