6^th Can. Res. Bn.
East Sandling,
Kent, England
February 11, 1917.

Dear Cousin Annie,

Yesterday I received a parcel from Mother inclosing the money-belt you sent. Thank you very much for it, for it is something that I will really need, and I had not one.

Since last writing to you things have changed here very little, but [seves?] interesting things have happened. The most really enjoyable one was a three days leave in London.

I have a little girl cousin Mina Mowat, over in France nursing. She has been there about a year, after being in England nine months. About the middle of January she got two weeks leave on this side. On arriving in London she immediately telegraphed and I succeeded in bludgeoning three days leave out of our Adjutant.

While in London I had the time of my life. I spent all the time with Mina, and for the most part we two just trotted around to-gether seeing the sights, and also the theatres.

The first afternoon we spent in the Tower of London. It is chiefly interesting for its historical side, but the Armoury in it is wonderful. Half a dozen immense halls are given over to this. After visiting it one’s mind is left in a state bordering on chaos. They have there displayed the arms and armour used from earliest times up to the present. One hall is given over to suits of the ancient chain mail, the flat topped cylindrical helmets, and the pikes. Another is given over to plate armour, both for horse and man, and to the spears and swords in use at that time. There is one suit for a man standing six feet ten and a half inches, and others for young boys.

Then we come to a room walled and filled with swords, and on one side samples of the pikes they used at the time of Bruce and Wallace.

Then a room filled with ancient muskets and pistols.

Then downstairs halls filled with ancient guns, and the body armour of the time. Practically all the armour here is French armour captured at the time of the seige of Rochelle. Then there were guns captured during the period of the wars in India. With the exception of a few pieces over in one corner, these were the latest.

We finished up in the Tower just before six and then crossed over Tower Bridge to Whitechapel. We did not appreciate the crowd, the darkness, and the filth so we returned home.

That night we went to see “Chu Chin Chow”, but I really did not appreciate it.

The next afternoon we spent in the old shops near the museum – shops selling ancient books, China, ivories etc. The Museum itself is closed. In the afternoon we tried a ride on the Underground, in the busses, and then visited some of Mina’s nurse friends.

In the evening we two went to see “Daddy Longlegs.” It was played by the same company that played it in Peterboro a year ago – and it was just as good.

The next morning we did a bit of shopping. In the afternoon we first visited Soho Square. That was a poor time for it but it was the only time we had. The best time to go there is late Friday afternoon – for its people are all Jews.

We then went to the Temple. This was really the most interesting thing I’ve seen in England.

Lying in between the Embankment and the Strand, Londons busiest thoroughfares, and entirely surrounded by the tall buildings facing these streets, is a small oval square, reached only by a couple of low narrow archways under the buildings. The large end of the square is occupied by a chapel, and is paved with large flat stones. The narrow end contains a tiny but exquisite park.

The stones paving the upper end of the court are all head stones, and on most of them you can still read the ancient inscriptions – some dating back three and four hundred years. Many of the names are famous, – many are of ancient judges.

Then the chapel. This was and is the headquarters of the ancient orders of Knights Templars and Knights Hospitallers. It is in two parts. Through an arched porch, and through an immense iron-studded oak door you enter a high round arched, and almost round hall. On the floor in the centre, and surrounded by an iron railing lie the effigies of the knights buried beneath. These effigies are carved showing the knights in full armour. Many had been to the Crusades, as indicated by the crossed feet of the effigies.

Through a high arch you pass into a fairly large rectangular hall, whose architecture is distinctly Norman. The benches and galleries which run along each side slightly raised above the floor are of very old dark oak, each post being surmounted by a carved head of some kind. The pillars represent groups of smaller pillars and are wonderfully polished. The ceiling is painted in an immense conventional design. The floor is of chocolate and white tiles about 10 inches square, each representing some scene – St. George and the dragon, a Crusader in full armour, a knight receiving his sword, etc., etc. The rich blues and yellows of the windows are wonderful. The whole building reminded me strongly of the description of Melrose Abbey in The Lay of the Last Minstrel. And all this is set right in the heart of the city. But not a sound reaches it. Everything there is as quiet as if it were far out in the country in some tiny village.

After leaving here we went to Westminster Abbey. It was closed but I was just as glad, for I did not wish to see anything that would [conprise?] my memories of the Temple.

That night I had to return to Camp. A couple of days later Mina came to Folkestone for the rest of her leave. I was able to get down every evening and we spent a quiet and most enjoyable week. Then she went back to France. Few people realize the hardships that these girl nurses have to put up with. Mina is now nicely within shell range of the German guns, the noise of the guns is often terrific, they are always in danger from aeroplanes, and shelter is so poor that frequently they lie awake all night unable to sleep on account of the cold. And then thirteen hours in the operating room, with an hour off in the middle for lunch. They deserve more credit than they will ever get.

Well, I’ve written enough for this time, as perhaps the censor will think when he comes to it. So I’ll close now.

Grant D. Mowat (Captain)

[on back of final page:]
To Miss A. L. Himes
444 Crescent Ave.
Buffalo
N.Y.
U.S.A.

From Capt. G.D. Mowat,
6th Can. Res. Bn.
C.E.F.
England