09 Oct October 9, 1944

letter
from: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
England
October 9, 1944
Mon. 7:00 P.M.
Noteworthy: Dad describes London post the bombing and the difficulty of living
in the subways.

Dear Alice and Ronnie:

I’ve finally been to London and saw the town.  Hadn’t expected to go until this
week but got a break and went a week earlier.  Breaks don’t come very often in
the army so when I got a chance to go a week early I jumped at it.  I started
out with Rogers and a couple of the other boys here but we soon got lost from
each other in the grand rush for trains[,] buses and the subway.  Ended up at
the Red Cross with a fellow in my platoon.  We spent the night at the Red Cross.
Slept on clean white sheets and had a real pillow[,] the first since July 12th.
It really was like sleeping in heaven, almost.  Got up about 8:30 A.M. had
toast and bacon, fried potatoes, jam and cereal.  That is also the first toast
since July 13th.  After breakfast

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we started out to see the town.  Visited <Petty Coat> [Petticoat] Lane.
(Chicago Market street) first.  This kid I was with seemed to be interested
only in women so first chance I had I ditched him and finished what was left of
the morning on <the> my own.  This [Petticoat] Lane makes Chicago’s Maxwell
st. look sick but even then there was nothing of any value I could buy without
coupons, unless I wanted to pay a black market price which I didn’t feel like
donating to the Jews.  Did buy Ronnie a couple of lead soldiers which I am
enclosing in the package with your bracelet.  Bought a flashlight which worked
when I bought it but doesn’t now.  Had a hamburger steak dinner (fair) at a
fourth rate cafe.  Then went back to the Red Cross where I hooked up with three
other GIs and took a taxi

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tour around the city.  It cost us two dollars apiece and we were out two hours
and a half.  Was very interesting.  We saw Buckingham Palace, King’s Palace, 10
Downing st., WestMinster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, (We went through these
two, and they really are masterpieces of construction).  In St. Paul’s
Cathedral saw where a 1,000-pound bomb came through the left wing but did not
explode.  It really tore a hole clear through the place.  The bomb was on
display.  We also saw London Bridge, Tower Bridge, ( Crossed there too),
Tower Castle, Bank of England, Queen Victoria Castle where Queen Mary lives,
House of Parliament, and many other government buildings, Big Bend, City of
London (which is about a mile square and was the original city of London, it’s
almost 100% bombed out), Piccadilly Circus, ( red Light district at nite
although I didn’t see it at nite) and many other places including hundreds

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of bombed homes, office buildings and warehouses.  Also saw results of last
bomb to hit London.  It was last Thursday nite and those things are not Block
busters they are Blocksbusters.  It demolished  an entire block plus damaging
buildings for a couple blocks each way from where it struck.  London has really
been bombed hard but life goes on much the same as I imagine it ordinarily does
and although there are thousands of buildings destroyed, there seems to be a
million that aren’t.  London is really a big city and I think it would be
impossible to entirely wipe it off the map.  I saw nothing bombed that seemed
to be any military value.  Was in two large railroad stations and they were
never touched.  The taxi driver told us that the Germans were lousy shots and
never hit anything of military value.  Houses and buildings along the river
Thames seem to get it the hardest.  Suppose the planes

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could see the river and followed it in.  The taxi driver had been discharged
from the army and he didn’t think much of Churchill, his gang, and all the
other Aristocrats.  According to him class distinction is still very much in
existence here and a poor man had no chance.  I believe that myself from my
own observations.  The only thing about London that begins to compare with
Chicago or any large American city was their subway.  Their subway system is
really marvelous and I was amazed at the efficiency and bigness of their subway
system.  Believe it or not but there still are people sleeping down in these
subways some 60 or 70 feet underground.  I saw them with my own eyes.  Little
babies, girls, boys, young and old.  That is a terrible sight.  I understand
they sleep there now because they have no

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homes to go to.  How would you like that, sleeping in three tier high bunks
against a wall with thousands of people passing you all the time with the
subway lights making it as light as day down there.  I know you have never been
in a city that is blacked out so you have no idea what it is like trying to get
about in a huge city in a total blackout.  One feels as small as the most
insignificant grain of sand on a seashore.  Boy was that an experience trying
to find your way around.  Oh yes[,] saw Charles Dickens’ old curiosity shop.
It is operating today on a paying basis in the exact condition it was when he
had it.  Well that’s London from what I could see in the very short time I was
there.  It is old, old fashioned, huge, and very interesting from a historic
viewpoint.  Personally, I wouldn’t live there for anything.  I probably won’t
go

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back there unless I get a much longer pass.  Can’t tell you how long my pass
was but do know that a third of it was spent in coming and going when it should
have taken only about one tenth of the time figuring on the basis of our
country.  Transportation in England is really very poor and awful tiresome.

Haven’t received any mail now of any kind from anyone for almost a week.
Certainly would be nice to get a few letters only a week or two old sometime.

Got overcoats, wool cap and gloves tonight.  Maybe I’ll be a little warmer now.
I sure was glad to get that overcoat.  War news seems to be a little better the
last few days.  Maybe the last crucial big push is really on.  I’ve got my
fingers crossed.  Some thing big must be brewing now[,] have seen a lot of

<? Roniues> planes today and can still hear them going over.  Once again my
hopes

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are raising a little for an early return home.  One can <?much> tell.  Things
do happen fast sometimes.

Heard today that Wilkie had died.  Too bad, not that I was so strong for him
but he has had a place in our history.  The British have given him a very nice
write up.  Guess he made a good impression when he was here a couple years ago.

Well my dears, without letters there isn’t much else to write about besides I’m
tired and sleepy after about 15 miles today with full field pack and getting
back late last nite from London.  Guess I’ll call it a day and hope you are
both well and writing me every day even though I don’t get them.  No doubt they
will all come in a bunch someday.

Bye for now and I love you both very much,
Daddy