Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1917 - Part 7

ON ACTIVE SERVICE
Mrs J. Young.
Princes St
Alberton
Adelaide
South-Australia
[[?]]
 

1^st. Ap.
(52)

[[?]]
France
April 4^th 1917
Dear Mum & Dad,
No Doubt you will receive this
letter about the same Time as the one
written from the Base - however since
then I have gone a few miles from
the Base - we left on the Monday
morning early and arrived at
our destination in the evening.
just the same Town we arrived at
when first we came from England.
went into a farm House Billet

2
just outside the Town - and had a
Bon nights rest - next morning was
terribly cold again - snow & wind - it
was rotten - but later on in the day
it improved - & turned out Bright -
had a good walk round the town
not a bad place - and a good
size, about 5.30 pm that evening
we left in motor waggons - &
was soon landed at this spot where
I am now; what a place - goodness
they always seem to pick out the
worst spot possible - mud &
water & cold - have not heard
yet what they are going to do with

3.
us - of course we will not stay here long
last night I walked into the Town
where I used to meet Clair - when up
here be4 - had tea there - eggs &c
Café - the Francais Café coffee is Bon.
I met a young signaller in the -
and the same Company as me.
he is ready for the trenches again.
Wonder if I will strike Clair
again hope I do. suppose Ray
is chipping into it at one of the
Hospitals - think he is acting as
an orderly or some thing of the kind
Did I Tell you I met young

4.
Reynolds - his mother lives at the Semaphore

- he is well & will be leaving
the Base for the front any day.
The Trees have not got their Greenness
back yet. I am sick of things
looking so dead & dull - It will
be nice in a few weeks now
though - I am longing for the better
weather to come. I am not feeling
too bad at all now - short of
breath though - & not too strong -
but I guess I'll be a1 soon.
Has Connie Heard from Ivo
hope she has - it is horrible not

5
to hear from them I know. Do you
always get word from Ray & Clair?
Did all those who sent me parcels
get my note I sent them? I wrote to
them all I think.
Well again I might close.
Hope May & Connie are still
doing well with their Short Hand &c.
I was just looking at that photo they
sent me - it is tray Bon.
Au Revoir - With Very
Best Love to you all
Yours Ever
Billy 

on active Service
Mrs J. Young.
Princes St
Alberton
Adelaide
South AustraliA - Adelaide -
[*ChasR Hutton*]
[*FranKe a By*]

4th Ap.
(53)

Some Where in France
6/4/17 Good Friday
Dear May & Connie
As it is some time since I last wrote to you thought I
would try & scratch a few lines this evening. In my letter
to Mum the other day I said I was again up the Line somewhere - 
Well since then we - have moved to a Town - just
on the Belguim Border - it is a very big Town this - but - how the
Huns have knocked it about - a big church spire is knocked
clean off & great holes in knocked in other fine Buildings - it
does seem a sin to see what the Brutes have done. The xxxxxxx not
running now & few of the people about - but of course there a still
Hundreds living in different parts of the Town. Many of the Houses
are used as Billets - I am quartered in fairly comfortable
Quarters - True G... " on the 3^rd floor the Salvage Store is quite warm
we are Doing odd jobs therein just now - but Do not know
how long we wiLL be just here. that is Hard to say.
Yesterday was a most Beautiful Day - Sunshine & quite warm
today was not so Nice, yes, it is wonderful to Look about at
the Different places in this Town - every thing so peacefuL