October 12 1917

Dear Mother:-

Well I've left Scotland and am in London now. Tomorrow night I will return to camp. The six days certainly have gone quickly.

Yesterday morning I was to the National gallery of Scotland and saw some wonderful paintings and sculptures. I wished you were there with me as you take such an interest to those things.

In the afternoon I went to the moving Pictures. They advertised "Current Events" and we went with the hope of seeing some pictures from Canada, but we were disappointed.

Last night we left Edinburgh at 9.40 P.M and arrived in London at 7. AM this morning. We immediately came out to the Maple Leaf Club at Marble Arch and secured a bed when we went up to St.Paul's Cathedral. It is most wonderful inside with great stone tombs of great men. After going all thru it we went up to the dome and the "Whispering Gallery". This is very wonderful. The dome is about 100 feet in diameter and the bunch of us walked around to the opposite side and placed our ears against the wall. The man opposite us on the other side of the dome then told us the history of the church in a whisper and away around on the other side of the dome it sounded as loud and clear as if he were speaking directly to our faces.

After lunch we went to Westminster abbey and went all thru it and saw the tombs of kings as far back as the 11th and 12th Centuries. The tombs were old and magnificently carved. In one part of the abbey dating, I think, to the 12th century was some very beautiful carving, although it was more or less worn away by the time I saw the tomb in which the Little Princes were buried also the tomb of their murderer & uncle.

We next went out to the Tower of London. I have some post-cards of it that I will send you later.

The first place we visited was the Bloody Tower. I was in the very room in which the little Princes were murdered and in which the Earl of Stratford and Archbishop Laud were confined in prior to execution. There were inscriptions on the wall made by its prisoners.

We next went to the Regalia. Here behind bars was the whole crown Jewels. It was a wonderful sight. They were lighted with electricity and everything was solid gold. One of the attendants told me it was worth about thirty million pounds sterling. There were the Royal crown Sceptre, swords of state, maces and table utensils all most richly adorned with jewels. It was a sight that will not be easily forgotten.

Next we went to the White Tower. This is mostly an armory where we saw arms and armor dating from the Anglo Saxon period down to the present day. I saw Lord Kicheners sword also an appeal for more men written and signed by him. I saw the cloak which Lord Wolfe wore when he was killed before Quebec. Also a uniform worn by the Duke of Wellington. There also was exhibited the gun carriage which bore the body of King Edward VII at his funeral. I was in St.Johns Chapel which is very old. The White Tower itself is a thousand years old. In another room was exhibited the block and axe with which Lord Lovet was executed in the 16th Century, the very cut still showing in the block. Out in the courtyard we saw the spot where Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and several other noted persons were beheaded. We were also at the dungeon in which Sir Walter Raleigh was imprisoned for 12 years. We also visited Beauchamp Tower and saw many interesting inscriptions cut in the way.

Tomorrow we intend visiting the House of Commons as it is open to the public tomorrow.

Oh yes, I almost forgot, the last night I was in Edinburgh I was to see John Knox house and the house in which Oliver Cromwell lived. They are bother preserved in their original state.

Well Mother, I must close now. I certainly wish you were here to see all these things with me, but after the war we'll come and see them again, won't we.

Your Loving son
Ludlow