Sgt Vernon W

St Vernon W was one of the first members who attended the meeting at the Dorchester Hotel, on 31st March 1947 at room 202.

Vernon wrote to the Grapevine on January of 1948, some near 10 months from the first meeting held in Great Britain.

He said:-

It’s rather difficult. To tell you about A.A. here. I live about 90 miles from the London group but do get out there occasionally. I leave Portsmouth at 3:30 PM and arrive back at 7:00 the next morning. I have to catch a train at 2:15 AM (the milk train). 

The London Group really started in the Dorchester Hotel early in the year with five Englishmen and four visiting firemen from the States.  

Here the problem of drink is not approached like it is in the states, for instance, we tried to put a very carefully worded ad in the newspaper and believe it or not, the only paper that would accept it was the Financial Times.  

The secretary of the London Group is an indefatigable worker (a Canadian) who has travelled about quite a lot seeing prospects. But we are so far apart. We have had several nibbles and have had two new members who seemed to be making the grade.  

You people in the States don’t know how lucky you are being able to go to a meeting most any night you wish and always being in constant touch with each other.  

This is the soberest town I was ever in. I haven’t seen a drunk and disorderly person in this joint yet and I’ve been here 10 months.  

On the rare occasion I get up to London to a meeting, I always stressed the importance of a regular meeting at least once a week. Now they meet every Thursday at the home of a member who lives nearly in the centre of London. They have succeeded in interested a couple of doctors and a Catholic Bishop in A.A.  

I hope to attend another meeting early in December and will try and write a more concise letter next time. In the meantime, thank you again for all you have done and if possible, please remember me to the group in, I think. 42nd St. They meet or used to the last December, in a bank building. 

That was the only group I had the chance to visit on my way home.  

I came from Bermuda to New York, Baltimore, Washington, night boat to Norfolk VA and home on an aircraft carrier.

So, cheerio. 

Sgt Vernon W – Grapevine January 1948.

In case you don’t believe me – here is the article.