March 1917

New College Oxford

Dear Amy

This is a magnificent place. The organ is said to be the finest in the world. So is the chapel we have church. Parade once on Sunday. But here all Services through the week when we may or not go as we like. There are lots of memorial stones on the floor and walls of people dated back a long way. The windows are very fine everywhere about the College. I got a letter from you today.

Love from

Stid

No.4 Officer training Bttn.

New College, Oxford.

10/3/17

My Dear Amy

I’ve just got through my second exam. The first one I just scraped through. I had a wee bit to spare this time but I’m feeling more confidant.

I am in splendid quarters, good food and a really nice room with a fireplace. It’s a change from field work.

(???) is very nice ??? hobb??? comfortable not always ??

We have had several falls of snow but cold is not half as bad under good living conditions. I can admire it much more than under Field Service where it is Hell with a capital H. Yesterday snowflakes an inch across were falling or waddling down – very pretty. The ground gets very slippery. The kiddies make snowballs and usually take up positions at corners to throw them.

We are supposed to be officers in the making and some of our chaps see it as an insult to get a snowball thrown at them. it hurts their dignity and then they get more of them.

There are twenty six colleges in Oxford, twenty two represent the university New College. The other day we saw a picture of Sir Walter Raleigh when he was a student. Cecil Rhodes went to the same college. Students with square-shaped caps and black gowns are more common than ordinarily dressed people. Pictures of the Old Masters are here, too. They are quite familiar to me from reading “Boys’ Own Paper.”

Sunday today and all the colleges have their bells. There are some very fine chimes.

We go for a route march all day tomorrow. We don’t see much sun now. The little of England that I’ve seen is very pretty. There are some very fine gardens and lanes about. We get invitations to dinner where the butler takes our hats and sticks and kowtows so it would be very easy to feel quite big.

Love to all from Brother Stid.

No 4 Officer Cadet Bn

New College Oxford

3/3/17

Dear Amy

This is a fine place I am in now. Life is first class and clean. We get plenty of work and study and after a month I am a little more confident than I was at first at getting through but will have to work at it. They expect us to know a good lot about military things. There are so many things ??? with it. But I am not real ???

I haven’t got into good working order yet to study. It’s pretty dry learning drill movements to do them to the letter. So as to take charge of a unit. It’s learning to be M.C. for military ?? Should be where we Slope arms etc. The ?? we had a day out in the country (and open as could be found near her at “Cowley” and it was as good as a picnic. We carried packs – much lighter ones than we carry on Service but still it’s monotonous playing tin soldiers after a couple of years more or less Active Service

But buzzing about drilling I am not keen. The game is worth the candle though. So if I can get keen will be able to get through. But it seems wasting time drilling drilling day after day. I sometimes I’d be as well employed at home.

N Ogilvie is in England still drilling so he has been at it a long time without seeing action. I haven’t seen him. He can’t get leave or can I but by his letters he is sick of drill drill drill and feels he would have been much more useful had he kept at the plow of course he will probably get into action to clean up the job and may even see a lot of active service… man when get gets there. But doesn’t it show what a great experience it is to train men in war time. And there are many hundreds of thousands still training. I think England will be strong when the weather gets warm enough to go ahead (next summer). Hasn’t next summer been mentioned a lot like tomorrow. Still the war goes on. I think I will and this coming season is … will be a Godsend. 22 m the union that represents the university mentions picture galleries. There are plenty so it is a nice place to live in. Mortar board caps and gowns are much worn. Old men, women and youngsters all don them. They seem a bit quaint at first. There are lots of officer schools here too and the lawn is full of khaki. Principly cadets in skin tight uniforms. By the way I got my tailored uniforms yesterday and had to put it on for be inspected by the Captain before taking delivery from the tailor. It seemed a skin fit to me but I had to go back to be taken in at the knees. It must be skin tight in places and as big as possible in others and it seems odd for a while. Claptrap finishes. Love to all.

Your Loving bro Stid

(Stick to my old address)