Oct 28th 1918

My Dear Mother:

Here I am back in London. Came across here yesterday afternoon after a most monotonous journey getting back to Calais. You see the trouble is we have advanced so far up there in Flanders that the trains are a longway behind us all the time. When I was handed my leave warrant and my relief arrived. I started out to get back the best I could. After jumping a series of lorries I arrived at a railway-station where the leave train was due to start at 420 P.M. Here I waited & waited & waited. By ten o'clock the train had arrived - At least they called it a train. It was a series of box-cars tied on behind an engine. The journey back was not the most "cushy" kind but we finally arrived about 400 A.M. When I got over to the club I found the rooms were all full up. Any how it was too late to go to bed so I didnt mind much.

Here I was back in Calais and still a day to go before my leave really started which meant I wasnt supposed to leave for England until today. But what is the use of having friends and not using them? So I called around on the Embarkation Medical Officer who I knew well from the barge days and he fixed things up with the people running the leave boat so I came across yesterday noon and got to London last night.

First thing this morning I called around at Holts for my mail which was being held there and was very much surprised to find Mr Mussons cable about Charlie Mooney. The mail contained a few letters from Maryon and one from yourself as well as the cable. I immediately took a taxi across to the records-office to see what I could find out about Charlie and was very, very, sorry to hear he had died. Mr & Mrs Mooney will be in a terrible state I know. But there may be some satisfaction in knowing that as he died in a hospital he will be buried in the best military fashion and his grave will be well looked after.

I met Vance this morning and we had lunch together He is just the same old Vance and looks quite well. Stewart had been here yesterday on leave too and left for Scotland last night for a few days I am sorry I missed him but will catch him when he comes back and then we can work something together

This afternoon I sent a cable home as I know you will be rather anxious seeing so much is doing this days over in France. I am now hoping that the war may be over before I go back and I expect, if it is going to finish at all this year, it will do so within the next two weeks. It would be grand to be in England when peace is declared.

It is now 5.45. and I must meet Vance at a station at 600 to go to his home and from there to a theatre.

I will write more tomorrow

Lovingly

Charlie