Letters from Robert James Henderson, July - December 1916 - Part 5

was pulling his foot and worst of all called
him Captain when he was a full Colonel.
head of our Military Medical Boards here of
course there were roars of laughter from all
I was playing bridge at the time every body
thought this was a fine joke you see
I could not see his rank badge properly
thought he had 3 stars when they were 2
stars and a crown however I apologized to
him and as soon as he was gone went
for the Sister to find out about this 30 days
stunt of hers. She said she was not going to
have them sending me back to France too
soon & so break the leg down again and
although it might be that long before being
discharged from here still that did not
mean I should have to stay in all day.
so after a while I hope to be able to
hop around London with a stick. this
news pacified me somewhat. although I
am well fed up of this hospital Life.
especially after having an invitation to an "At
Home stunt and 2 dinners this week.
However expect more invitations will come along
later probably too many will not know how
to keep clear of them. War news seems

very bright lately all sorts of good positions
of the Germans taken with plenty of prisoners
etc yet they say very little about the cost
in lives etc to us beds are never empty here
and expect other hospitals are alike still there
is no doubt the old Hun is becoming
properly rattled and it is only a matter of
time to bring him to his knees. It would
always do me if the war ended now yet
on the other hand am keen to get back
and have another fly strange is it not.?
Hope's sister Gwen Davies apparently works in
London she has been home for the first
fortnight but has now returned to London she
wrote me a sweet letter and wishes to come
and see me next Saturday afternoon Of course
I shall be very pleased to see her in fact
think I shall do a line with her now
instead of her sister ask Mick if that
would not be a good stunt. Hope tells me
she has never been to London fancy living
in Liverpool all these years & never going
to London I told her t she will have
to come for a fly around with me
but what would Mother say it is quite
good sport writing to people you do not

know and have never seen however will see
what the sister is like shortly quite a
good sport by the sound of her letter.
My special sister is going to let me have
her photo also take one of myself shall let
you have them later shall also post a
decent one through when I can get out
and have it taken you will see no
alteration still the same long skinny being
perhaps looking a bit older a few more
grey hairs strenuous life you know.
We are all sitting around a huge fire
at present one Canadian officer two Australians
one South Africa and 8 English wild
discussions, football with slippers, rags on
the piano and a general row expect we
will all be bundled to bed shortly who
cares. Well think I shall turn in
after all the excitement lots of love to
everyone trust all are well and every thing
in the garden lovely. from Bob.
Have heard nothing from Nana but think he
is all right cannot understand why you do
not receive letters from him think he writes all
right. Tell Lorna the electric car sounds quite
a good effort push it home for all she
is worth.
RJH.

V & A Ward
N^o.4 London. Gen. Hospital
Denmark Hill
London.
6.10.16.

My dear Mum.
Things are ever so much
brighter now. Yesterday was my first day
out and you can imagine how I enjoyed
it after being here over a month. The
leg is not right yet but I have a
stick and hop around. all right although
the muscles etc ask  give me some pain
the incisions are healing nicely now and
after some massage should be quite all
right again in about another 10 days My
first day out Wednesday. caught a Taxi
from here went down to the bank &
fixed up some money matters then down
to our H.Q. to fix up about some
more money then to the Regent Palace
Hotel where I had lunch and it was
some lunch too after hospital fare which
gets very tiring after a while After a
very satisfactory lunch. in a fine large.

dining room a go with plenty of people to
say nothing of the fine looking girls &
good music. I went to the Adelphi
theatre and had a look at High Jinks
it compared very favourably with the same
show played in Sydney some years ago.
and as they say over here it was
"Top Hole" I do not think the chorus
girls are as good here but the principals
are simply great. Theatres here are very
expensive 10/6 for front stalls plus 1/-
war tax in fact everything is terribly
dear cannot see how one can manage on
less than ₤2 per day and that will 
mean going steady in lots of ways. Still who
cares what little I have seen of London
it is most fascinating tell Mick the
girls ah enough said and every one of 
them hot stuff they smoke, drink, give you
the glad eye etc. etc. say Mum do not pass
this letter around too much else people will be
shocked. with me. First day out I came
home after the theatre for dinner & went to
bed right after feeling very tired. Yesterday I
had a great time out. Had a look around
with a Canadian officer from this ward.

We both obtained permission from the doctor
to stay out late so had a chance of seeing
London by night We went into town after lunch
did some shopping played a couple of games
of billiards then went to a flash joint
for tea lost my heart 30 times in 30
minutes listened to fine music smoked
cigarettes with the girls this place will
always do me. After tea I meet a couple
of Australians who took us to their hotel
and wanted us to go out for the
evening but I was wise and cried off
being a sick man After leaving these chaps
Canada and self motored around the City went
to the Lyric booked a couple of seats for the
show that night entitled "Romance" it was
very fine too although hot stuff the acting
was excellent. After procuring the seats we
went to dinner which was some dinner too
more fascinating girls much wine and generally
a lively time you can just imagine how
I enjoyed myself this my first night free for
many a long day in civilization. But you
will be getting bored with all this suffice it
to say we taxied back about midnight 
& strange to say quite sober. The little night

nurse meet us at the door made us take
our boots off before entering the ward then
brought to ones bedsides hot milk and
biscuits fancy going back to France after
all this it will be absurd. but after
about a month of this gay time expect
I shall be glad to get back besides
money I fear me by that time will be nil.
Cabled to Father yesterday saying "Convalescent
in London send forty pounds to Commonwealth
Bank London for Leonard." this is in
accordance with his instructions to me except
he said Bank N.S.W. but I shall notify him
of the alteration hope Father sends it across in
his name for of course it is not likely
I shall be here when he is if he ever
has the good luck. There cables cost money
this one 22/ - deferred rates in fact I
am simply frightened to count up how much
money I spent yesterday some tremendous amount
but of course you know about my first effort
in London shall steady up shortly not with standing
I have an appointment to-day for at afternoon
tea & dinner to-night It is not a bit of
use promising to be good in London the best
anyone should expect is if one promises to

be careful this is what I told the Sister
this morning while dressing my leg. Of course
only joking she is a good sport. and I
am in her good books which is distinctly
an assset asset while in hospital anyhow.
I am deeply interested in trying to find
my way about in this huge city of course
I  one gets lost almost every five minutes
it is simply absurd when lost I simply
hail a taxi and get back to some central
place I know have not been game to tackle
the underground tubes yet but shall shortly
with varied experiences no doubt. Well my 
dear if I write anymore shall not be 
able to get it in an envelope so shall
fini for the present lots of love to
all from Bob

N^o4  London General Hospital
Denmark Hill
London
10.10.16.

My dear Mum.
At present one of the fellows
who has just come in is sitting at
the piano and playing every thing one
can think of most beautifully it is
great something after Fay's style. The past 
few days the weather has been splendid
here not too much sun but very pleasant
and no rain I have been out every day
and evening up till 10 PM wats  what a
glorious fascinating place this London is
it is most interesting the underground,
buses, trams, etc trains, etc how wonderful
it all is what a tiny little town
Sydney and our other capitals are. Unable
to get a taxi home the other night
this place being some distance out and
a limited amount of petrol allowed the 
drivers so had to find my way by
trains etc changed twice in the
underground then into the elevated
electric train I felt terribly clever of 
course I asked questions but even then

it might be very easy to go astray late 
at night a few more days out and
I shall know the difference between
The Strand & Pickadilly. Time never
hangs here how much there is to do 
and see heaps of theatres and
matinees every afternoon in the week.
Do you remember Huntley who played
in the Girl from Kays etc in Australia
some time ago you doted on him went 
and saw him in "The Happy Day"
yesterday afternoon he was simply
splendid the show was tip top felt
an a duke the theatre was full so
they put us in a box for fo same
price as front stalls after theatre went
to afternoon tea after did some shopping
then to dinner from there to the 
Regent Palace Hotel lounge had a 
couple of drinks while having them
studied human nature and then home
at 10-30 p.m. after a very pleasant
days outing I was out with a 
Canadian Officer almost 14 stone 6'4"
in height and a very handsome
man generally it was simply lovely
to see the girls giving him the glad
eay eye wherever he we went.