Letter from Allenby to Lady Allenby
10th September 1919

I am writing from the Normandy Hotel, Deauville. We had a calm and pleasant voyage; reaching Marseilles on the morning of the 8th. I came on to Paris that evening, arriving yesterday.
There I found that I was to come to Deauville, to see the P.M. I lunched with Mr. Balfour in Paris, yesterday; and came on in the afternoon by train. It is almost 4 hours by train.
Mr. Lloyd George is staying at a beautiful villa, some 2½ miles from here. I dined there last night, and had a long talk with him. He tells me that I shall not be able to get away before next Tuesday. It is an awful nuisance. I had hoped to be in London by last night. However, I can see the importance of my being here just now; so I try not to cry, though I am very disappointed. We shall go back to Paris, tomorrow or the next day; as there are big talks coming off. I have been interviewed once, at Marseilles; but have dodged other interviews, so far.
In Paris, snapshotters and cinimatographers pursued me. They motor on, ahead; then jump out, and take their shots; then they repeat the process, till they are tired. Shea, who is with me, beamed with pride; as you might suppose! We had a big diner party, last night, at the P.M's villa. Bonar Law, Hamar Greenwood, Auckland Geddes, and others; also Mrs. Waldorf Astor, Miss Bonar Law and other ladies.
[End of letters is missing]

From 'Allenby in Palestine – The middle east correspondence of Field Marshal Viscount Allenby' selected and edited by Matthew Hughes, Army Records Society & Sutton Publishing Ltd., 2004, ISBN 0-7509-3841-2