Letters from Alexander Sutherland Mackay to his Family, 1916 - 1917 - Part 6

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That occupied Monday, at night we went to the 'Adelphi' Theatre to
see "High Jinks";  a musical comedy & tiptop. Tuesday our first trip
was to Madame Tussauds, this is a huge exhibition of wax models
of past & present Royalty, politicians, poets musicians & all men of note
of all nations, not even excluding criminals.  Won't imagine these figures are like those we see in sideshows in Australia, its hard to realize
they are not real, at times you forget & think a lot of people are in
the hall are looking at you.  One figure at the door I believe has
had numerous versions - its a policeman & several thinking he was on

guard, have gone up & asked which passage to take first. I believe

a number of the models have been taken from photographs, whilst the

others, such as the Pankhursts have been taken from actual sittings.

We got hold of a guide, he took us right through & was

very interesting. The models are all built to actual measurement & in

some cases wear the a real suit or dress belonging to the person whom they represent. I got a proper sell in one instance, in the majority of cases the models are standing on wooden stages roped off from the public. but in this instance it was th a guard on a chair, leaning on his right arm asleep, & outside the enclosure. The guide took us up & starting explaining this fellow had been some 50 years in Madame Tussauds' employ & that his son was still with the exhibition, after some 17 years service. Mind you I was standing beside the figure & could see the face & yet thought he was having a joke at the sleeping guard's expense. I had a grin all over my dial & didn't drop to things until the guide took

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the figure's cap off. I enclose a catalogue which will show you

the models we saw, they are all numbered as the book shows.

I believe the King & Queen of Spain visited this place to see their

own models. From here we went to Petticoat lane, nothing much

to study there except the stallholders, most Jews & Jewesses of all shapes & sizes. Its simply a narrow lane lined either side, with carts or stalls, in the open, selling meat, Fish, Crockery, Drapery, Silverware, Poultry, Dogs or in fact anything. At St Pauls Cathedral we were disappointed to find a service on, we heard the organ but could not explore the building. Time was now getting on so we simply viewed the

following from the outside. Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament -

a beautiful buildings, & Buckingham Palace - Huge but very plain building. Jumping in another Taxi we drove to Hyde Park pulling up at

the Albert Memorial  - erected by the Prince Consort Queen Victoria's

husband. You will see by the post card sent you, that the Prince

Consort holds the seat of honour - on a pedestal - the sides of which

are carved as follows - Poets & Musicians on front, Sculptors on left, Painters on Right & Architectures on back. Its a wonderful piece of work. Just opposite Hyde Park is the Albert Hall, our last inspection.

This hall has seating accommodation (chairs for 10000 people

the ground floor alone seats some 4000 odd, above there are 3 circles

& above these again a huge promenade capable of allowing two coaches to pass. Goodness knows what the hall would hold if standing

space was occupied. The Orchestra comprises close on 1000 members, not 

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counting the Band. We now returned to the Queensland Agency

to say goodbye to Elliot just 5pm. We finished our sightseeing

by a trip on the tube railway. These are electric & run underground

to all parts of London. Lines are at various depths, I don't know how

many all told. They are lovely to ride in & sail along at great speed.

One train a minute so you may rest assured, no time is lost in

getting off & on. A conductor works the door by a lever, nobody boards

until the people get off. Its just like day underneath, lifts take

you to the street. Some of the stairs broke me up, you step

on the clo top & if you like, can be taking to the bottom, without

shifting your feet. However if in a hurry, you keep walking.

We were bustling so I did not stop to see the mechanism, you

would naturally think one got a jerk when walking from one

step to another, but not at all, if you didn't see the steps you

would think you were going down an inclined plane.

It would take 6 months, just to see the sights of London, but we

did all possible during our trip. Everything is fairly expensive

in London especially the Restaurants. The hotels only open for

the sale of spirits etc from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm and 6.30 pm to

9 pm. In the Wineshops, in the saloon bars, you see ladies seated

at tables or breasting the bar, like men. Left London at 8.15 pm

& lobbed in camp about 1 am, fairly tired. I was looking forward

to a good camp last night but fell in for guard. It was a rotten

night snowing a treat & bitterly cold. It has been snowing off & on

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all day judging by the colour of the sky, it looks as if we

are in for another heavy fall tonight. I I almost forgot to

say I had a photo taken in Brighton, the proofs are  not yet to

hand, if any good, Ill get the photographer to post a number

to you direct, you can distribute them as you think fit.

I had to get taken in the hat, we are not allowed to wear the

cap on holidays. Well Mother thats the account of my holiday

you would think I was a tourist instead of being on active service.

Tell Roy I cashed a cheque for £20, you can't do London in our

style on 2/- a day & I want to have a few quidlets in hand. I wish

you would show this letter to Ern Pillar, I haven't answered his

second letter, but when I do will simply give him a brief outline

of the trip.

Love to all

Your affect son

Alex.

 

P.S. Have seen the proofs of photos. I've asked the photographer

to post the bulk of them to you Mother. Distribute them as you

like but retain about 6 or so, as I can write you if I think of

anybody who asked me for one, up North. It may be sometime

before you get the photos as the photographer was shorthanded.

Bulford

31/3/17.

 

Dear Roy,

Just heard that the Australian mail closes in about

a quarter of an hour so haven't much time. I wrote Mother re my

London trip last week. Will you ask Barlow to arrange with

our Branch in London, to cash my drawings on Brisbane to

the extent of say £30. Don't send the money, he will arrange

a Branch credit. I have no forms left & if we get leave at any

time I may be short. Its rotten not being able to lay your hands

on a few quid. They will probably hold the amount in Brisbane

in suspense or take your cheque. I have no idea how the account

stands but it will probably stand that strain. Ted Barlow will

fix you up the best way. We hear the names of the fresh

draft will be called tomorrow, shot bird to be amongst them.

Not sorry as the past week we have been simply loafing about

doing fatigues.

Regards to all in the Bank

Alex.

Bulford

6/4/17.

 

Dear Lily,

Your letter dated 10th Jany only arrived today -

Good Friday, over 12 weeks on the journey. We hear that an

Australian transport was sunk & that some Australian mail

is now being dried in London, probably some of my letters

may be there, the last I received was from Elsie, about her

Gin Gin trip. We are still hung up here, loafing about, two

of us are on the Quartermasters fatigue, we go down for

rations - meat, bread, groceries -every morning in the waggon.

sweep out the store & then loaf the rest of the day. The rest of

our squad are engaged cleaning up the huts & camp until

about 11 am, the rest of the day is spent in the huts, or

some canteen playing billiards. Two other squads simply

put in time marching to different villages. Naturally the

life is not hard to take, its a picnic, but one can't help

feeling disgusted when you read the papers & hear them crying

out for more men. Apparently they have no organization

whatever, in the British Army, men who left two months

before we did from Sydney are still here, whilst some who

came on the boat with us are already in France. One

Sergeant told me today that the draft was to be called next

week, whilst another one, informed me that the last draft would

probably be brought back to England, as the accommodation

was not sufficient for the large numbers of reinforcements, they

have there already. I suppose they know as much as I do & that's

nothing. We haven't touched a gun for the last fortnight, others

are passing out, so a shift of some sort will have to take place

shortly. Tuesday night we had a heavy snowstorm, the snow was

lying a foot thick on the ground all day Wednesday. All that

day the loafers or fatigue men & three officers filled in with

snowballing. I got a terrible hiding, two of us were on a motor

lorry at the back, en route to Rolleston, to bring back a

billiard table & as luck would have it the lorry broke down

right in the midst of about 50 men. Naturally we were lovely

targets, high up with no protection whatever. We had taken a

supply of snow aboard to paste fellows on the road, but of course had

no chance against this crowd. I directed all my shots solely at an

officer but had to stand up against an awful bombardment, eyes

ears mouth were sore for hours afterwards. Bill Nott left

Larkhill for France with the last draft, so far he hasn't written.

Got another letter from Connie Keys she ^is also hungup in

London waiting for orders to France. Connie says she is having

a good time there. 90 sisters stopping at the one hotel. Went

to Rolleston this week f (as I said before) struck a number of German

prisoners working on the roads. The crawlers have the Government

stroke alright & look in the pink of condition like fat greasy

priests. I believe they are sending a number to this camp next

week. God help them if we have to act as Guard. It appears

they put the Australians on here as guard once before, but the

squareheads got such a bad time they had to put Tommies on.

An Aeroplane fell here this morning one officer being killed another

seriously wounded. We passed the machine on the road to Lidsworth

but did not go over. The casualties have been terrific in the flying

corps lately & a great number of machines lost & captured. The papers

are all commenting about it & several enquiries are being held. It certainly looks as if the Germans have regained the supremacy for the time being. Fancy getting that phot from Fegan, I forgot all about it.

The photos I had taken in Brighton, will probably go next week, you

will have a regular dose of them. We are not allowed to wear caps

here & had to hand them in. The daylight saving scheme only

starts here tomorrow, we put our clocks on an hour tonight. That

means the old game of really rising at 6 am, however I suppose

we wont notice it after the first week. Well Lil I'll post this, they

have stopped advising us the date of closing for an Australian mail

Connie Keys wished to be remembered to all.

Love to all

Alex.

Bulford

13/4/17.

 

Dear Mother,

On Tuesday I received your letter dated 2nd Feb, Lily's

of 18th Janry & Ida Watsons of 1st Febry. On Wednesday, Elsie's of

13th Feb arrived & today (Friday) Elsie's of 30th Janry & Lily's of 1st Febry.

You will therefore see that the mails are rather irregular . This

week I also received 2 Bulletins, 2 Sydney Mails & about 8 bundles of

Couriers. Glad to hear Leslie has dropped office work he was only

wasting time & may make a good thing out of his present spec.

In any case the exercise of clearing will do Roy & him an immense

amount of good I hope they have the trees down before I get back.

The floods evidently played havoc up North. The lives lost at Clermont

were something awful. I see there were some heavy losses in stock also.

Douglas of Majuba near Maxwelton estimating his at 10000. I have

my doubts about that, Douglas was always inclined to exaggerate.

You were lucky in striking a good girl at last. I hope she stops.

Coal has been cut off our menu, so fires are now things of the past.

We still get occasional snowstorms & cold winds but the really cold

weather I think, has departed. Fancy little Audry going to school,

its a good job she takes to it, she should get on well. No word of our

departure yet, still loafing about camp. Five weeks now without a minutes 

training, doesn't it seem ridiculous? The War news is splendid lately.

I hope it continues so. Everybody here officers & men alike appear

thoroughly satisfied that a few months will see peace. America's

fleet will release a number of British boats, so the W Boats may

find their tasks much heavier now. Three enterned German Boats

will also prove a Godsend in bunging provisions over. We still

get spuds twice a week, so can't complain of our tucker. Bread

seems the most troublesome item. the papers are continually warning

people to be careful. The hotels & restaurants have had certain

restrictions imposed, such as one meatless day a week, no backups,

above the average. The American merchantmen will undoubtedly relieve the strain. Those photos may be ready this week. Davey, the fellow I went to Brighton with returns tonight from another leave & may bring them with him. I've no idea when the next Australian mail

closes, so will hold this letter for a couple of days in case I have

further news.

Love to all

Your affect son.

Alex.

 

14/4/17. Today I got a letter from Dorothy Blacket, she says Keith has

restarted  school & is almost himself again. I also got copies of the photos I had taken at Brighton. The photographer evidently mixed up my order he originally sent proofs two of head & shoulders & our full figure. I asked for a dozen each of the former took on different style paper, one enlargement & a