Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1916 - Part 3

O:A:S

Mrs John Young

Princes Street

Alberton

Adelaide Sth Australia

[*H ID*]

A.I.F.

Passed by Censor
[ENVELOPE

back of envelop ~ see original

5

England

Salisbury Plain
England.
25 .7 . 16
My Dear Mum Dad & May
You will have been wondering how I have been
getting on Well, I arrives safely, & I am very Thankful
to say all is well & trust you are all the same.
After leaving Pont Saed - we had a beautiful trip
and arrived at Marseille on July 19th ( I think that
was the date) It will interest you to know of our trip
through France, July 19th we left Marseilles for
what turned out to be Havre -, I had a nice II class carriage
very comfortable - so off we sailed - the scenes on the
way - magnificent- Have never in my few years
of life- seen anything so grand- looking out of
the windows all the way (as you may guess) one could see
everything that was beautiful - Every thing was so fresh & green
beautiful white roads - crops- wheat vegetable - fruit &c &c
all planted out in such pretty style - women have
taken the place of men. & do the work in the Gardens &c,
These folk gave us all a hearty wave. The same when we
passed thro' the different station villages  &c The
people welcomed us, like the French so kind & nice altho
very few spoke the language,  I spoke to a few - have
learnt a  little French, (very little you know). We passed thro'
 

2.
Lyon & I had a walk on the Lyon Station we pulled up
for a while it is a big city, & bless me, if we
weren't just about 14 miles from Paris at one Point, we
thought we would have gone thro' Paris but however
just before we got there we branched off, also
passed thro Ry Ruon ,  a fine city too - I iwish you
could see that wonderful country, I feel proud to
that I can help to restore its freedom to its people
(no wonder the Germans want it) The French look very
happy -perhaps it was the sight of so many Britishers
coming to the rescue- I am afraid to put (or rather to say
too much concerning soldiers in France but all
we saw showed every respect to us - one old French
lady wept on seeing us. She must have lost some one
belonging to her saw a very large number of soldiers leaving
for the Front anyhow, Red cross nurses handed us coffee- Bread
&c at one station) other places cigarettes - passed thro'
dozens of Tunnels - many very long, saw many German
prisoners - they are treated very very well too- poor oclaps
(Lucky claps, rather) they did not smile at us or wave with
their French Masters No - they looked at us - I felt proud to
be an Australian anyhow - I met tell you one thing
Australia has made a name- for herself, both in
 

3
France and in England. they think Australian a1
Blackberry bushes growing along the line, galore.
They were hay making in France (also England here). You know
It seems hard to believe I am in England, now feel just
quite a home already, & only arrived in camp yesterday
our meals on this trip consisted of tinned Dory
& hard army biscuits and tea of course. 52 hours
in the train so we had a Good share, There are
Hundreds of Belgium Engines in one Town (stored away)
fancy all these lying idle, but better than letting the
Huns get them Bullocks pulled most of the ploughs &c
in France. I cannot write & tell you every thing. I will
get back someday I hope & tell you all- however this
will give you a little idea of my good trip in this Great
France-we arrived Havre, & stayed there over on night
I enjoyed this stay fine everything French & the Y.M.C.A
There so, could Buy any thing. It was Sunday July 23
when we left France for England, left Havre at night
9 PM) & arrived Southampton, next morning at 4 AM
Landed at about 7.30 AM, I was able to have a look
round- The 'Aquitania" was in Port, goodness she
is a monster. Never have I seen such a monster of a ship
they would not allow us aboard though, sorry I could not.
 

4
Hospital ship galore in this Port, saw a train load
of wounded (Englishmen) We then got in the train & arrived
at this place which is only about 23 miles from
Southampton, 50 miles from London.
The camp is a monster. Australians any amount
of them. Very comfortable sleeping quarters a large
well built room to hold 26 men - & hundred or these
Dining Rooms Y.M CA &c &c. It is nice & warm the
Day, but oh' Goodness it gets cold in the early hours of morning
Fancy Mum, Dad I will  be able to go to Scotland in
a few days - There is going to four or 5 days leave
& from when is not quite decided on.
Now, How long I will be training here I have no
idea perhaps not long, on never knows these bad times
I will not write any hose today- but expect
to hear again in a couple of weeks - I hear some thing
about a rumor being in Australia that the "Afric!
had been sunk with us on board, no nothing had
ever gone wrong, we had good luck all thro- one death
only, smooth trip- & treated well, yes we were lucky.
 

5
We may be in France again before or soon after you
receive this,  but wherever you know I am - I always
will write & remember & think of you all.
I will be alright at the Front I know, Ill
see it through you bet & remember if I do not - I
will still be alright- I have nothing to fear.
& pleased to be doing my share
Well, Good Bye all just now. I am expecting
a line from now.
Hoping you are all in the best of health
& quite happy, I am rather.
Kind regards to all Friends will write them 
later.
With very best love to May, Dad * seld
Hope Con Ray are getting on a 1)( is this right Connie)
Good Bye
With Love & xxxxxxxx
Kenneth.
Address all letter for the
Private K. J. Young)  same Mum -  not to England
43 Battalion ) we may get shifted you know
 

[*This (flowers)
are from France. Please keep them for me*]
Lark Hill
Salisbury Plain Camp.
England.
August 1st 1916
Dear Mum & Dad.
Another line or two to let you know how things
are? Well I have not been to London yet. but
no doubt I will get by next Friday, as far as I know.
I wrote to Sam Jenkins the other day, have not had any word
from him yet, you see intend going up as far as Glasgow.
I had to Cable for money, Mum, I did not like doing so, but
this may be a good chance of seeing a little of Britain.
It is a week today since the 43^rd Battalion arrived at this
camp- every-thing has gone very well- this is a most beautiful
camp, as regards comforts &c &c, splendid sleeping quarters,
A 1,[Barracks) Bathrooms hot & cold waters, a heater in
our Barrack room, for the Winter, of course it is very different
here in the winter to Australia. The whole 3^rd Division is
here - as well as Thousands of other Australians, numbers I
cannot give but it is a great number. a few Tommies & New ZealanderS
- we go for a walk round the District after Parades, & Sat
afternoon and Sunday, it is so pretty, motor cars flying about
with our troops, they have a pretty good time. In one very
old village there is a church, which we are told to 1,000 years
 

old. how wonderful, I went thro' this beautiful historical
old church By jove I do enjoy seeing these places. it is what
I like - saw also near here the ruins of an old church
the stones of which it is constructed are, mighty, Tremendous.
how these people got them there is a miracle, nobody
knows. These people were sun Worshippers, saw what was
once the Pulpit, & the Execution stone, when head of
These old sports were cut off. I wish they had have come
back for a wee while, & let us see what they looks like
the villages are so quaint, old Thatched roofs on many.
it to wonderful. Just received a letter from Sam, he will show
me round, will try & get there during the week end - he said
he hoped to see me in" Bonny Scotland" soon. & would
try-and meet me-if possible- so I will let him know when I
know - What time I'll arrive. (I am now waiting to see if
there is any from home) here we are, just receive your letter
written soon after I left, it is nice to have a line from
home - I will look forward for the next now- You will
have received all the letters I have written- which will
tell you all about the trip, - I know, hope Clair & Ray
soon leave they will come to England too & I will see them
no doubt. That is if I am here that long. & no doubt I
will be- Started signalling Practice again today, the
 

3
last few Days signallers have been drilling with the Company.
I still like it alright not quite so Solid on the feet
as in the Infantry, we did not see much in the
steamer. I often think of our trip thro' France, My 
word Mum & Dad That is the country, it surprised me
I hope you Both have the luck to see some of
These Places some time - before our time is up.
Life is short enough- & as for me, I am young to see all
I can- make the Best of it, & take no chances.
Hear You had some Good rains in Sth Aust after
we left on June 9th.  I some times think of that Friday,
we were all very excited, Yes, the old Steamer would have
looked beautiful I am, sure, she proved to be a good
old packet, and all were good no us.
It is pretty warm thro' the day. but cold
during early hours of the morning, we will feel it alright
in the winter - hope it is not too bad, Though.
I am quite contented, & looking forward, in a way,
for the Day when we can show the Huns what
we Australians can Do, others be4 us have done
well- we will do the same - they are The Boys.
The English Tommy is a happy soldier, as you