Landed at Folkstone, I took my seat in the waiting train and was soon speeding at forty miles an hour towards London and having had dinner on the train, there was nothing to delay me on arriving at Victoria so that I was able to go straight on to Muswell Hill. The Hookhams were rather surprised to see me as I had not informed them that I was likely to obtain leave, but they took things philosophically and soon had me fixed up with a bath and a meal and then after a chat and a game of billiards I went to bed and slept until 11 am next day.

I then went to A.I.F. Headquarters, drew some money and changed my French money into English, bought some clothes and paid a visit lasting two days to my Uncle George at Putney and then went to the Australian Officers Club in Piccadilly opposite St. James Park. The Club was handy to everything and was a place where it was possible to meet my friends, obtain good cheap meals and sleeping accommodation if required.

London was by this time becoming somewhat normal in appearance.A1ready there was more traffic on the streets which were lighted at night as in pre-war times. Food was much more plentiful and the ration coupon system was gradually being done away with. Thousands of men in khaki, mostly colonials thronged the sidewalks and vehicles mostly on leave awaiting demobilisation or embarkation and all seemed to be making the best of the short time at their disposal. That night the City of London became enveloped in what I was informed was a typical London fog. It became so dark that lights seemed to have no effect and it was absolutely impossible to go about, so I remained indoors. At 10 am next day, I took train at Kings Cross and journeyed to Edinburgh, via Peterborough, Grantham and Newcastle, arriving at my destination at 9.30 pm, drawing in at Waverly station. My next effort was to find a hotel which I found it difficult to do at that hour at night. Finally I was given a room at the famous Old Waverly Hotel, not far distant, in Princess St. opposite Sir Walter Scott’s memorial and facing Princess Park. Here I managed to procure something to eat, and went to bed. Next morning, I breakfasted at 9.30 am and then went for a walk until lunchtime. Liking the Caledonian Hotel better than the Waverly, I forthwith changed my abode. The Caledonian Railway Hotel is a palatial building and magnificently appointed with all the latest conveniences, the vestibules and corridors are lined with red mottled marble, the floors being carpeted with beautiful heavy red carpets. In fact the Hotel was luxurious and extremely comfortable and I was quite contented to make it my headquarters whilst I remained in Edinburgh.

Dinner at 7.15 pm consisted, for me, of hors d’oeuvre, soup, fish, chicken, sweets and cheese, followed by black coffee in the smoke lounge room. For this I paid the sum of 7/6. I then read and lounged about until at 10 pm, feeling tired, I went to bed. At 8.30 I rose, bathed in warm water, breakfasted on porridge with salt (Scots fashion) fish, bacon and eggs and coffee and rolls, I then went out sight seeing, paying a flying visit to Edinburgh Castle which is a fortress built on the highest point of a basaltic ridge overlooking the city and Princess Gardens. I saw John Knox’s house, but did not venture inside as it was too early. In order to get an idea of what the city was like, and since it had commenced to rain, I journeyed on the double decked cable trams, travelling in all directions until the evening when I returned to the Caledonian.

Next morning there was a thick mist over the town but I managed to pay a visit to Carlton Hill where I gazed at Nelson’s Monument and the incomplete South African War Memorial jocularly Called “Edinburg’s disgrace” on account of its unfinished and abandoned state. There is no doubt that on a fine day, it is possible to obtain a magnificent view from Carlton Hill but as my visit was during the misty and rainy weather of January, I had to be content with only a glimpse. I then paid a visit to a cinema show in order to get a rest and to be out of the wet, after which I had afternoon tea and continued walking about the city until dark, when I returned to the Hotel.

Next day it was still raining, so I was still confined to limited sightseeing. I managed a visit to the Art Gallery, where I inspected a collection of pictures called the Grafton Galleries Collection and after this I endeavoured to obtain a seat in the Lyric Theatre in order to see a play called “The Boy.” As I was again unsuccessful I returned to the Hotel and had dinner. I was so disgusted with my luck and the bad weather by this time that I suddenly made up my mind to leave Edinburgh and return to London. Acting on my decision, I just managed to catch the 10.30 London Express and arrived back at 8.30 am at Kings Cross Station.

I really had intended to spend a week in Scotland, but as I had been so unlucky with the weather and having only a few day’s leave, I could not afford to waste it sitting indoors in Edinburgh.

I then had breakfast at the Russel Square Hotel after which I caught the “underground” at Leicester Square to Highgate and returned to Muswell Hill. After lunch on this day, January 21st 1919, I packed a few clean clothes and at 4 o’clock I caught the train at Victoria Station for Worthing on the South Coast of England. I rather surprised my aunts, when I arrived, as they were not even aware that I was in England. However they rose to the occasion and soon I was at home and we chatted by the fireside until bedtime.

My visit was very short and only lasted one full day and two nights and I left them at 2 o’clock on the second day. However I was able to stroll along the Esplanade with each aunt in turn which enabled them to bask in the light of a bit of khaki and also visited one or two sights of local interest.

They were both, though well up in years, very intellectual people and interesting to converse with so that I was quite glad that I had managed to pay the visit. At 4.30 pm I was back in London, the fast train literally eating up the 90 miles between stations, returning to the Officers Club at Piccadilly.