Australian Club, Piccadilly

18/1/1919.

Dear Mother,

Just a short note this time as I am spending a couple of weeks leave in ‘Blighty’ and as usual it too bustled to write much. I have been over four days now and during that time I have paid a duty call on Uncle George at Putney and earned the Victoria Cross for going there. Mrs Uncle George is an absolute ass and a typical ‘bore’ but the other members of the family are decent enough and if I could have visited them without having to put up with the elderly female I could have enjoyed the visit. I am also be out to the Hookams and find it the nearest approach to home on this side of the world.

Tomorrow I am going up to Edinburgh on a flying visit just to see what Scotland is like and when I come back I will pay another duty call on the Aunts at Worthing and then after another couple of days about London it will be time to return to Belgium.

This winter so far has been at remarkably mild and have not had any snow as yet I do not know yet when I will be demobilised or be sent home but it will be in about two months I think. London is very full at present and is becoming more sober and is beginning to settle down to the old life. it is a much better service of buses and trains etc and be lights are unrestricted.. The day I arrived this city was enveloped in a real London fog like soup and it was impossible to see more than a few paces ahead so I stuck to the underground railways for fear of getting lost.

Well so long for the present with love from Walter