Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1917 - Part 11

Reading - Good big place This Colchester &c - it was
interesting right enough: The women are working
like one thing on aLL the farms. Boys and old
men also; arrived at Weymouth at about 8.5 PM
it is about 140 miles from LonDon - so had quite
a long train trip on Wednesday - Norwich being
about 120 miles from LonDon: Trains here are
nice and comfortable: Weymouth is so pretty
have sent you a few views - had a Nice
walk down along the sea frontage last Night,
thousands of people Down there too; it is a
first class sea side resort of course; wiLL go
for another stroLL this evening from 4 or 5 -

stilL on This camp is just on the town - four
minutes walk - & you are right in Town.
This morning we were inocluated so hope
it doesn't play up too much with me; got it in
the arm - This is the 5^TH time I've been
inoculated - isn't it terrible; quarters very good
here - good grub - and every thing is quite alright.
I was quite sorry to leave Norfolk Hospl the
Nurses were so kind to us chaps; some of our
Boys were sent to Hartford others to Harefield

Got scattered all over the country, after being
together so long too - was in that Hospl 1 month
exactly so was lucky to have been there that long

-3-
Must write to Base Post Office now - as I've
changed address once again: but perhaps I will
Not be sent back here after furlough
wiLL most likely go to Salisbury Plain or Wareham
Well Dear Mum & Dad
Good Bye - once Again

WiLL let you Know always what I'm up to,
WiLL go and see Mrs Ronalds sister & Jeans
Father & Mother in Glasgow.
Very much love to you all
Yours Ever
BiLLy Young xxxx
How is auld Kelly?
Such a  Decent nice lot of Boys in my hut here
- perhaps they are Not too welL eH! that Keep Them
Nice and quiet, boys of alL Battalions -  some
have been wounded others been iLL -
Good Bye
K.Y.

Mrs. J. Young.
Princes Street
Alberton
Adelaide
S. AustraliA. 

June 25^th
[[?8)?]]

Convalescent Camp.
Boulogne.
27/7/16.
Dear Mum & Dad,
You will see by above - Where l am now.
was sent here two days ago, from the
Hospital, my cough is still pretty bad &
altogether not feeling too grand yet, &
I am thinking while this terrible cold weather
lasts I will not be feeling right, never before
have I felt so cold - everything is frozen.
fire buckets with water - is made into a bucket
of ice - no water, in pipes - all frozen, my
word I have had a cold time, I pity the
poor chaps in the Trenches - it must be
just terrible there, the Australians will be
having a bad time, they say This has been
a very cold winter - it is my worst 

2.
enemy anyway, well so much for the cold &c.
This convelescent camp is just near to
the Can: HospT we get nice beds To Dose
in - about 16 men in each tent (big Tents)
so manage To sleep warm enough, there
are Hundreds of men here - all sorts,
some in Kilts, English Scotch & Irish, a
good few Australians (half frozen ones at that)
anyway There are two large halls - with fires
in, & can get tea coffee &c there, I
hope it will see to pay Day, I’ve not
had any for over 6 weeks, so have only
a couple of Francs left, have concerts
thro’ the week, to cheer things up a bit.
I am sorry I was not even in The trenches
before I got sick, I might say - very
few Know this though, I keep that Quiet,
they Chaps often ask me what part

- 3 -
of the line I was on - I can alway make
that right - & of course speak the truth, but
I am too ashamed to say, I was never under
fire - they would not think much of me if I
did, any-way, what must they think of
those dear boys shirking it in Austr.
It is some-times really terrible in The Trenches -
they get the life frightened out of them at Times
& I reckon any man whoever he is - who has
been there - a Hero - and deserves every thing
that is good, They are - The men who have
saved us from The Huns, & fancy some of them
been at it for over two years. I Know all
hands are about sick of the whole thing now.
it is time the confounded thing was over, isn’t
it? I have not had any letters yet.
but expect them any Day now.
Last evening I got a pass - & took a 

4
walk Down to Boulogne. I enjoyed seeing
the new sights but was not too good on
the pins - so Didn’t stay long, Boulogne is a
big town, old fashioned rather - much the
same style as - Le Havre, some fine shops -
Le Café - English spoken in some shops -
Large Cathedral - which I may have look thro’
tomorrow - if I feel fit enough, it is grand
of course, getting the chance to see these places,
I have seen quite a lot of Fance - one
way or other - but it’s a rotter in the winter
Will be able to give you all the tales when I get
back - whenever that will be.
hack.
I have written to Mrs Tullock – Aunt H,
Aunt Mary - Liz - Mrs Shanks – Nancy, so
please let me Know if they receive them.
Some of our chaps (Aust) look hard cases
now - old war worn hats - all shapes

(5)
coats old & pulled - about, of course some of them
may be careless - as I told you in my
last I had left my uniform &c, at the
other Hospital up the line, well I have
been given a new one here - a Tommy
uniform, bass buttons - wee jacket -
cap - long trousers - but puttees are worn
too, a very good great coat - Brass Buttons
on it - quite the thing - good boots, gloves &c
so I am well set up, very fine under-clothing,
underpants are fine & warm -
any way I wear the old badges - so that is
alright, (and the old pay-book remains the
same) no 1/- Day for me - that is all Tommy
gets, isn’t it a shame? Australians & New
Zealanders, get 20 Francs every 10 Days in this
place - all Tommy gets is 5 F every 10 Days.
some Difference that – eH?

Well Mum & Dad - May & Connie -- I hope
You are all a 1, Have not heard from
Clair or Ray yet.
Kindly Remember me to all Friends.
How is poor old Kelly?
Will write again in a few Days.
Very much Love to you all
Yrs Sincerely.
Ken.