Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1917 - Part 15

 21/8/17

(82)

Wilson Park

Wilton N^th Salisbury 26/8.17

Dear May & Connie,

I am writing this from Wilton - a village near

our camp. The grounds belong to a retired gent

and are open to Soldiers - they are so pretty

& writing paper re - on wee Tables out on 

the awns under the trees - very nice, it is a very

nice afternoon too. Well I dont think I have

much news to give you but must write a

few lines as this is the day - I think.

Since last writing I have been classified

again - and am now B1.A4 so you will see

I'm getting well up the Numbers Now, as soon

as I get my teeth fixed up a wee bit, I will

been sent down to Perham Downs - Nearer

Lark Hill way, I am feeling pretty fit now,

very much better than I have felt for

some considerable time, thanks to the

good rest I've had in England, this kind

2

of change does one a lot of good. There are English

soldiers sports on this afternoon not far from

this House- was there for a wee while - an Australian
Band is playing - can hear it now, sounds

lovely from the distance - everything is so Nice and 

green & fresh looking - but No wonder it has been

raining off and on for every day during the last

month or so, how does that strike ye.

I may put in for 2 days leave this week -

not sure where I'll go to yet - have been thinking

about Bournemouth; they reckon it is tri Bon down

there - but one cannot rely about the weather

that's the trouble - and it doesn't much matter

if its raining or not when in London Town.

This Village "Wilton is about 4 miles from

the Command Depôt - we come in, in cars &c

hundreds of us: The cars & traps are lined up

waiting on us - my word the war if keeping 

some people right enough; there is a very

very fine Church in the Main Street, built on

Italian lines - very fine, in these grounds is 

a dog cemetery. Am sending a post card of it

and also one of the House.

Have not had any letters from Australia

-3-

but always hoping some will come to hand

very shortly - Keep on Hoping you know.

Met a lot of Hosp^t mates in this

camp this week. They were still in the Hosp^t

when I left, but gradually getting down this

way. Also have struck a lot of 43^rd Btn

Boys. 2 from my Company too. Had a

nice letter from Clive Balmer this week -

he is in France Now - well up the lines too.

Says the shells are flying about - you know

they are Not too nice, however I'll be up

there again soon, so we will see what my

luck is like eh. Have not heard anything

of Ray or Clair at all.

Hoping always you are both getting

on A1 with La [[?]]

Cannot write any more news just

now so must close

With very much love to you

both

Bibby (Excuse this [[?]]

Miss May Young

Princes Street

Alberton

Adelaide

South Australia

 

25/8/17

Hand drawn diagram - see original document

(83)

No 3 Aust [[Comm?]]

Hindcott  England

26/8/17.

Dear Mum & Dad.

This is Sunday evening - very wet

again too - it has rained all the afternoon

it rains every day Now, had a nice rest this 

afternoon- in fact a bon sleep too, church

parade this morning - very nice - These military church

Parades are always very nice - The parson is

just over from a "place" called Australia -

wherever that may be - anyway he is very nice

he will be speaking tonight in the YM too, so

must go. There is a nice red cross hut

in this camp - I am writing this there: so 

you see the old Red Cross Australia is here.

The other evening I met Tom Evans

you will remember him Dad I think -

he is about ready for the line again.

As I said in May's letter Clive

is over there Now -"up the line - amongst

the shot and shells, poor auld chap.
 

-2-

we always get on A1 together - you know, it was tre Bon me seeing him in England. My word this terrible wet weather has played up with the crops - it has ruined a lot - and with the wind &c it is bad. Well how goes the war news

Most of the chaps seem to think the war is nearly - Na-poo (finished)

Germany is on her last legs - Thank goodness; never have we all been so

confident of victory, it may ^be finished by the winter yet, all I hope

is that it does; If I does we - or rather some of us should reach home

early next year, That's my belief anyway, but we will soon Know for

sure now - Germany is ruined now -her only hope is complete victory

-which is impossible - she will try perhaps - but then she will be worse

off than ever failing this - I like the tone of the papers during

the last few weeks - Nothing can convince me that end is not near

at hand. There has been great talk in the camp: aren't the French

& Italians doing A1 - I see in this mornings papers -They are to

have a memorial to the fallen - "The Sacred Road" a road thro'

Flanders - from the sea to Alsace, through all the ruined parts 

which are to be left as they are, what a knock to the Huns in

years to come - after they cool down, you Know the damage done

by them is terrible, poor wretched people in Flanders & Belgium have

suffered. The 3^rd Aust Division has lost very heavily I hear - The

Huns gassed them, the brutes have a New Kind of gas - more deadly

& they appear to have caught our boys, I do Not Know if they

were wearing the gas respirators or not, I do Not Know if the

3

43^rd suffered or not but the 36^th Battalion

did - and lost nearly all their Battalion

they have had to send hundreds of the

newly formed 6^th Div (now in England) to

reinforce them - so goodness knows what

will become of the 6^th Divn if they

go on like that; 6 divisions is far

more than Australia can manage now.

I was on a draft twice this week to

go to Perham Downs - N^r Lark Hill - but

my teeth have to be fixed up a bit

so they put me off twice - I am classed

B1. A4 now - when the teeth are put A1

I'll be A3 no B1 - above it just A3.

then I am supposed to be Nearly fit

for France again, w'ell see when I

get into hard training again how I

get on - I am feeling grand now -

best I've felt for months (in very

good spirits) full of confidence and

hope - in fact I can go a bit further

than most care to - that is - I'm

anxious to go to France - of course

some of these boys have had a shocking

time so now wonder they do Not

want to go back to the trenches.

4

again - cannot blame them you Know & 

with the winter coming on fast now. I was

thinking I would ask you send a few £s

to Commonwealth Bank Mum - for aprês

La Guerre purposes - we are almost

sure to come to England & wait for our

ship - & It would be nice for me to 

have any leave that might come my way.

I'd love another trip to Scotland -then.

So will you please do what you can

Mum- you will know what I require

Not too much - as I am always thinking of

that little bit of cash to get to work with 

aprês La Guerre (after the war) suppose

you smile at my little bit of French Now

and then. Do not yet know if I will

go in the sigs again or not, have been

thinking of getting a stripe or two lately.

where there is a wish there's a way, you Know.

so will see how things go later on.

I hate being told what to do, by some of