Don Martin diary entry for Monday, December 31, 1917:   Slept till 10:30. Had breakfast in the Savoy. Saw Judd Welliver, Sun correspondent. He is depressed and wants to get back to N.Y. Nearly everyone is more or less discouraged. Is a good experience for me but I should prefer to be in N.Y. Sent cable to Dorothy. Not doing much work yet. Just looking around to get my bearings ... Went to dinner with Welliver at the Wellington on Fleet St. Met Draper of the Tribune, Miller of the U.P. and a Mr. Moare, all Americans, and went with the crowd to Moare’s lodgings where we had some of Welliver’s homemade mince pies, some candy liquors etc. and a lot of conversation. Saw the new year in. Opinion of the correspondents is that Allies have a fierce task ahead licking Germany. After we all finished, the crowd escorted me through a lot of lanes and alleys to Fleet St. Welliver then walked to the Savoy with me. Weather cool and raw [ while New York City had record-breaking cold weather ].    

     Having arrived in London on December 29, just before New Years Eve 1918, Don Martin was to spend his next three months watching and reporting on the war from there. He started his life in London as a continuation of his life style  in New York – interviews with politicians and officials, and seeing lots of theater. He lived well at The Savoy, eating at the famous Simpsons, and enjoying invitations from notables.       A new element for him was being in charge of The Herald office in London, a step up into ‘management’, but, no doubt, in charge of a wary team of old timers.    His reporting from London was well received in New York. But quite rapidly he absorbed the deadly seriousness of the war situation in France, became bored with his situation on the sidelines and became determined to become a real ‘war correspondent’ – if he could get New York Herald owner, Commodore James Gordon Bennett, to agree.   His thoughts were often with his

Don Martin's diary entry for Saturday, December 29, 1917 :  In London.      Left Liverpool for London at 11 with Russell. My room in Adelphi cost 3/6 – not bad. Shared carriage on train with Russell, an army and navy officer and a nurse returning to France. Arrived London 3:45. Darkness already fallen. Got trunks and other luggage to Savoy Hotel in taxi. Room awaiting. Is very fine one. Has all comforts of N.Y. hotel. Had dinner in Savoy alone. Then went to our office at 130 Fleet Street. Had some difficulty finding it. Saw Champion, in charge, and had visit with him. He seems a pleasant chap. Looks very much like Bennett. London a weird place at night. Fully half the persons on streets or anywhere else are soldiers or sailors. Quite a few Americans. Met Phelps, Frohman’s manager here. He seems to be a devoted follower of J. Barleycorn. Went to my room at 9 to rest up _ fell asleep at once and so at 10:30 went to bed. Don’t know whether I shall like London or not but think not

        And then the disembarking in Liverpool and overnight stay. Don Martin diary entry for Friday, December 28, 1917 :  Left the ship at Liverpool Left the St. Louis at 10 a.m. with Russell and went to the Adelphi Hotel which seems about like the best class American hotels. Went at once to the police and registered. Then to the office of Morris & Co. with Russell. I left him and came to the hotel to read and take a nap. Had our London office on the phone and gave someone details of the submarine incident to be cabled to N.Y. Liverpool is nothing like I had expected. Streets are overrun with soldiers – many of them wounded – legs and arms off. Had dinner at the Adelphi with Russell, Wente of Liverpool, James, Missitt and James’ brother. James and Missitt officers on St. Louis. Missitt pretty loud. James fine chap. Wound up with too much Scotch whiskey. Am glad I don’t touch it. Liverpool like a tomb at night. Lights in buildings all out. Curtains at every window. My room he