Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1916 - Part 19

[Blank -Back of Envelope]

On Active Service

Some-Where in France -

WITH THE BRITISH 

EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Y.M.C.A

 

2/12/16.

 

My Dear Mum & Dad.

You will be wondering how I am getting on

now we are in France. Well we left old

England last Saturday, (Dates cannot be given)

& finished the journey the following Tuesday.

The trip was as usual full of interest to

me, & altho' we were in Horse Vans this

time it was not too bad. had about

27 hours in the train, this trip was not so pretty

as the last one thro' France. but of course its

winter time now. & the trees without their greeeness

&c. I am afraid I cannot give you the names

of any towns, Jon will understand of course, now

before going any further - I must thank you

for your great kindness in sending me that

magnificent parcel. so far I have only

received the one with cake in. but

the other I know will come a little later.

parcels always take some little time. Yes

I got it yesterday mum, it was great - I am

more than delighted with the contents.

& your letters to me, from Dad, May &

Connie & self, I was so pleased to receive

being in France near Danger Zone, it was

really wonderful to received these things here.

All the letters had such a beautiful-tone,

& along with the parcel from Aunt H. & Nancy.

Yesterday was a great day. for all the lads.

I will write to May, Dad & Connie this week.

& do not know how the mail runs now.

of course, we are so far away from all

as I sit in this YMCA. I am having sweets

sent by your parcel. Well, we are billeted

in a farm House "Some-where in France"

not far from Dijohn, it is all so wonderful

I keep a Diary so when I return to Australia,

I shall be able to tell you all from start to

finish - but in these short letters just now

you must be content with "little news".

This YMCA is in a French Village, & not

2 miles from where our Billet is.

The farmers are ploughing their land

& attending to their farm work.

On Active Service

WITH THE BRITISH

EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Y.M.C.A

 

as if nothing was really wrong. We can get

coffee &c at the farm house here, yesterday,

was in the village, & had a good

feed of eggs & chips. (no frogs)

lots of the people here can spea

Anglais but not well.

Most of the churches are R.C.

of course & have some wonderful

wood about them. They have had

a busy time with this conscription business

in Australia, fancy them making such

a fuss about it. it is a terrible shame

& the Baker family are an ignorant

crowd anyhow, I'd like to see that

son of theres over here, shivering with

the cold, good enough for him.

Yes, we have had some cold days

& nights since we arrived.

Many thanks for Birthday Greetings

it is just 2 weeks from that date now.

We can hear the great guns from

here. They do sound, last night

the firing was very heavy, & now

as I write I can hear it, some of 

the boys say there was a gas attack

last night, as they heard the alarm

horns blowing - but I do not know

really as I did not hear the alarm.

I have of course tasted the cake &

it is just a treat to have it - it is

a beautiful cake - thank you so much

for sending these things to me

& I noticed the "From May" & "Connie'

& some of the things. I received all the

papers, thanks. I do not know where

Dan is but may strike him later & I

expect Ray is still in England.

Now Dear Mum & Dad you must

excuse these kind of letters just now.

I will give you some more news in the others.

I will now close. I am well & feel happy

With very much Love to you all

Yrs Ever

XXXXX  2/  6  14  Kenneth J Young 

[Front of Envelope]

ON.    ACTIVE.    SERVICE.

 

Y.M.C.A

FRANKED

 

Mrs. J. Young.

Princes Street

Alberton.

ADELAIDE.

South-Australia

 

[Back of Envelope]

 

1301

France.

"Some-Where in France"

Dec 14th- 1916

 

My Dear Mum,

Your always welcome letter I received

yesterday also one from May - it is nice

of May to write every week - Keep it up.

& I am looking forward to Dads next mail.

Well to start with - I will let you know

everything is going tip top - I have a heavy

cold still - but suppose that is caused thro

the cold weather &c, & it is hard to get up

of - as you will understand - We have

not shifted quarters yet, & still in the

Billet - The French Farm House, get

the English papers everyday - brought [over?]

also first thing in morning, hot buns

&c are sold - but no doubt I mentioned

this in my last, chocolates are plentiful

but are fairly dear - of course. The war is

the cause of this. You will be pleased

to know I met Dan Wednesday week

also again last Sunday, I walked down

to where he was is camped and spotted

Clive Hales first - he soon got hold of

poor old Dan - he was pleased & my word

it was grand, us meeting like that, then

Sunday last we met at -? & had

tea there, met Alex Watt in there he looked

A.1, as you can guess, hope to meet

again next Sunday all being well.

The last week has not been quite so

cold as the first few days. we were here,

but I can say it is quite cool enough for

me - & for the others as well, Tuesday it

snowed a little but not much.

I was so pleased to get you photos, Mum

it seemed so grand to even have a photo

of you - these times one seems to be so

much with changes & change surroundings

this wee photo seemed to bring me home again

& to refresh my memory of Days gone by.

Today is my Birthday - how the time

rolls on, wonder where I shall be this

time next year?? Todays paper is

fully of Germany's peace TERMS & all

this German Rot her terms are quite

out of the question - surely, the thoughts of

peace seems nice - but not one of us

want peace - with everything to be in Germany's

Hands, No doubt such people as ^THE Bakers

would give in - My word I am disgusted

with them - ignorant asses & not worthy 

of having the right to live a free life as

all Australians  Do enjoy, that is what

it means - this Arthur & the others of course,

will not take up arms to Defend their country -

& fight for their homes their freedom,

& for everything that is worth living for.

They will catch it, when the boys get back,

there will be trouble then, I think. Have

they got hold of Gunn yet, he deserves

to get into trouble, they are not hard

enough on them, are they? Last Monday

there was a great fight in the air - we

could see the clouds of smoke in the

sky from the shells fired at the German

plane - it appeared to be a long fight -

as some time after this one of our men saw

the plane fall to earth, and on fire,

but I did not see this part of the fight.