Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1917 - Part 9

been rotten - & today blowing a gale - cold & wet -
it is a terrible climate this alright - but surely 
Next month will be - AI. The trees are budding

the leaves will soon be showing - That's what 

I long to see - green trees - & every-thing bright & nice

This is "supposed" to be Spring - so they say - seems

little like it to Australians, & Don't some of them

roar at this place & its climate - you ought to 

hear them. Australian will Do us any-way. I see

one of Channon's Boys is missing & wounded.

hope he is quite alright - but the Huns are so Hard

on prisoners - if that is where He is. I notice Recruiting

is terribly slow in SA - I wonder why 

that is - most of the other States are Doing much

better again. too many Germans That's the Trouble.
I would like to sit Baker on one of these 
shells - any way the big ass woulD go mad if

 he Did come here - away from his Mummy  

So Mrs Allan & old Mr Flett are Dead. Oh'

well they were a good old age - weren't they?

Well Now Mum & Dad I will write 

again to go by this next mail - whenever 

that is. Trusting always - that all are well

Au Revoir - & Very much Love to

you all & to Aunts & others.

Yrs Ever

Billy. xxxxx

Always pleased to know Kelly is

Doing A1.

ON ACTIVE SERVICE

Mrs. J. Young. 

Princes Street

ALBerton

AdelaiDe

South Australia

[*JWally*]

17 Ap.
(56)

Some where in France

12^th May 1917

My Dear Mum & Dad.

As there is a mail closing

this evening I must write you

just a short line: I have also 

written to May - by This mail:

As usual have little

decent news - but I'm glad to say

that everything is alright with me

& I know so long as you know

that much - you are satisfied

We are still having glorious

weather - warm to day - muggy

I think us French - Australians

will feel the heat when we

-2-

get back - but I guess all are

content to put up with that little

bit. This morning early there

was a gas alarm - but it did

not come to any thing here -

they woke us up - but I was

soon asleep again - gas is

no good though - one sniff would

be too much at any time:

& I believe Fritz has a new kind

worse than ever, I take my

turn on gas guard - There is

always a guard on Day & night

xxxx to xxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx

trenches & xxxx the xxxxxxx

sounded all over the Town then:

Plenty of air fights every Day

- 3 -

but otherwise things are pretty quiet

again: I do not Know  what

to think of xxxx - xxxxx

Early for too many ships -

it is xxxxx xx xxx xx xxx -

the English papers xx I xxxx

& are generally pretty straight.

Now xxxx last xxxx  of course

you have aLL the xxx become

of it  but - I do really

think Australian papers are

not too reliable: of course it

is right enough to look on the

bright side of things father :

but the people should know the

xxxx xxx xxxx : I am so glad

Hughes has been returned that

4

is really bon news - in fact

tray bon - (Very good) but how

could our people vote otherwise:

The English papers gave the

"Election Cables" a prominent place

in their papers: The blossom on

the fruit trees are looking just the

thing now - it is lovely to see the

beautiful trees so green - never

before have I enjoyed greeness

& sunshine so much: as I have

this year in France: after that

terrible "Night Mare" of a winter

yes, it was more like a "Night Mare".

A Sunday or two back I had

a look over the - one of the -

Military cemetary's - a good few

- 5 -

Australians are buried there -

they keep the graves so nice - a

cross on each: I was surprised

at it being so well kept, but

of course that us how is should

be: The other night I went to

the pictures - The -coo-ee's were

also on: Australian Bush Scenery

was on the stage: it was so

good: The building was a good

one - used in Peace Time as a

Cxxxx. of course as I've said

before this Town was well populated

in Peace Time: but now the

number amounts to a very few.

Ray is at Boulogne if you 

should not know: he may

not have said where he was.

.6.

Tell Bertha I will write to her soon

also Aunt Helen & Jess Moar.

I've received letters from all of

them During the last week or so.

Well Mum & Dad I will now

Close Au Revoir

With ever so much Love to you

both & trusting you are well

Yrs Ever

Billy. xxxxxx

Glad to Know 'Kelly' is still

Going strong - poor old chap:

He won't know me K Young

when I get back - I've got so fat -

- I don't think - but I dont think I've

got much thinner anyway -

I don't feel too bad now

KY