Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1917 - Part 3

No. 3 Canadian General Hospital - 17/1/17
Boulogne -France
My Dear Mum and Dad,
Another few lines today, to let you know how I am getting on
I suppose you received the letter I wrote last week. after that
long wait. I have not had any letters for nearly six weeks, it is
not too nice I can assure you, but they ought to Turn up in a
few Days now, as I have written To 43^rd Battalion asking them to
send them on, it will be lovely to hear from home again.
Well I am out of Bed now- not feeling too grand yet. but of course
it Takes Time, to get strong, again. II have not felt right since
I was sick that Time in Blighty, (England) ever since it started to get
cold & Then in that cold Barn we were Billeted in, it was cold I can
Tell you, (no nice fire to keep us warm there) & I have felt the cold very
much- more than most I think, no more winter's over this way for me.
The last week plenty of snow has fallen - all is white now - then
it freezes - hard - ice hangs from the roofs &c it is really something new,
but I'd prefer it not to be there. You ought to see the state of some of
the roads near the front - mud - talk about the Port Road &c, it is nothing
at all to these. & I suppose I have not seen the worst. Clair has not
answered my letter yet- hardly time- so I so not know how he is
 

gelling on, suppose he has Done a few shifts in the trenches by this
his Quarters - when from trenches are warm and comfortable. he is far
better off- than lots- I am glad such is the case anyway. I Do not
know if Ray is in France yet or not, poor old Ray, they are Bricks
it ought To shame Those loafers in Aust, there is no Doubt about it.
those chaps in The Trenches are Doing their bit- it no terrible some Times
& the Shocks & Bangings they get- would ^ kill a Woman, I guess- in two acts,
I've heard some nice Tales about it, never mind it will soon be finished
with, Don't you think so? I wish I had your letters, then I could write
a longer letter, perhaps next time I will be able To Do so, it is rather
hard to scrape up much news as I do not bee much just now.
& was Dreaming last Night I had received letters from you and May (only a Dream)
Has Sawford enlisted Yet & Gunn what about that shirker, goodness knows
what they are made of - when it is such a disgrace too. I have not
Done much myself I know.  but that to not my fault, & if I had not have
taken ill-I would be hard at it now. They will be giving me a
"Tommy" uniform when I get out of here- but I expect when I get to the
Australian Base I'll get our own "good old". We get the papers every
morning at about 8 AM, so that is always nice. The meals here
are pretty good. I'm on chicken just now. rather Dainty for a
soldier - but of course one requires some thing like that.
Have not had any pay for ^over 5 weeks now. So will have quite a nice
time It Do get night
little sum owing to me. by the I Do get right.
 

suppose you have read all about the food troubles in England
sugar and spirits are the chief things they are short - Queensland 
ought to get in- & supply as much as she can -but no
Doubt the ships are the trouble. The "WandillA" brought a lot of
the 3^rd DIV chaps to England all speak well of her, only too
many aboard. Lots of the sick and wounded are sent
Blighty from here. Those whose homes are there, it is grand
Fancy I have still got those two elephants -I got at Ceylon, rather
funny things &. Do, also photos, but when I get going again I'm
going to send them on, or eIse I'll them Them I've lost all my
gear just have a few odds & ends will me, Did I ever tell you I left
a lot of things in England, in the care of a lady.  whom showed
us over St Pauls London, she offered to Do this, so be 4 leaving Eng..
I sent lots of clothing &c, so now I will write & ask her to send a few
things To me, what I require to keep we warm, so it has been grand, she
wrote to me a few weeks ago, such a nice letter.
Well- I think I will now close. I'd like to write more- but no news
I Do hope you are all well, & that everything is alright- Good times
are ahead - "Keep the Home fires Burning".  these Times are nice in
a way, seeing so much. but all the boys will Think more of
their homes and country after this, it will Do us all good
Hope May & Connie & Doing a1 [*shorthand*] Very much Love to you all
- Kenneth - XXXX

 

No 1.
No 3- Can-Gen-Hospital
Boulogne.
-France-
Jan. 18TH - 1916.
 

on active Service
 [* ARMY P. O.S
B
19 JAN 17*]
Mrs . J. Young.
Princess Street
Alberton.
Adelaide
South - Australia
 

Rear of envelop ~ see original
 35
France.
 

18/2/7 Australian Base Depot – FRance
Dear Mum & Dad
You will see by the above I am away from xxxxx Con Camp
& am now at the base. Arrived here yesterday morning- it is
Not a great- Distance from xxxxxxx so not a long train journey
I think I will be here for some little Time - Not long of course
but I am not Too good yet- & Hardly fit for the Hard job
just get - I will the given "light Duty"  Here I think until
I'm more up to the mark. This is where all Drafts are sent
from Australia (England) Clair  was here - you might remember
but our Battalion was never Here. it is Not a bad camp
tents of course - but the weather is much better again, not
cold- boys from Blighty, say it has been terrible there.
I met Young Symons (Mick)  Here this morning - isn't it
wonderful. I saw him in England. too I Keep a good
watch for any others That I might Know - all the
 

-2-
Battalions of the AIF are represented. Hope you Have received
all my letters I have written a good few During the past few.
weeks - last one was to May-Well I wonder what my luck
will be up the line - it is a wonderful game of chance - but
not many of the chaps appear to worry much about it, &
leave for the front quite cheery like - I want to have a go
at it anyway and see what it's like- I bet I will not like it
Much - like the rest of them - No Bon -(No Good) as they say
ha reacted me I would Clovess
No further Aust mail has reached me - I would love to
get another letter or two from home now - but I'll get them
all in good time. We are being given a new kind of paybook 
have given the old in -It - It seemed quite Nice To be
back with the Australian Boys again - they were mostly
Tommy's at the Con Camp - Poor old Tommy is a Hard up old
cove- never has any money- some of get a few bob
 

3
from their home - they can not Draw more than 5 Franc apay.
some of them would sell there very clothes for a Franc or two
There appears to be some -thing Doing up the line now again -
my word won't their be a bit of joy for us all when it is
all over  - Winter over Here - is very Different to ours, where Trees &
other such things are green - here everything is as if it were
Dead - Not much green anywhere - but of course it is a 1 Summer
Time- and They say the snow Does the land a great Dieal of good
So the old Afric has gone - what a pity isnt it I suppose
she was returning from England &on the way to AusTraliA.
We left xxxxx about 11 AM. and arrived this place
- in the afternoon -but instead of getting out. half of us
on perhaps More - got carried on to - 4 hours Journey further
on - what a joke it was - Nobody seemed to know who was in
 

charge or anything about it -of course is was a mixed lot. Tommy -
ANzacs- Scots &c. the boys Didn't care a rap- Didn't trouble them -
any more than it did the old Francais guard on the train
however we were marched to a camp-& spent the night in
alright - no blankets - & was cold all night- left the next
.day for here - arriving at 2.30. AM - fine and early.eH-then
after a good lot of scratching about in the Darkness, arrived at
the DiNKum Camp-  feet rather blown out - as I am not Too strong
yet you know - the rheumatism has not been bad lately, & the
corf much improved - Well Mum & Dad I have so little news
To give you - so with have to close - I Do hope you are all
quite well- & Kelly too - I'll write again in a few Days-may have
some more news by then
With Very Much Love to You all.
Good Bye - Yours Ever
-Ken- 
XXXX X xxxx