Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1917 - Part 12

[*Perhaps this will let you
see - I never forget you all
altho' I am having such a
bon time - and little
time to spare
Billy*]
Princes St - GP.O
Edinburgh - Scotland
27/7/17.
Dear  Mum & Dad,
A Line from this city. Know you
will like to hear how things are.
I have been having a most glorious
time - but goodness - we leave for
London tonight - worst luck - Never
mind my paL and self have had a
wonderfuL 14 Days : Was sorry to leave
Glasgie -and have been here 2½
days & sorry to leave here now.
The Scots have been so Kind to us
what a good name I have for them.
Rather : Edinburgh is lovely too :

I'll be giving you all the news on
Sunday so will now say -
-Au Revoir-
With Ever so much
Love and Good Wishes
Yrs ever
Billy. xxxxx

Mrs John Young
Princes Street
Alberton
Adelaide
South - Australia

Rear of envelop ~ see original
27/7/17
(77)

No 3 Australian Command Depot.
July 31st 1917.
Dear Mum & Dad.
I received letters from you both today So pleased to

hear from you again. also one from May: Well Mum & Dad
you would have had a note from London Glas' & Edin'

giving you just a little bit of my "good" news.
I had such a happy two weeks - impossible to have
a happier time I guess. it was all too short though.
Leaving London on the Saturday - (arrived there
Friday) for Glasgow - after seeing a few great sights
there - such as Parliament Houses &c - saw Lord
Kitcheners coat Peg &c - & the seats of all the weLL
Known M.Ps such as John Redmond & the like.
all most interesting to us. Drove in the taxi to the
Euston Station- & made for my train - which left
at 11.30 PM - we were soon flying along at a
good rate - travelled all night and arrived in Glasgow at
about 9.30 AM. on the Sunday morning. The city was
pretty quiet - being Sunday. booked my room at the
Y.M. and had a good look round the city.
 

The next morning I went down to Dunoon to see Sam - he
was on his holidays - and staying at his "Mothers wife"
"Wife's mother's I should say etc - soon found the House.
Mrs Pattison made me more than Welcome; and Sam
and the others were so good to me. Sam and I 
took a walk to Kirn - 10 minutes walk from Palhsons
to see Mrs Plant found he at home - they are very
nice Mum - & were pleased at me calling - they have such
a Bon home everything lovely of course they are
very well off. Stayed an hour or so. will write to Mrs R.
and give her the news. I stayed at Dunoon for 1½ Days
then come back to Glasgow, met my paL in the city &
we went to see everything then, had a glorious day at
Loch Lomond, my word that is some place - it is
all the scots say it is - they have a Bonnie pLace there.
from Glasgow in the train to BaLLoch & then by steam boat
round the Loch - saw great Ben Lomond - it
was aLL just beautiful - how I was wishing you aLL
were here to see the beautiful - sights - the Day was A1.
I couLd spend months there aLone - so peacefuL &
Lovely down there, Then we went to Rouken Glen the
Too is glorious Mum, I of course think it aLL lovely
 

Out somewhere every day - theatre's at Night - what a time
We stayed at the Grand Central HoteL (Soldiers Club)
in Luchie HaLL St later on - it was really A1 - more expensive
than the YM but so much Nicer We had a beautifuL
room on our own there: The first night there- we
put our boots outside to be cleaned - I put 3 penny
pieces in mine - wasn't in bed long b4 I head
some body outside door & the pennies rattling I made
a dive out of bed - on with the lights - & poked my
head out - "ready to smash" the robber of my brass" -
must have scared the man - it was only the Poor bootblack -
so that was Quite alright. We then went to Perth -
and stayed 1½ days with the Youngs. They were so good
to us Both. Gave us a reaLLy lovely time - could not have
been Kinder to us - took us some fine walks -
all over the place - and the weather was hot too. Yes
we had a glorious time there too, eating aLL day - Nice
scones like you make Mum that reminded me of
home - if it had have been in camp reckon I'd
felt home sick then. Perth is 60 miles from Glasgow
such a nice town - There are some glorious walks
we saw most. The River Tay looked very grand.
 

4    4
The Headquarters of the Black.Watch are in the same street as
the Young's live in - I've got aLL their photos - house reaLL
very good too. You will see them aLL later.
I've got a lot of photos nearly 200 of mine - and
have nearly 100 Post Cards for you - of the Different
spots in Scotland, so you will see I have a grand
time in Perth - & they were more than Kind to me:
Returned to Glasgow again - and had more good
times - on the Tuesday - a gent took another Aust an
English Lieut' - paL & self down the Clyde as far as
Gourock -  Now Dad this would be something for you
that is - The ship building yards. My word what a
wonderful sight Dad, Dozens & Dozens of ship
yards aLL aLong the banks extending for miles &
miles - from the very starting of the ship the
first laying out - all stages can be plainly seen
some all but the masts and the painting up -
the smacking of the hammers - girls working hard at
them too - it is one of the finest sights in
the world - in that line anyway, Fairfield -
John Browns etc too Numerous to mention are
all there - I'd give anything to have you there to
 

5.
Greenock - Port Glasgow are aLL very busy, some work
is being done right enough - then as you get miles
from the Port of Glasgow, there is a different Kind
of beauty - such as Loch Lomond is - are to be seen.
The great ship Aquitania is anchored near Gourock
it was more than lovely - steamers passing to and fro'.
Such sights that can only be seen in Great Towns.
or rather in the Rivers of Great Towns. We had
dinner at Gourock - cost me Nothing at aLL - Dunoon
can be seen on the other side of river from
Gourock - had a good look round, and then caught
the train back to the city - after a most enjoyable
day's outing - and something to remember all my life
Went to the Theatre at Night - very very good shows in Glasgow.
Bagpipes are often to be heard playing in this city.
Scots in fuLL dress & always plenty of Tartans. Mostly
women tram conductors Now - and Many drivers too.
Soldiers travel ½ fare in the tram & ½ to most picture
shows. - plenty of poor people clad in shawls
always about - & plenty of begging too, goes on.
American Sailors were in Glasgow when I was there - plenty of
 

6
Francais sailors & soldiers about too: I went to see Mrs D
McLaren but no-one at home. Didn'a have the time to
go again - perhaps they were on holidays - but the door
mat was at the Door front. Sorry I didn'a see them.
Next time eH? I was very sorry to have to leave
Glasgow - all the folk there are grand, so Kind - they R
the people - I mean the Scots - You cann'a beat
them - aLL Aussie's say that too. Our Next move
was to Edinburgh - another 60 miles train journey
taking a very short time, we had dinner at
King Geo' & Queen Mary's Soldiers Club & then had a bon
look round - got a Nice room at the Rutland Hotel
just off Princess St very Nice part - West end.
went all thro' the Edinburgh Castle - how interesting
it all was - there was a parade of Scots
on the parade grounds - "some soldiers there".
had a guide - as is always the case in these places
he explained everything to us throughout - from
the castle you can get a magnificent View of
Edinburgh - everything can be see. - Then we
went to the top of Scotts Monument in Princess
St. Gardens - that is where you can see something
 

7.  7.
in the Distance can be seen the Forth Bridge and
other spots. It is a very fine monument this - one
of the finest - I have its picture & also photo but
Not Yet printed off - 180 ft High - so it is weLL up.
The next day we went to see the Forth Bridge.
Of aLL the great bridges I guess this is the one.
I am sending you Post Cards of it, it will explain aLL.
left Edinburgh in a big motor lorry which runs
out at frequent intervals to the Forth Bridge, the
Aust Fleet was anchored there - Hundreds of some
the great battleships were also There - I was afraid
to take a photo of that though - too risky that,
as you will guess. Yes it was another wonderful
sight Dad & Mum. & more to Remember all my life
Then we had a day at the zoo, which was very Nice
too - some interesting things quite New to us, a modern
Poultry yard- got a photo of the Yards, hope that
it will turn out alright, some very fine hens &c.
WeLL this was the trip to Scotland & now I'm
looking forward to another trip to that country.
You Know I would like to live in Scotland
I like it very much - the winter is the only thing