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December 30, 1917 - Don Martin's First Day in London


     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 11-year old daughter Dorothy, back home in Silver Creek, New York. He wrote frequently to her – 11 letters survive -- and he noted in his diary receiving 6 letters from her while in London. 
Don Martin diary entry for Sunday, December 30, 1917: 
Slept till 10 a.m. Had breakfast with Russell. Later went for a walk with him over to Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park etc. Streets were slimy. Sort of drizzle all day. Wrote to Dorothy. In afternoon took short walk with young Kergstra of State Dept. Later went to Herald office, 130 Fleet St. Found it cold like all other places in London. Got wire from Bennett telling me to take full charge in London, and congratulating me on my cable dispatch about the St. Louis and the submarine. Went to hotel at 11 p.m. after dining with Kergstra in Simpson’s. London is certainly a dreary place at night, with everything darkened so air raiders can’t see it. Everything is cold and damp and comforts as we know them in New York are unknown. Fully half the men everywhere are in uniform, and many wounded. England believes she will win the war, but realizes it is a big task. Is relying on America for the men, the ships and the supplies needed.
Weather wet and cold.
     Don Martin wrote a letter to Dorothy on December 30, 1917 on Savoy Hotel stationary, reporting on his safe arrival:
Dorothy:
      I arrived here at a quarter to four yesterday afternoon from Liverpool and came directly to this hotel which is about like the Waldorf Astoria. ... The Savoy is the rendezvous of nearly everyone in London, especially Americans and I have already met quite a few persons I know. I went to the Herald office at 130 Fleet Street soon after I got here and had difficulty finding it because of the darkness. It is about 15 minutes walk from the Savoy. ... One thing very conspicuous is that England has been brought face to face with the war. About half the persons one sees on the streets, in the hotels or anywhere else are soldiers and a good many of them have crutches. Then the darkness, you know that it is to check the air raids at night. An airship passing over London now after 4 p.m. could not distinguish a single ray of light. That is fine for the security of the people but think what it means to the comfort of millions of people.
                           With love
                                           Dad

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