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 -
Will on This camp is just on the town - four
minutes walk - & you are right in town.
This morning we were inoculated so hope
it doesnt play up too much with me; got it in
the arm - This is the 5th time I've been
inoculated - isnt it terrible; quarters very good
here - good grub - and everything is quite alright.
I was quite sorry to leave Norfolk Hosp 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
 

Rear of envelop ~ see original
June 25th
?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.
five 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 Lie
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, anyway, 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 everything
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 wks 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 Cafe - 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 rotten in the winter
I will be able to give you all the tales when I
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
coat old & pulled. about, of course some of them
may be careless - as I told you in the
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/- pay 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.