Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1917 - Part 16

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Those little snub nosed beggars of Lance Jacks - Sydney touch style, of
course That's aLL in the army. There are ever so many 32^nd Batt Boys

here - (SA) you might remember they were training on CheltenHam racecourse 
for some Time,. I wrote to Charlie Taylor the other day my word

he has been very lucky. How is Joe Bowen & aLL the other SA Boys?

have Not heard from Ray or Clair for some time.

Have Not put in for that two Days leave yet - but may do so.

WeLL Dear Mum & Dad. I am expecting letters from Aust

this week so wiLL Not write any more Just Now.

Au Revoir - Trusting you are aLL Keeping

Quite weLL.

With Very Much Love to you Both

Ken. xxxx

Have written to (May & Connie)

PS Hope the Huns are stiLL laying on.

also Cockie how is he doing poor old chap.

I often look at his photo - May sent, also The one of you

aLL. I look after them rather - and laugh at that one of Dad

in his Sundays rig out - he is a character - that's the life though.

Mrs Jack Young.

Princes Street

Alberton

Adelaide

South AustraliA

Ky

26/8/17.

(84)

Hindcott.

29/8/17

Dear Mum & Dad.

It is only a few days since I last

wrote to you & Dad - but as The News of Clair

reported missing has reached me from Ray, thought

I must write a few lines any way, of course

here we are so far away, and News is so

old when it reaches each other; & you may

have heard something more by the time this

reaches you; however I have written to the

Aust Branch British Red Cross - London -, & enquired of 

Them - if any thing has reached them regarding

Clair & if They do advise me - I'll let you

Know - in case the military do Not do so right

away. The information from the Red Cross

is most Reliable Mum, - but I'm sure you

Know Quite as much as I do about That.

This news is most distressing to me, & more so to

poor Connie - & you aLL, being so many thousands

miles away, it is so much easier for me to 

hear the latest & Know - being in England - & I'll do

my best to find out aLL that is possible -

but Mum - I am confident aLL is well -

& the Huns will not harm him - if he is a

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Prisoner of the Huns, - but in case you do not know - The Hun Government sometimes
take a considerable time to inform our Government as to The Names of prisoners
They have taken, in the casualty list - a lot of Engineers were reported missing
the same time as Clair: so perhaps a lot of them were cut off at the same time
That would be at the end of July, anyway I trust by the time you receive this

some good News has reached - Connie - That is aLL we can wish for at present

It has made me down-right miserable - & I know you wiLL aLL be in such a

state too. - such is war - it seems as aLL most suffer from it - one way or

another - I hate & despise more Than ever, Those who have Not done some thing to
help end the cursed thing.

A shame No more News Dad & Mum Just Now, so Good Bye again.

Give my Love to Connie & May,

With much Love to you Both.

Yours Ever

Ken. xxxxxx

Think I wiLL write a line to Clive Hales - Clairs' PaL- he

was - in The 2^nd Tunnellers - but of course do Not know if stiLL

there - however anything for a triaL

Ken.

Mrs. J. Young.

Princes Street.

Alberton

Adelaide

South AustraliA

29/8/17

(85)

No 3 Australian Command Depot

Handcott.

England

31/8/17.

Dear Mum.

Just another line - perhaps it is

Not much use Telling you - but I heard

from the Red Cross in London - today.

Clair has been posted as missing since

July 10^TH, and up to the present

they had had NO information concerning

his fate: but were maKing every

effort to obtain same. They mentioned

that in cases of missing men,

News of their capture, is slow,

6 weeks being the shortest period

That elapses between the Date when

a man is posted as missing, 

& when his name appears on 

the Hun lists, but I trust long before

you receive this, you have received

good News from Clair, & I hope I too shaLL hear of something very

very soon, This waiting on - is horribLe - that's The hard part of

it aLL with Connie & you aLL.

I received your nice parcel two Days ago Mum - Thank

you so much, Please thank Mrs Hutchins for the Nice

things she sent in it too. it was Kind of her, have been

making good use of The sugar - Mum, it is lovely to have

it here - Quite a treat. Had a P.C from Sam this Morning he

has to report at Devonport to the Naval Barracks there for

service in the Navy, so he wiLL have to go now.

Again I must Conclude.

Trusting you are all Quite weLL & that everything

is Quite alright.

Yrs Very Sincerely.

Ken. xxxxx

Hope Cockie is A1 too.

Mrs. J. Young.

Princes Street

Alberton.

Adelaide.

South AustraliA: