Letters from Alexander Sutherland Mackay to his Family, 1918 - Part 1

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2018.19.57
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

in the Field, 1114 1928 24 Dear Buther, It is peeyingly cold today know all over the shop, uts teatly masihble but I must write, after my brd to Pars Refort I start you will be pleased to hear I mith Rowner today, this wode on from o where he has been reluving ar fellow to on Daris Leave Kowner is a bit gey in the havr but looks will as hard is mo Wis had about 1/0 yaril, o howmn to go down to his lamp Sunday if we did n shill. Auny I have nr and Rundry on but he thinks they are also the mory aho as we may stue one another again hur of us from this Battery lifte for Paris at 730 and out the 16th olts safter a monatonn tro
25 in the Field. 191 14 mey reached our distination at 8.45 pm that night immediately on arrival in is takent hone a to thot A 1 a n m i before they all 6 th throught te X buten. Ine yours tere thin distrubuted fo Motor hur a arous hotils for the night, we ins t in the Hote do Knkg a o a king to bunk after the tran for 90 17/217 We shifted our guarters this monny to the Hotel de Violet, we heard previously that the managouss ws ahen aoth whoke We wow not disappointed thrue Englis & vry mi room al then
in the Field. 192 L. Flora on another. The ernit double beds tiliphing selitins lights bnd heaters - wt hand to take f ingonts You only pay for bed thrakfart sime intersed for ast other meats. That i 7 Feanes at night but I may say the 42 after the Frincheston, was a buthered wll as I me e of wfer. Wr on the phone othis was nent a to your bedroon W day on our own no Roamest al city beauthful building doubt its an states fountains gaore, widh studs kpp in great imdution whilet the shns then Serla displays supss anything to LondonE sy looks ro mattly
25 in the Field. 191 the sight of so a 18/19 Wew Continue the sam proge these days thi Arns are evidently thought of the girls for from unsh We have has meake apot at the Capes halling to mumerous dames in pegion ingliat Kamh Somitions would struke peop more eshinally in the strut who understond English but often in the laps wt had Ths Ns Louk wit 20 makes, as crrtioe when ant abrute ont Karly Hhnh a wad I who can gav to delight in calling him al the notten maio in l O cow all the w 1 5oor owt but no doubt often they a It 1
X 8 in the Field 191 I who shole io to stake about as mucht as ar dit Frinch The comminations with of tent cam to an abrut stopo nedde the night t hav areited w0 Alambbora Foller Bires Opers how prominades you B Gort pounds Stees sen 28 with ter fr by at M Per Bolden hady Mrs Lorg and a to Verr anted ar gon was dpit our L evidently I will edunted verevilled womson Wes went taken right throught the huge palan Lank by to II £
in the Field. 192 2266 One int sesentd that magniful the build Eant undertand thes they say wl to us 20,000 a with beatfull pan Lecking A illron I belive has no exe n whilst the the Woold. We saw the actuall bede of sou other longress noon, and whicht the Frssh Presidents are elected. In prostually every room of this lnge palace you see tonly psintings bronge alver or marble statiues ast ot his neull of Lours 50 all I believe. adeal young ftee by he was at a dest of the original furniture & a fewt old clocks are still then. You also ser the balsony from which is a Contrintte
in the Field. 191 address he populaed an they out alswing from Pens, saring the Rewlation The grounds mot inonoes but the place day was coo i the fov 4 arest from reling them th W full 4 Dan. of W. 211217 i wunt o atort th 1 the Fhapalen Lrge thes puther and liptt i Wer Butron ont the which owing to the col nspotion at as post is Ish at the Lonight a Denvillon
in the Field. 191. 29 They have a punlear waton and the restaurants nafes here. You oher anythen they plaw at sal smewt with the pre maked on in the entrs of the hable a confat, the dos in generally repert sherislly by our crowd a with at pele of asures Lowe on the laves. The givens counts the I thedo I may say here. that waiters and ont PParis & believe an some cares premamg ofor the Jobs. They dupen on tips, estemated at 10 p of your bill that means if your bill runs to 10 faw part ap 11. This is the case with
8 in the Field. 2 with avery sing t watr regutes so much 3 This tepping may ap yet wt findi much cheaper to Iappeart the r k3 wnd ar sle of thie 191 Lase 10 lend septin is Cespecally taen io teas is tas the t cre
8A in the Field, 19 r by the wilitary. I a by dan ts aet the post onatance tot degs along that stret aas na Mt o arts pa 1 they would be find for driving such crestures guide to Hoak Loday Nt 1 22141 Gouphins wine hat 40 miles awny wi put wot at down the River sune theret on pers trunt Mislise i this plan to beter the Palen at Vensslls is beautful it to throughly appricate the mswellon 1316 Shill the 8

1/121/1918
(1)

Dear Mother,

It is freezingly cold today

snow all over the shop, its really miserable

but I must write, after my trip to Paris.

Before I start, you will be pleased to hear

I met Ronnie today, he rode over from some

farm where he has been relieving, a fellow

on Paris Leave.  Ronnie is a bit grey in the 

hair but looks well & as hard as nails.

We had about ½ an hours yarn, & I promised

to go down to his Camp Sunday if we did not

shift.  Since I hear we are shifting Sunday.

but he thinks they are also on the move shortly,

so we may strike one another again.

Two of us from this Battery left for Paris at 7.30

am on the  16th ulto. & after a monotonous train

 

(2)

journey reached our destination at 8.45 pm

that night.  Immediately on arrival we

were taken round to report.  As there were

a fair number of soldiers - Canadians, Tommies &

ourselves, it was sometime before they all got

through but we secured at the ymca

there a very enjoyable tea.  The ymca

then distributed us per Motor busses at

various hotels for the night, we ended

up in the Hotel de Strasbourg & were not long

in getting to bunk after the train journey.

17/12/17.  We shifted our quarters this morning

to the Hotel de Violet, we heard previously that

the manageress was a real good sort & spoke

English.  We were not disappointed, three

of us got very nice rooms all opening into

 

(3)

one another.  Thick carpets on the floors

double beds & telephones & electric lights, beside

heaters - not hard to take after dugouts.

You only pay for bed & breakfast & time

outside for out other meals.  That cost 7x

7 Francs a night but I may say the breakfast,

after the French custom, was a buttered roll

of bread & a nice cup of coffee.  A ring on the

phone & this was sent up to your bedroom.

Roamed round all day on our own, no

doubt its an ideal city, beautiful buildings

statues & fountains galore, wide streets kept

in great conditions whilst the shops & their

displays surpass anything Ive seen in 

London.  Everything & everybody looks so natty

you can't realize a war is on here, barring

 

(4)

the sight of soldiers of every nationality

18/19 Dec.  Continued the same programme

these days, the Ausies are evidently well

thought of & the girls far from being shy.

We have had great sport at the Cafes, talking

to numerous damsels in pidgeon English &

French. Sometimes we would strike people

more especially in the street, who understood

English but often in the Cafes we had

to resort to signs etc.  This No doubt we

took risks, as sometimes when we struck a

gascon who could only parley French, we used

to delight in calling him all the rotten

names imaginable.  Of course all the joke

was on our side but no doubt often they

had jokes at our expense.  It was amusing

 

(5)
also to strike a mademoiselle, who spoke

about as much English as as we did French.

The conversations with them, often came

to an abrupt stop on both sides for want

of the right word.  We have visited the

Alambhra & Follies Berges Operas. In these

shows they have promenades, you walk

round making glad eyes at the girls, whilst

seeing the shows.  Its a great idea I think.

20th Decr.  Today went with a party from

Blighty Corner, run by a Miss Butter for Soldiers,

to Versailles.  A Mrs. Gorry, an American lady

acted as guide she was tiptop, full of humour

& evidently a well educated & travelled woman.

We were taken right through the huge

palace built by Louis XIII & Louis XIV.

 

6

One can't describe the magnificence of

the building, you can understand this, when

they say it was built to accommodate

10,000 guests.  In addition to the walls, every

ceiling is covered with beautiful paintings,

whilst the ballroom, I believe has no equal in

the World.  We saw the actual bed of Louis XIV

& the Congress room, in which the French

Presidents are elected.  In practically every

room of this huge palace, you see lovely

paintings, bronze, silver or marble statues

of Louis XIV all I believe made at his request.

Evidently he was a very modest young fellow.

A good deal of the original furniture & a few

of the old clocks are still there.  You also

see the balcony from which, Marie Antoinette

 

(7)
addressed the populace, when they marched

out starving from Paris, during the Revolution.

The grounds are enormous but the place today

was covered in snow & the fountains frozen

so we were debarred from seeing them in 

their full beauty.  I am posting some books

of Versailles home.

21/12/17.  Today we went to Eiffel Tower now

used as a wireless station, the big wheel, the

largest in world & Napoleon's tomb.  The public

are not allowed in Eiffel Tower & we were dubious

of going round on the wheel owing to the cold,

Napoleon's tomb is a beautiful red marble

as post cards sent home will show, situated

in a huge building.  Tonight we are

travelling round the city with a guide.

 

(8)
They have a peculiar custom in the

restaurants & cafes here.  You order anything

& they place a small saucer, with the price

marked on, in the centre of the table.  During

a confab, the dose is generally repeated,

especially by our crowd, so you gener ended

up with a pile of saucers like the Eiffel

Tower on the table.  The garcon or waiter

counts these & gives you the damage.

I may say here that waiters are not paid

in Paris & I believe in some cases pay

premiums for their jobs.  They depend solely  

on tips, estimated at 10% of your bill.

That means if your bill runs to 10 Francs

your part up 11.  This is the case with

 

(9)
with everything, even to taxidrivers.  Their

metre registers so much, you add 10%.

This tipping may appear a rotten system

& yet we find restaurants & Taxis (especially)

much cheaper than in London.  Wines

(red & white) appear the usual meal drink

although a few take coffee, little tea is

put away.  No shortage of petrol here, taxis

are in myriads, evidently there is no

rule of the road here, in & out, offside

or nearside they race along.  However the

wide streets in the main boulevards

give them plenty of room to operate.

The only eyesore to the Paris streets are

the horses in the taximetre's (cabs & buggies),

apparently all the decent horses have been

 

(10)

confiscated by the military.  Its really

cruel to see the poor broken kneed animals

dragging their legs along the street at a

snail's pace.  In ordinary times I daresay

they would be fined for driving such creatures.

22/12/17  Today went with guide to Fontainebleu -
Napoleon & Josephine's residence.

About 40 miles away, we first took a 

boat down the River Seine, thence on

per train.  Needless to say this place,

like the Palace at Versailles, is beautiful

but to thoroughly appreciate the marvellous

carvings on the walls & ceilings, paintings

& mosaic work, one would have to be

an expert.  The snow again spoilt the

beauty of the grounds to a great extent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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