(Lady Osler to Mrs. Chapin)
(Oxford) Saturday Aug 22nd 1914
I am furious at being so old
Dear Sister,
I sent off a letter by the Olympic last night and was sorry I hadn't time to write more about all I have heard and done since Thursday - but I couldn't - we reached Liverpool just too late to catch the 9.30 Oxford train - There was no special - so we had to wait until 11.30 - After getting off the luggage helped by our ever useful Great Western man we went to see the Cathedral - this calm proceeding being more to Revere's liking than seeing soldiers - there were plenty everywhere - on the dock and in front of all Public Buildings. The trip to Oxford was uneventful -we took on two carriage of recruits at Birmingham and left weeping wives and mothers in the Station. At Oxford we found W. O. Looking very fit well and evidently thankful to see us, never once saying "Why did you come back" - and listening patiently to the tales of our experiences & apparently satisfied that Revere had seen one Aunt - two Uncles - two Godfathers - four babies - to Godsons and many friends. Oxford looked the same and it was hard to believe why we had rushed back. Tea was on the terrace - the garden a mass of gorgeous blooms - a fresh crop of roses and wonderful snapdragons.
First I talked & told our experiences & then W. O. told his - he left Aberdeen the day we sailed and went to Colonsay that evening in the yacht - Monday Harry Howard arrived & brought the news - they tried to get away that night all of them but couldn't. All wires were cut off - in trains used only to move Scotch soldiers & no reservations could be made. They never got to London until Friday morning I think - Donald Howard has gone to Belgium with his regiment - Harry waiting for his commission. I think Willie went directly to London where he found Edmond - worried to death about Isabel Meredith and the Bank - W. O. Evidently spent the following week mostly in London where there is a Canadian Committee to arrange for the applications coming from Canada - And he undertook to do what he could about the Medical & Nursing applications - then here a most wonderful work has been done. The Examination Schools have been turned into a thoroughly equipped Hospital  - operating room  - p.m. room  - Chapel & every detail complete  - The courtyard with pavilions built to contain beds. I think there are 350 beds  - The large picture of the Kaiser put in the seller  - Opposite, the Masonic Hall has 50 beds  - part of the same organization  - Magdalen School turned into Hospital - & 80 beds in the Infirmary grounds - 1000 Territorials in Christ Ch - Balliol & Keble have been moving on into camps - everyone has come home - all Heads of Colleges but Brasenose - who is lost in Germany. All helping  - all working like slaves. The plan is for our Hospital to receive patients who are in Netley the big Army Hospital near Southampton - I mean patients there now from the Regular Army. They want that free at once  - to put in the wounded coming across the Channel - then gradually others who come to us. These Military Hospitals have been established all over the country - 3000 beds in Cambridge etc. - Willie says that the quiet, calm way in which it has been done could never be believed without seeing it.
Red Cross workers everywhere. Prof. Thomson turned his big laboratory into a workroom and Mrs. Melville Lea & Mrs. Arthur Thomson started a workroom at once. I could not begin to tell you what they have done - I spent nearly all day there yesterday & as Mrs. Lea has given out I have been made the Chairman.
It is in the Museum. They have furnished the Hospital with nightshirts & day shirts enough to start with - & I could not tell you the other things for the soldiers who started. Friday morning I reported to the Hospital and its small hope to have regular work there, - but fancy this workroom will take much time for the present. Everybody looks very serious & earnest. W. O. quite different to what I have ever seen him - The newspapers are so different to the American & Canadian papers - no pictures - except in the small cheap ones - This enormous number of troops has been moved across the Channel and into France - no one really knows how many -about 150,000. Of course we know so many men - I hardly dare think of the young ones -Revere meditates & is very quiet. He will join the Training Corps in College at once. I was obliged to go to London this morning and it is strange to see the red + on Devonshire House.
You would never believe the stories & experiences of people getting home. Isabel Meredith, Dinah & her friend arrived Thursday. Edmund sent Cooks man to Aix - two attempts - the second time he found a friend in Paris with a big car which he hired & reached Aix - it took four days from Aix to Boulogne - only allowed one small trunk the car being filled with petrol tins - They drove rapidly - but were held up every few miles - to show their passports. At night got rooms where they could but could not sleep on account of tramp of soldiers. I thought Isabel in London today - very weary but so thankful to get home - she said the kindness at Aix & of the French everywhere could not be exceeded. They passed through miles of English soldiers as they reached the coast. The Boulogne route is kept open - Calais closed - but of course the timetables are only made at the moment. Our trains are running subject to change and no responsibility taken except by passenger about promptness. Orville Bullitt reach London last night after 8 days in trains from Munich - Loulie & Willie left Berlin the day before the lines were closed - & reached London the Bank Holiday - no trucks no money  - Telephoned here - & we had gone - fortunately saw Cora driving through the street & she took Loulie to Marshall's where she got two gowns & all she needed - Her trunk turned up yesterday after three weeks. Her maid is near Pau - & can't reach her. It is the moving of troops in France that makes it so difficult and nearly all motors of been taken. Edmund is at Broxton with Ellie taking the cure. W. O. Has been up to see him as he is quite ill  - but he is improving now. He hopes to sail about Sept. 6th taking Merediths & Mary & her children. This town is full of Americans waiting - & London too - 2000 left yesterday on the Olympic. Our nice secretary has enlisted but not gone yet - Benning & William are here - we are only using the motor for necessity & to help tired people - I am cutting down all expenses - so as to have money to use for the other things - napkin rings & bare table - new sweets - & 2 courses for dinner. The first week, prices went up in the skies but are better now.
Monday night - had been all day at the workroom - sent off 200 shirts & started much work - We are beginning things for women & children at odd moments. Nearly all the large houses in London are used for different good works & hundreds of country houses are turned into Hospitals already - All this Red Cross training has been splendid. Josephine Phelps has gone to Belgium - is in Brussels. It is almost impossible to explain the feeling. The world is so occupied with the cruelty in Belgium that ones own troubles & fears seem forgotten: even Mrs. Max Muller calling the Kaiser a "Mad vicious brute". I was glad to find the dear lady alive - I feared this would kill her. Her son arrived Saturday from Budapest coming through with the Ambassador returning. The Bucklers were in a Chalet in the Savoy Mountains & were really without a penny - Mr. B- managed to get through & has gone back on a bicycle with gold - I could write on & on telling what I have heard but you would be exhausted. Today the news is bad - but one cannot really trust anything. I am sending a copy of the "White Paper" the report of the Diplomatic transactions & you can see how Sir Edward Grey fought against it - we went to Ewelme for church yesterday - 30 men have gone from the village & hardly any men in the choir. We please send this to Dundas - & ask him to send it to Mrs. McCagg - the Spinney Pointe and Pic - & she can send it to Sallie please - it is not worth much but will not be possible to write everyone -
Good night
Affly
Grace -
Motors form an extraordinary part of the movement - The Royal automobile club had 10,000 to use for troops & gentlemen just handed over their superb cars. Loyalty makes me squirm & weep.