Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1916 - Part 7

Mr John Young.
Princes Street
Alberton
Adelaide
South Australia
 

Rear of envelop ~ see original
12
England
Oct. 12th 1916
 

614 K J Young
43^rd Battalion
Salisbury Plain Eng.
August 28^th 1916
[*Sorry. Poor old Ant has
been ill, Give all others
my love, also all Friends*]
Dear Mum Dad & May.
I was more than pleased to receive your Welcome letters
today, both date July 11th and to Know all are
well and doing A1. Before going any further I must
say how delighted I am to Know that May and Connie
have started shorthand & type writing - Good Luck to
them both - tis the right thing, I hope they both succeed
in making good typistes later, and then get into a
good position and make Good (screws.) Well it was
nice to hear from you both this evening I am glad
May has not forgotten to write me a line every chance,
as well as you Mum & Dads will arrive in good
time I know - he has a lot of work & writing to Do.
& I am hoping to get a line from Connie. I am writing
her one next week (hope Joe will no mind).
Fancy all those yarns about the 43^rd Batt. its
horrible to think how some people will start
such yards always, no Mum, no such thing
 

2
ever happened to our fine battalion, Good Luck was with
us throughout the whole trip, put a few off at Albany
with measles, and one Death as I told you, when 2
days out from Colombo, that was all. All our
men are well, & nothing has ever gone much wrong.
That supposed Unlucky Day of sailing (Friday) is not
a thing I believe in now. look how smooth the sea was
like a milk pond all the way, my word, & grand weather.
I though R Rob was here, & of course he would get a
trip to London and would see Grandma. I will p'raps
have a chance of seeing her, next time in London, I will
take a run in some week end soon now only costs 5/-
return ½ fare you Know. it would be nice to spend
a Saturday afternoon a Sunday there, and I will
go to one of the big Churches at night, I wished you were
all here and this war well over. I hope you can have
a trip some time before your time is up. Life is a
wonderful, & I think since this war started every body
 

3.
looks at life and Death in a very different way, don't you?
I Know I do, it will shake us all up, make thoughtless
asses think a wee bitty more. Very good news the night
another Rumania - to help win the war - how grand to
think at last she has come to our aid, if they are half
as Good as Australian Soldiers they will Do alright
Our boys are considered wonders - & also our country,
they can boast of their Scotland & England &c, however
beautiful they are, you cannot beat Australia.
I bet it will be the Greatest country in the world in time.
seeing other places &c seems to teach me a good lot. Our
men on the average are twice the size of the average
Tommy, of course their are some Bonnie chaps in
Scotland, fine scotch looking big Kilties, such Grand
looking men. I did enjoy a yarn with such chaps
a nice way of speaking than the English (Cockney)
Australians Do not speak like Londoners, no fear.
Sam sent me some heather the Day, so nice in
 

4
a box tartan painted and tied with tartan ribbon. I am
going to send you one several we things soon as I
Get a decent chance. Those ornaments from Colombo I have
not sent you yet I had them reading once - but somehow
They did na go then so into let you have them v soon now.
May, you will like these wee things. So Ray was
to have left on the 15 of July or there abouts, Well
I am looking well out for him now, will soon find
out where his unit is &c. also Ola Clair I am
very anxious to see them Both, so goodness hope I do.

I wrote to Charlie Taylor today, hope he is Doing A 1 still.
So many have been killed of late - I often wonder is kind
Well now Fancy C. Balmer being rejected such rot
you know he will be taken at the end, you see
ha can walk that chap, rather his feet are A 1
Yes, so are mine, they are made rejecting such a
Good would be soldier as Kim. I am sorry he was
not accepted, anyhow he has done his best that's
 

[*Some of our chaps went down to the hospital on the other
Sunday, there are lot Huns there, they said they looked
wild on seeing these horrible Australians. Some I heard are
badly wounded, they are said to Hugly looking 'uns, some o'them*]
more than some have. Conscription is being talked of in
Australia again according to the English papers and a
Good job too - I would very much like a paper or 2 sent
me please each week. One Poor chap got a cable gram the
other Day from Aust - saying his mother had Died - they say he was
in an awful state, poor chap it would be a terrible thing that
a most Disheartening thing for a soldier having to go to fight
Saw young Piper the other Day he is A 1, a very nice chap.
Well Mum Dad May & Connie, I must close
again With very best Love & best of Wishes
to you, and let us hope the Day will come
when we will meet again, along with
Clair and Ray, I hope they have Good luck.
Good Bye Hoping You are all well
I am tip top - I pity those Germans - we are all
feeling the same -
Yours sincerely
Kenneth.
 

On active Service
Mrs Jack Young.
Prince Street
Alberton
Adelaide
South Australia
 

Rear of envelop ~ see original
14
England.
Oct 12th 1916
 

Sept 5th 1916.
Salisbury Plain
England
Dear Dad Mum & May.
Another few lines to go by tomorrow's mail -
perhaps You will receive others with this  I write
just any time & chance when they go, Well things
are still going A 1 with me, everybody doing OK
I think, one of the chaps in 20^th Company died
today, & will be buried tomorrow, I do not know
the cause of his death, poor chap. it is hard
luck. to die here, had enough at the front.
I had a very nice letter from Clive today
he is very disappointed at not getting
into the army. I am sorry he Didnot too.
It was very wet yesterday, but today it has been
real quid, nice and bright it was a treat,
after so much rain & Dullness, very cold
in the mornings, but wait a bit,& I may be
able to tell you what cold is, we will
be feeling it before long I suppose.