438th AAA AW BN
APO 527 % Postmaster, N.Y.
England
January 5, 1944 1530
Dearest sweetheart -
Well here I am back at APO 527 after having spent the past 2 days in London. First I want to tell you that I was unable to write those 2 days – i.e. I could have written but I couldn’t mail my letters except at an Army Post Office – so I decided to wait until I got back here, dear. I hated to break my continuity of writing, darling, and these past two days are the only ones I’ve missed since the day I arrived in this country. I know you’ll excuse me.
In one of your letters, Sweetheart, you wrote that you wanted me to tell you just what I was doing, where I was going, what I was seeing etc. Well – as you know by now – that’s just what I have been doing – even to the point of apologizing in one of my letters for the possibility of boring you with details. But since you want to know, dear, I’ll write about everything I do – just as I have.
My visit to London was better than I expected. As a matter of fact, it was quite thrilling. I’ve heard of London, read of it and seen it in the movies and actually to visit it, walk its streets, see its buildings etc. – was something to remember. I’ll start at the beginning.
Four of us, Pete, Bruce S., Johnny P. and myself got into King’s Cross Station at 1700 or a little earlier. Incidentally, London has 4 big railroad stations as compared with New York’s two. We queued up for a taxi – everybody queues up or lines up for everything in these cities, getting into a restaurant etc. We had tentative reservations at a hotel – made by an officer who had been in a week before. He said it was not a 1st class hotel but the only thing he could get. We decided to try the first class ones first and fall back on the other one if necessary. One of the best hotels in London is the Dorchester (I have a Martini glass from there, darling). We went there and it was impossible to get anything. We then tried the Park Lane, the Savoy, the Grosvenor House and the Cumberland and no soap. So we went to our place – the Orchard and it wasn’t bad at all – although no bar. After checking in – we went back to the above mentioned hotels – it was now about 1900 and meekly asked for a Martini at 4 of them and darned if they didn’t have them. But they get 4 and six ie – 4 shillings six pence which equals 90 cents in our money! That’s for one (1) drink, too, dear.
Well by that time we were quite hungry and we were advised not to eat at a hotel but to go to the Red Cross Officers’ Club – called the Reindeer Club. The Hotels by the way were all quite swank, reserved and ornate; much like our Copley Plaza – but more so. We had a fair meal at the Reindeer Club and then wandered around the dark streets. It was fascinating to be in a city that was once the world’s largest and have it completely blacked out. In our stumbling around we got to Berkeley Square, then Bond Street and finally to the Piccadilly Circus and Piccadilly Hotel. The word Circus, dear, refers only to Circle. They merely use the Latin word. At the Hotel there was another nice bar and we had a few more. I sure would have liked to have you meet me, dear – because somehow I can’t get to like this stag affair. Nevertheless – stag I remain!) We would have had some fun.
Since the bars close at 2300 in London and since we don’t plan to come here very often, we decided to look for excitement, or some place that does stay open. In coming out of the Hotel – a young fellow approached us in the dark and asked us if we were looking for a place to get a drink; if so – for the price of 10 shillings each he could get us into a spot that was on the speakeasy side. We were looking for adventure and so off we went. We finally got to a back alley and after a few knocks were admitted, went down some stairs and were greeted by a woman. We had to sign our names (I used the old standby – Cooke) – paid our 10 shillings and then the boy asked us for his cut for bringing us there. We knew then that this was a racket – but there was no turning back now – so we gave him 5 s. each and went in. All it was – was a large room with chairs and table and a man playing an accordion. A waitress came over and said we could buy a bottle of gin – only – and she would have to get it. We said ‘yes’ and waited. In about 15 min (it was now about 0030) she returned with a bottle of gin and a bottle of some foul tasting orange mix. For that, darling, she calmly asked £4, 3s; 4 pounds and 3 shillings, dear – or $16.60!! I almost fell out of my chair. Well – we knew we were getting taken – and there was no way out – so pay it we did and drink it we did too. It was terrible. I think the 15 minutes she took in getting it must have been spent in manufacturing it. At about 0230 we had had enough of that and we walked home – no taxis being available, and the subways stop running at 2300.
So much for that evening, darling. Rather than making this too detailed, I’ll not attempt to write you all in this letter. The next day, Tuesday – the 4th was far more interesting to me – and I’ll write you about it tomorrow.
There has been no mail the past two days, but I’m hoping for some tonight. I’m fairly tired after walking so much the past 2 days and tonite I’m getting to bed early, dear.
Nothing new has materialized here since I was away, and again it’s the same routine. I have had more work though here – last Sunday I had a fellow with a broken arm which I had to set and then apply a cast. Tomorrow I’m going to do a circumcision on one of our boys.
I have a couple of more Martini glasses for our collection, dear, – one from the Dorchester with a D on it, one from the Grosvenor House – with nothing on it, and a few pieces of cutlery from the Cumberland Hotel, Piccadilly Hotel and the Cross Hotel. We’ll really have some odd pieces dear. I bought all these pieces and items, of course.
That’s all for now, darling, except to say that no matter where I go, you are never out of my mind and I always wish you were around with me. Is that love? I’m sure it is. Is it you I love? Well – naturally, darling. Well that suits me fine and with that I’ll say ‘so long’ for now, sweetheart. Maybe we’ll both get to London some day – who knows? For now, dear –
Well here I am back at APO 527 after having spent the past 2 days in London. First I want to tell you that I was unable to write those 2 days – i.e. I could have written but I couldn’t mail my letters except at an Army Post Office – so I decided to wait until I got back here, dear. I hated to break my continuity of writing, darling, and these past two days are the only ones I’ve missed since the day I arrived in this country. I know you’ll excuse me.
In one of your letters, Sweetheart, you wrote that you wanted me to tell you just what I was doing, where I was going, what I was seeing etc. Well – as you know by now – that’s just what I have been doing – even to the point of apologizing in one of my letters for the possibility of boring you with details. But since you want to know, dear, I’ll write about everything I do – just as I have.
My visit to London was better than I expected. As a matter of fact, it was quite thrilling. I’ve heard of London, read of it and seen it in the movies and actually to visit it, walk its streets, see its buildings etc. – was something to remember. I’ll start at the beginning.
Four of us, Pete, Bruce S., Johnny P. and myself got into King’s Cross Station at 1700 or a little earlier. Incidentally, London has 4 big railroad stations as compared with New York’s two. We queued up for a taxi – everybody queues up or lines up for everything in these cities, getting into a restaurant etc. We had tentative reservations at a hotel – made by an officer who had been in a week before. He said it was not a 1st class hotel but the only thing he could get. We decided to try the first class ones first and fall back on the other one if necessary. One of the best hotels in London is the Dorchester (I have a Martini glass from there, darling). We went there and it was impossible to get anything. We then tried the Park Lane, the Savoy, the Grosvenor House and the Cumberland and no soap. So we went to our place – the Orchard and it wasn’t bad at all – although no bar. After checking in – we went back to the above mentioned hotels – it was now about 1900 and meekly asked for a Martini at 4 of them and darned if they didn’t have them. But they get 4 and six ie – 4 shillings six pence which equals 90 cents in our money! That’s for one (1) drink, too, dear.
Well by that time we were quite hungry and we were advised not to eat at a hotel but to go to the Red Cross Officers’ Club – called the Reindeer Club. The Hotels by the way were all quite swank, reserved and ornate; much like our Copley Plaza – but more so. We had a fair meal at the Reindeer Club and then wandered around the dark streets. It was fascinating to be in a city that was once the world’s largest and have it completely blacked out. In our stumbling around we got to Berkeley Square, then Bond Street and finally to the Piccadilly Circus and Piccadilly Hotel. The word Circus, dear, refers only to Circle. They merely use the Latin word. At the Hotel there was another nice bar and we had a few more. I sure would have liked to have you meet me, dear – because somehow I can’t get to like this stag affair. Nevertheless – stag I remain!) We would have had some fun.
Since the bars close at 2300 in London and since we don’t plan to come here very often, we decided to look for excitement, or some place that does stay open. In coming out of the Hotel – a young fellow approached us in the dark and asked us if we were looking for a place to get a drink; if so – for the price of 10 shillings each he could get us into a spot that was on the speakeasy side. We were looking for adventure and so off we went. We finally got to a back alley and after a few knocks were admitted, went down some stairs and were greeted by a woman. We had to sign our names (I used the old standby – Cooke) – paid our 10 shillings and then the boy asked us for his cut for bringing us there. We knew then that this was a racket – but there was no turning back now – so we gave him 5 s. each and went in. All it was – was a large room with chairs and table and a man playing an accordion. A waitress came over and said we could buy a bottle of gin – only – and she would have to get it. We said ‘yes’ and waited. In about 15 min (it was now about 0030) she returned with a bottle of gin and a bottle of some foul tasting orange mix. For that, darling, she calmly asked £4, 3s; 4 pounds and 3 shillings, dear – or $16.60!! I almost fell out of my chair. Well – we knew we were getting taken – and there was no way out – so pay it we did and drink it we did too. It was terrible. I think the 15 minutes she took in getting it must have been spent in manufacturing it. At about 0230 we had had enough of that and we walked home – no taxis being available, and the subways stop running at 2300.
So much for that evening, darling. Rather than making this too detailed, I’ll not attempt to write you all in this letter. The next day, Tuesday – the 4th was far more interesting to me – and I’ll write you about it tomorrow.
There has been no mail the past two days, but I’m hoping for some tonight. I’m fairly tired after walking so much the past 2 days and tonite I’m getting to bed early, dear.
Nothing new has materialized here since I was away, and again it’s the same routine. I have had more work though here – last Sunday I had a fellow with a broken arm which I had to set and then apply a cast. Tomorrow I’m going to do a circumcision on one of our boys.
I have a couple of more Martini glasses for our collection, dear, – one from the Dorchester with a D on it, one from the Grosvenor House – with nothing on it, and a few pieces of cutlery from the Cumberland Hotel, Piccadilly Hotel and the Cross Hotel. We’ll really have some odd pieces dear. I bought all these pieces and items, of course.
That’s all for now, darling, except to say that no matter where I go, you are never out of my mind and I always wish you were around with me. Is that love? I’m sure it is. Is it you I love? Well – naturally, darling. Well that suits me fine and with that I’ll say ‘so long’ for now, sweetheart. Maybe we’ll both get to London some day – who knows? For now, dear –
All my love
Greg
* TIDBIT *
Here are the hotels Greg tried to get into, and the one he got into, as they look today. Click on a name to go to a hotel's website. Click on a photo to make it larger. Back arrow brings you back.
