Papers of Edgar Sydney Worrall - Wallet 2 - Part 13

2.
WIndswept and frozen
they did not present a very
welcome appearance.
Oxford is a fine city, and
chock full of University
Buildings and colleges of
ancient and predominating
architecture. Very few civil
students inhabit the place
now; their places are taken
with khaki clad aspirents
after "stars".
New College, where I am
could put Wesley in one of its
quads or nearly so. I don't
know how old the place is

but there is one date about
the place 1444 and I daresay
it is a good deal older than
that. Haven't had time to find
out yet.
It was often my ambition
to become an Oxonian, and
now my wishes have come
truer than my wildest
dreams. Funny how these
things do happen.
"A" Company.
No. 4 Officer Cadet Battn.
10^th Feb. 1917.
NEW COLLEGE
OXFORD
Mother Mine,
My letter to Father
under the same date will
explain how and why I am in
England again so I need not

dwell on the subject.
On the way I up here I
was a night in London, and
called round to see Mrs
Bidencope. They made me
very welcome, and didn't
even pass remarks on my
mud and travel stained
clothes and trench boots I
was wearing. Mrs B. is
looking remarkably well, and
wishes to be very kindly
remembered to you.
The London streets were
very cold and desolate.

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I have had no home news
for about a month, but
I xxx am a firm believer in
"No news is good news."
Still I need hardly say
that my thoughts are with
you daily and the family
gallery decorates my mantle.
As for myself and I am A.1.
and did not feel the bitter
frosts and snow as much
as might be expected.
Tenderest wishes
Your loving son
Edgar 

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sent, and it would arrive at
the Battalion, soon after I left.
No parcels are forwarded from
one's unit, - the rule being
one's friend receives them in
his place. The system is a
good one, as the boys out
yonder need them far more
urgently than those of us who
are lucky enough to be absent.
The weather is beginning
to show signs of Spring, and
in another month all Nature
should be singing.
Best of love and tender
wishes, mother dear,
Edgar
"A" COMPANY,
No. 4 Officer Cadet Battn.
11^th March 1917.
NEW COLLEGE
OXFORD.
Mother Mine,
The same, as at
the other end, we have no
idea when the mails are
due to leave, so I write
every Sunday. Consequently,
I daresay, you have either a
feast or a famine.
Yesterday, I received a
large budget of old mail
from France - all written
just previous to Christmas
and under several dates.
You were all preparing for
the festive season, and hoping
to go on to Dromana.
The next mail should tell
of the happy time you all
had, and I am eagerly
looking forward for the news. 

2.
The result of my first examination
is posted, and I find
I scored 82%, which was
very high up on the list.
The section I am in, is composed
wholly of Australians
and we have the reputation
of so far topping everything
in sport, work and exams.
The popular belief that we
are a "ragtime" crowd is
being rudely repudiated, and
we have shown that we are
the equal to say the least
of representative of most of
the crack home regiments.
I have just been talking
to one of the Brownells of
Hobart. He is round at
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Exeter College with the Royal
Flying Corps School and
will probably get his star
some time this week.
Minna Stanfield sent me
along a pair of socks which
she knitted whilst at Sandringham,
but as I do not
know her home address,
I cannot write and thank
her. Will you do so for
me, please.
By-the-way, Mrs Clark
wrote some months ago, stating
she was sending along a parcel.
Miss Hillier, in a letter I have
just had sent across from
France, says she reposted one
one to me; the parcel in question
probably being the one Mrs Clark 

2
calculating I find it is 
well over six years, and
I was only a lisping babe
in arms, or nearly so.
By-the-way, the letters
were addressed to Wareham,
and some delay was caused
in my getting them.  In
future, always address correspondence
to
24^th Battalion
6^th Aust. Inf Brigade
A.I.F
France (or Abroad)
if they won't let you put in
a name.
Do this whatever address
I may place at the top of
my letters, unless I particularly
state otherwise.
I daresay you would
like to hear of the rest of
 "A" COMPANY,
No. 4 Officer Cadet Battn.
22nd April 1917.
NEW COLLEGE
OXFORD.
Sisters All, 

By the time this

reaches you I shall be

back again in France. There's

luck in odd numbers and

as this will be my third

time in that sunny(?) land

all will be well.

Tomorrow we go down

to Warwick — famous for

its castle — for a week's

musketry, and soon after

we come back, is our final 

examination.

Yesterday I had letters 

from you all, written

from Dromana. It does

not seem such a long 

time ago since we were

all down there, but on

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my Easter holiday.

I think I told you in 

letters from Edinburgh that 

a Major in the Supply Dept.

had asked us to motor

from Edinburgh to Newcastle

with him. Of course we

readily accepted his kind 

invitation.

On Easter Monday we

set out in a great six 

cylinder car, that fairly 

raced over the frosty roads.

It was snowing slightly

when we started, but the 

sun came out later on

and made things cheerful. 

The drive through the

4

snow-clad heights of the

Lowlands was great. Just 

before we reached the English 

border we sustained a puncture,
but as we had a spare

tire, it was only a matter of 

a few minutes.

At Berwick, on the border

we stopped and lunched with

a Commander of the Navy,

who had been out to Australia

as a midshipman from 1889 to

1893, and he couldn't do

enough for us.

We arrived at Newcastle

in a blinding snow storm,

stayed the night, and came

on to Oxford via London the

following day.

Now I must write to 

Mother and Father.

Best o' all good things

Edgar

2

down to the river in the twilight.

It fell to my lot to

escort a fine old dowager,

in a canoe. She was a little

nervy at first, but after

I took her over the first

rapids, as if I had been

born on the water, she

placed quite a lot of confidence

in me, and towards

the end of the afternoon

she had become so interested

in me, that it was

with difficulty we managed

to say au revoir.

Had letters from the

rest of the family yesterday,

and they said you

had been doing New

"A" COMPANY,
No. 4 Officer Cadet Battn.
22nd April 1917.
NEW COLLEGE
OXFORD.

My Dear Father,

The last few

days have been truly delightful

spring weather, and

the river has claimed us

quite a deal.

Yesterday, Miss Haldane

whom I have mentioned

before, treated us to a river

picnic. We had almost

every description of craft

from the light flimsy

canoe to the cubersome punt.

Up one of the back-

waters of the Thames we

stopped for tea, and then

on again, and came back

3

South Wales on your Douglas.

Hope you had a good time

and did not

manage to 

smash either yourself or

the bike. You are very

lucky to be able to still

run about on it as petrol

in England is almost as

scarce as potatoes, and

we only get them twice a

week. The food restrictions 

also are becoming

more severe, in order to 

prevent undue waste.

It is very good of Mr

Lumley to leave his business

4
and come away. He certainly

must have the right

spirit. What a pity it could

not be instilled into a few

of the younger ones.

Next month should

see us back in France

again with a volume of

military knowledge to help

shorten the war, so look out for results.

Best o' good wishes to

all.

Your loving son.

Edgar

P.S. I received your remittance

OIT. At Sea

2

there was to be seen in the

beautiful historic chambers

and spacious gardens. The

rooms inside are lined with

masterpieces of Reynolds , Van Dyck,

and the floor is

covered with magnificent

cabinets and brass work.

On the lawns outside

peacock disport their gorgeous

plumes, which blend harmoniously

with the flowers

that spring has just 

brought forth.

In the main building

is a huge organ, the 

pipes of which run over

the roof of several rooms

and the whole building

re echoes with music when 

the instrument is played.

"A" COMPANY,
No. 4 Officer Cadet Battn.
30th April 1917.
NEW COLLEGE
OXFORD.
Mother Mine,

We have just come

back from Warwick after

a week's musketry in that 

old and historic town. The

weather was ideal, it never

rained a drop the whole

time we were down there,

and consequently the 

weather made good shooting 

possible.

We celebrated Anzac

day down there with a

dinner and evening, and 

in the afternoon the Australians 

and New Zealanders

were invited to Warwick

Castle, where we saw all

3

On Thursday evening I

rode over to Kenilworth on

a bicycle and saw the ruins

of the old castle. The whole

countryside around Warwick

is beautiful, and at present

is at its best. The country

lanes and hedgerows make

you think of Wonderworth's

poem.

"Oh to be in England, now

that April's there"

Winter in this country is

certainly very dull and

trying, but once Spring

has come to stay, it

4
makes England a paradise.

In three week's is our

final examination so we

are putting on an extra

spurt for the finish.

The elections are on 

Tuesday and I see Watt

is standing for Balaclava,

again, and Hughes for Bendigo.

Here Hughes and his party

are favoured.

Best o' love to you all

Edgar