On returning from my visit to Dover, I had received notice that I was to attend the investiture set down for May 8th. In the meantime on April 25 (“Anzac Day”) before I went to Worthing, the Australian troops had marched through the City of London as a farewell to the London people. I took up my position in front of Australia House, at which place were assembled the Prince of Wales (taking the salute), Sir Douglas Haig, Winston Churchill, W,M.Hughes, Sir Joseph Cook, Andrew Fisher, and many other celebrities the names of whom I never learned.

The march of the 5,000 picked Anzac Troops of all battalions and divisions and including all branches of the A.I.F. was really a very wonderful, soul stirring and impressive sight. Vast crowds lined both sides of the streets, aeroplanes flew above and the wounded soldiers had been found view points at the windows of Australia House and people were worked up to a great pitch of patriotic excitement. At about 11 o’clock, as we waited a dull roar of cheering, mixed with martial music was heard approaching from the direction of the Strand. As the marching troops drew nearer and nearer, the cheering grew louder until a bunch of mounted police hove in sight followed by a 1st Divisional band playing a soul stirring march and then the Australians, tall, brown, clean limbed, strong, giants of men (as they were selected for the occasion) swung into view, marching as only Australians know how, with bayonets fixed and rifles at the slope.

The cheering was terrific and as the representatives of each Division swung past the saluting point, the officer leading gave the command “Eyes Left” and saluted the Prince in passing. Each Divisional “battalion” was led by its band and repeated the salute as it passed the saluting point at Australia House, and so on until the representatives of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Divisions had passed amidst the cheering of the thousands of onlookers who crowded the sidewalks, windows and other points of vantage. It was a great honour for the Australians to be allowed to march through the “City of London” with bayonets fixed as this favour or mark of honour is only accorded to one or two regiments of the British Army. And so ended the Anzac’s March through London on Anzac Day, 1919.

There is no doubt that the manly bearing, the generosity and good humour, together with their great fighting reputation, made the Australians by far the most popular troops in the Army and judging by the magnificent reception accorded them on this occasion by the population of London, it would be an ovation hard to beat anywhere or at any time.

During my two days visit to Putney, I went with my cousin, Douglas Elkington (who is a professor of Entomology : Bugs) to pay a visit to Kings College, London. He was kind enough to conduct me all over the building and showed me many interesting details which were great interest to me, as it was at hinge College that my father attended during portion of his school days.