Witley Camp
Oct. 7th 1916

Dear Mother,-

I'll just continue from page 6 of the last letter.- I am writing in the bunk house and we have a holiday this afternoon. Well-

I walked from the Maple Leaf Club and took the "tube" at Dover St. While waiting to go down in the lift the girl conductor was called to the phone. She turned from it and ordered all lights out as "A Zepp raid was on". When I got out at Great Central Station near our Club the news had just arrived there- the people were beginning to rush home on the tubes and the search-lights were stabbing the sky. I watched for an hour and went up to bed about 20 to twelve. I was beginning to wind up my second window I saw the end of a Super-Zeppelin. A much greater blaze followed the first one and then all was darkness once more. The search - lights began to "play" once more and cheers came up from the streets. I went down to the street where many had gathered in little groups and were busy giving their version of the sight.

It was a sight well worth seeing - although we were about 18 miles from where it fell, it made the street light enough to recognize people a little distance away. - You know London is dark at night except for far separated and specially shaded street lights.

The fall as one of our men saw it from a distance of 5 miles was very spectacular. Suddenly the anti-aircraft guns began to bark then the unmistackable drone of a Zepp was heard. The search lights had found their prey and fastened to it though it dodged in and out among the clouds, looking for all the world like a huge silvery snake!!

Shrapnel burst around, then our aeroplanes were seen to cluster about like flies. Suddenly a flare of flame went up from the Zepp and in an instant with a roar the flames rushed to either end, the framework looking black against the fiery background. Then its ugly nose turned earthwards while the aeroplanes dropped red and green lights. It was all over in 10 minutes from the time it was first sighted. Some women fainted from the excitement of it all but no one was very much afraid except the people in the cottage near which it fell.

I determined to see it if possible and on Tuesday a "Bobbie" on Trafalgar Square put me wise as to the place. The next morning was raining but I took the Great Northern train from Kings Cross and stepped off at Potters Bar at 8.30 in the morning.- 18 miles from London.

The country around about was very beautiful, the grass of the meadows being very green. I walked along a well kept cinder path across several fields and at last came to the little village. A short walk down the street and I was at the farm where the ruin fell. Walking past the police and sentries I followed a group of men whom I took to be sight-seers like myself. They were undertakers however and, accidentally I stumbled into the little shed where a horrible junk heap lay. It was the most awful spectacle I have ever seen.-

A sergeant directed me to the wreck and I soon found myself before a far more interesting junk heap. The papers I send will give you a better idea of what such a pile looks like than I can tell. I spent several hours wandering about. I had my V.P.K along. I saw the impression in the ground where one of the crew had fallen. It was exact shape of the sprawled-out body and was about 9 inches deep. You may imagine the force required to make such a hole in hard clay.

The Zepp fell in two parts and each pile was surrounded by a barbed wire fence and was guarded by sentries. Two gangs of sailors were busy with drag ropes and grappling irons hauling the wreckage out of the tree where it had piled up. The wire supporting the frame work is very strong (try to break a bit of what I send). I saw engines, petrol tanks (one bearing the date H/20/6/16 so you see it is quite recent. The Commanders watch stopped at 10 to twelve. I saw his watch-chain and a button from his coat also some german money.

One has no sympathy for these men, because they are nothing more than murderers.

I visited Madam Tussaud's wax works and enjoyed the time spent there very much. The figure's are very life like and look as though they could speak. All the famous men and women of history are there. I saw the sovereigns of England from earliest times and all the famous statesmen of English history. I recognized many of them from pictures I have seen.

One afternoon I met a fellow from my year in Medicine. He came over here in 5th A.M.C. and has had an interesting time at the front. He has done good work in the stretcher corps and incidentally has picked up some good relics. I saw them - German steel helmet; Prussian Guard helmet; gas mask; officer's revolver; belt, ammiuntion pouch, bomb, shell fragments and a dagger. He is taking them home to Canada where he is going to take out a Commission in the infantry.

I went to London's best picture theatre - The Scala - and saw picture theatre battle of the Somme. They were very life like and real. An American woman from Boston sat beside me and asked a few questions. She was in Louvain when the Germans sacked that city - early in the war. She was very much interested in the pictures and frequently applauded with the others.

I quite often took a bus through the busy part of the city. I enjoyed watching the traffic. I went to Bun Hill Row and saw the exhibit there of the "Zepps" that fell in Essex. The books I send will show you some of the interesting things I saw. I also saw an undamaged German Aeroplane which was brought down behind our lines in France.

Here a soldier can go almost anywhere without question. The police will show you through a line up of civilians every time and the people are quite good natured about it. Everywhere we went we were used like Princes.

The last afternoon in London I took a bus and went out to the Kew Gardens. They are indescribably lovely. Nearly every species of tree and plant is to be found there. The tropical trees being in huge glass houses that are very warm and moist. I saw bamboo trees and tree ferns and many other rare plants. The rose gardens are lovely, the bushes still being loaded with blossoms and buds.

I took several pictures there. As we pulled away from London we saw the fiery sentinels sweeping the sky. The criss-crossing of the beams and the lighting up of the clouds makes a picture that once seen can never be forgotten.

We arrived at Witley after a nice run. We had some difficulty finding the way as the night was very dark - in fact we walked a couple miles too far. I received Hazel's letter on Friday and one from Ethel and Earl.

Then on coming back from church parade I got 4 more - none from home - that had gone to France and back after being sent from Amherst. They were dated Sept. 9, 11, & 12th. They were very welcome nevertheless. I received Miss Padginton's in this lot it had gone to the front but failing to find me, came back.

I suppose you received the letters from Amherst after we had landed in England. Earl is quite well - I'll send his letter along and you can keep it and any pictures I may want - for me. I am sending a few relics that may interest you. Don't clean them up as they are more interesting just as I found them. I'll label each piece. We hear all sorts of rumours here about the war.

The news continues to be good and there are more good things coming. I suppose you have heard about the "tanks". They were a surprise to our men even and caused much fear in the enemy trenches. They are effective machines and do great work. Our artillery is doing splendid work and stretches hub to hub across the front.

Our battery number is being changed. We will likely be the 68th Field Battery - but use the old address for a while - or Witley Camp near Milford, Surrey. I'm looking for mail now and hope all goes well. Tell the youngsters to write. I'll write Hazel next time. It takes so long to write a letter I got tired of it before I'm finished - Goodbye-

With love from, Ray