Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1916 - Part 18

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ADELAIDE

1917

 

ENGLAND

1917

 

1281

 

England

CABLEGRAM

E  Sq  London Heads 22.0 5pm

                                             9.

 

Young 

Princes St

Alberton

By this time will

be in France wishing

you all a joyful New Year

Nov 16^th

      Young

CABLE

 

Young

Princess St

Alberton

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                   19th Nov 1916

England

My Dear Mum Dad & May.

          You would have missed getting my letter this last

mail. I was so so sorry I missed it is the first one

I've missed too. Well now for the Reason - I have 

been laid up with a very bad cold- influenza

had 3 days in the camp Hospital - but I am quite

A1 again, altho' I've not quite got rid of the cough

yet it will soon be alright. Now for the news.

We are all ready for France & ready for the Huns,

I mean I am way, I do not know about the "we"

but suppose all hands want to get at the Turks.

Today we got our steel helmets, & leather jacket

we will be well set up now - we also have

got our gas helmets - we are dinkum soldiers

the now. These steel helmets feel so funny

& look funny also, but they have saved many

                        2.

looks do not matter in these rum times - the leather

jacket will be grand - keep our body warm. Today

we gave the gas helmet a try, we were put in

a small room, & with the helmets on. The gas was

allowed to escape, I did not notice it at all - it was

the same kind of gas used, as at the front- so that

speaks well for the Gas Helmet, if we stood

in that room without Helmet on, we would have gone

"Passed away" in a very few minutes. They are great

We are all ready to move off, we go early this week

but were to have gone tonight - Monday - but as

usual- they put it off. I saw Ray at his camp

a week or so ago, he looks so well & he was

pleased when he saw me, he did freeze when

I popped my snowy head thro' the hut door.

I spent several hours with him - had a good

yarn. You may guess, then last Saturday

Ray came down & saw me, & said "Good Bye".

I do enjoy seeing old Pals like Ray. Archie

Bowie is doing A1, I think he likes England

& is looking forward for his trip to Glasgow.

so is Ray to his trip to London, Won't he

have a great time, I wish we could have gone

         Hope Dear old Kelly is as

                           3

up together - we would have had a good time.

Ray & I walked over and saw Stone Hendge, he

wanted to see this historical old spot, there was

snow falling at the time, & the ground quite white

& you can imagine how cold it was, this was 

Saturday afternoon - But when I got up Sunday

morning I saw a sight - such that I have never

seen before - everything pure white even the

great coal heap- it was a picture - I was surprised

-The snow was still falling, all the roofs

white - roads - [[?]] all the same - it was A1.

The lads soon got to work snow Balls &c, they 

did have a good time - it was most enjoyable.

snow is so funny to walk on, my word

it was icy cold - but not it is not so bad - it

is never so cold after a snow fall - it is

wonderful to feel it falling on you, & to see

the white flakes falling no noise & so soft. This

is the first time I've seen snow. Have you ever

seen it, I don't think you have. We will have a

cold old time in France but I am most

anxious to get there. I've had enough of this

poking about business - I want to get it over now

a bad as it is a the front - I know we are

                               4

in for a pretty hard time & all that kind of rot -but

lets get out of this anyhow & do some fighting.

We must give the Huns one good smashing for sinking 

our "Mail" my word the narked me, wasn't 

it hard luck. No mail this week now. [[?]]

[[?]] the other week also yours of course & papers.

Thank you for them, Mum. I was in London

weekend leave week be4 last, had a good look

round & enjoyed it all A1. I do not thin much

of their Botanical Gardens, they were miserable

I spent Sunday afternoon in Hyde Park, heard Mrs

Pankhursts beautiful voice singing out - I didn't

bother to go and listen to her - the old fool.

     I am going to write again for this mail so

will not write any more tonight. I am tired

& beaut to get to roost - we are very comfortably

quartered here & always have the good old fire

going - 30 men in each hut, but it is really

comfortable - we will find the difference in 

trenches. Good Bye Dad Mum & May, I hope

you are all quite well & Happy - I am

quite contented - Yrs Ever   Love to Annie

                Ken.

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1291 
England