Sunday Nov 10/1918.
My Dear people:
Am back in London again. Arrived here yesterday noon after a very interesting day and a half in Buxton.
Buxton is a health resort. having natural warm mineral springs and therefore a great place for bath treatments. The town itself is one of the quaintest I have yet seen in England. and is situated in the centre of Derbyshire which is supposed to be one of the finest counties in England.
The country around this part is particularly hilly and very, very pretty because of the numerous white chalk like cliffs and many small waterways. It reminded me more of Scotland than any place I had ever been in before mostly because there were very few hedges Stone-walls being used instead.
I came back here yesterday morning as I wanted to hear Pachmare, the great pianist, in the afternoon but found my letter to Vance had been delayed so he hadn't a chance to get the seats and we had to stay here in the club and talk instead.
It is quite a study to watch the people in London and in fact all England just now. At the one time in the last four and a half years when a person should expect the greatest jubilation there are less signs of any celebrations then ever. Yesterday the Kaiser abdicated - The papers had head-lines about it - People talked about it - Yet there was nothing more happened. Although we have been fighting for that very thing, more or less, for over four years.
Today it is almost certain Armistice will be signed any minute But you wouldn't think so to see the people here. They are just as calm & composed as they were a year ago. - It is quite evident this war has meant too much to most people for peace to cause any thing but a sign of relief. - Tomorrow morning I am due to leave for France again and I hope to return to a peaceful country instead of one at war. Oh, what a change for "over there."
It is hard to say when the division will be when I get back but I understand they are now out on rest. and they certainly deserve it - "Ypres to the Shelat" is a long way. - If they are still in the same area where I expect they are and we are to occupy all territory to the Rhine, which we almost certainly will with the Armistice we may have the honour of carrying on the "grand trek" through Brussels and Leinge. I hope so anyway. So am looking forward to a very interesting month of it.
I hope my last letter written in Birmingham hasn't meant any great disappointment to you people. For it was all a case of theory which I thought might be of eventual benefit to me if it came true. Now that the war is certainly over I am almost bound to be going home. Of course in them majority of ways I hope to be doing so but still I think we all realize that an opportunity, such as I explained in my last letter, is not to be passed by unnoticed. So for the present we will hope I will be going home in December.
While in Birmingham I bought Maryon a most beautiful Christmas-box. I wanted to buy her the best and I think I did. It is a Cape-Goat, week-end travelling bag with places for fittings - Lorene said Maryon has the toilet-set so I didn't worry about fittings. Anyway the complete outfit would come ridiculously expensive. The article I bought is certainly a beauty and will last her a life-time So it is really an investment and not a luxury.
This morning I wrote a letter to Mr & Mrs Mooney. I do hate writing letters of sympather as they are so hard to work but still I think they will understand.
I know that you people will stop any worrying from now on Seeing that the war is almost certain to be over tomorrow and I am particularily glad to think it will relieve any cause for worry on your part for after all that is the worst part of the war.
Well I must be going now as Vance is waiting for me to have tea with him
Most Lovingly
Charlie
PS. Am sorry I missed Stewart. My wire to him was never delivered. He went to Llandudun and came back here and left for France while I was up in Birmingham Vance says he is quite well. CJW
