Letters from Kenneth Jack Young to his family, 1918 - Part 10

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open for review
Accession number:
AWM2018.785.14
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

as as waon again prenghing i Looking at it mry best too, the wea Plowers, Kea - Tellow - Yeolet st colour ings Luaks Heally prelly, and today the Bocke is not lusing much woubte ait his shells, and ours are fairly of course lonighs may Silent too be very different - which is usually We have been in this the case. spat several days sawl, was in the tifa o n sne swerat Back nan. Wantant Cure for this sn Hhe winde thes Frowna would sck terrible I know, with a dropo Some King rain it gets very bad. We have on Cath Canteen Plose to us, &a s.MC down the road, wher passing troops car obtan a drink of locoa, and a acket of Biscuits, further up the have thore is a Canken, N.M. where trouks can get Cocon free, so hat or just help sauself to it, In out Cutees
On Active Service MHTHTHE BEIS 28 BRPBDYYHOMIRRW AERCE 5 hich is pat a sugant we lan get Dis Cuss, Chocolate, tinned shuiff & of cuurse makes, so can get pracically anyhing we may need, and the casing of the is so eas m atter out here, son hew to conside wo are Lssf bt o Naton far nosd in mance than I Receive did in Endand, Bread &alore 100. but do nat get enough Hard work to make us too Wungry. Dea seversill You we were inspected by Haig, fat is about a mont ago, so think must ave do so, altho do abt seem to remember saying o vere looking yar AgLN. Enaugh. I is Cante True Hurold Secl Sying from tec about O poor chas Cam Sony, was Jas TE REENSMIAE PATTH, HIHASS WMITE PE THA OTHEh SIRE W RRGUIRRD.
peaking so him a few Days lefore Las. Forit bent a good Deat of yas over the time he got gassed, but think Harold wal the only one to Dis I believe; gat thro Ok, not any the worse for it. the resperator is not the leat of Kingsto Ress on for long, but it a great thing and of caurse is very reliable Well Dear Whon snd Bad. Mis all finl wel Nery Wuk how Yours neerely Ken. NI
SRAN
On Active Service WATHTHEBETS R ARSW HDR Shanee 17/6/1918 Dear. 12 Your Willome ho Her I rceived with the thatos enclosed, that f the are very anks for hese M r hav tf is always just a rexender of you Going by the holss See diperence in Dud Khalan bd a You know it hard to deally from m Soalf phoso. Iwhote home just 2 Dass 10 so Lavat yuch News to geve Al You seem to hips the You N.H. of hen, I am Glad You ale Nece 8 Hing on well. Borry Te Hil bee hl to ill Since he D Te RECnemSe Fitta, Nint M OO THE OTHGR SIBR. IF axquiRge.
as he will Enql get back to Aushaha Sooky Maford was surprised at four alkeld Enlisting Pan hartly before o he is realy too young for this Came, of course he wont go far. for me time, and a good tb Los. Ffeet Comin will le But Settled down by this, she had a God time right enoug gis le her tdat the Letber, Howere had received 22 ast wrater dad he did 7 ct 0 6 Nathing very mush doing furt about here, Ircth omet Wanl Istill in Frenchs, but back a bs the front Lins. so its Ok here, we Lay several days right forward a weskors This is a very wo Dack. ind Summer iff ever there Meld
On Active Service MHTHTHEBRTS DMMEIREW BO HTIHS 365 Mp who but Hennly every daf Were is 20 fegge row and aun it ✓ p a bt warm, Nothing Nearas war as Norfolk was this fine Last Year, & this is somewhere Near b cane see aplace ar Fance 0wn tarned on Son little time back Andway we are On Guard Here now. Acclor it Curte abright. Believe the war Wens fas been a bt better of Late, Never seca paper Now cept weekh Eoglish Papers, but we usually hear a good acal, and know what goes on alowna where we are for several wths Fontage. 78 Isome New War weapon 10 acomanted gua nene ma OC TAE OTNSe OIDE. IFRROUIRD.
tber th time Cour are afways infroving Tll be pad to get M away again after this agine now poot over there old Cl May I Must Close now tell Hoping you are all Puite 2 Shll £ Low I ishes our 2 er lit at that 80 folder she gave me before I left, i has had some knocking about ett

Today is warm again, Everything is
looking at its very best too, the wild
flowers Red - Yellow - Violet etc colourings
Looks Really pretty, and Today
the Boche is not Causing much trouble
with his shells, and ours are "fairly"
silent too, - of course tonight may
be very different - which is usually
the case. We have been in this
spot several days now, was in the
Line several days and am not "far"
Back now: Wouldn't care For this in
the winter the Ground would stick
something terrible I know, with a drop of
Rain it gets very bad: We have our
Battn Canteen close to us, & a Y M C A
down the road, where passing troops can
obtain a drink of Cocoa, and a
packet of Biscuits. Further up the
Line there is a Canteen., YM. where
troops can get cocoa Free, so that's OK
just help yourself to it, In our Canteen
 

 


5
(which is just a dug out) we can get Biscuits,
Chocolate, tinned Stuff & of course
Smokes, so Can Get practically anything
we may need, and the carting of this
is No easy matter out here, You Know!
So consider we are Lucky.
Our Rations just now are Good.
Receive Far more instance, than I
did in England. Bread Galore too.
but do not get enough Hard work to
make us too Hungry. Did I ever tell
You we were inspected by Haig, that
is about a month ago, so think I must
have do so, altho I do not seem to
remember saying so, Fine Looking man
right Enough: It is Quite True
about Harold Stech Dying from effects
of Gas. Poor chap, I am sorry, was
 

 


4
Speaking to him a few Days before too. Fritz
Sent a Good Deal of Gas over the
time he got gassed, but I think Harold
was the only one to die I believe; I
got thro' OK, not any the worse for it,
the Respirator is not the best of things to
Keep on for Long, but it is a great thing,
and of course is very reliable.
Well Dear Mum and Dad I must
Conclude. Trusting You are all Quite
well. 
Very Much Love.
Yours Sincerely
Ken.   XXXXXXX
 

 


O-A-S
Mrs J. Young
Princes Street
Alberton 
Adelaide
South Australia
[*FRANKED BY
[[?]]*]
 

 

Rear of envelop ~ see Original
11/6/18
(151)
France
 

 


France 
17/6/1918.
Dear MaY,
Your welcome Letter I received
with the 3 Photos enclosed, manY
thanks for these May, they are verY
Nice, and it's Lovely to have them.
it is always just a reminder of You
all. Going by the photos I See
Less difference in Dad that any
body, but as You know it hard to
tell really from a Small photo.
I wrote home just 2 DaYs
ago so havn't much News to give
you MaY. You seem to Like the
office still then, I am glad You are
getting on well. Sorry Ted Hill
has been so ill. Since he arrived
 

 


in England and Perhaps he will
get back to Australia Soon.
My Lord I was surprised at Young
Salkeld Enlisting Can hardly believe
it, he is really too Young for this
game. Of course he won't go far, For
some time, and a Good job too.
Expect Connie will be Quite
Settled down by this, She had a Good
time right enough, It is Nice her
hearing from Clair, I didn't think
he had received my letter. However
I am glad he did, I just wrote a
week or so ago.
Nothing very much doing just
Now about here, pretty Quiet,
we are still in the trenches, but
back a bit from the Front Line.
so its Ok here, we had several
days "right forward" a week or
two Back. This is a Very
mild kind of "Summer" if ever there
 

 


3/
was one. Nearly every day there is
a Cool Breeze, now and again it
gets just a bit warm, Nothing Near as
warm as Norfolk was this time
Last Year, & this is Somewhere Near
Central France. We can see a place
from here to where all eyes were
turned on some little time back.
Anyway we are "On Guard" Here
Now, reckon it Quite alright.
Believe the war News has been
a bit better of Late, never see a
paper Now - except weekly English
papers, but we usually hear
a Good deal, and Know what
goes on around where we are
for several miles Frontage.
Have seen some New War weapons
 

 


4/
Since I've been over this time; of
Course they are always improving.
My word I'll be glad to get
away home again, after this Lot
I Can Quite imagine how poor
old Clair feels over there.
Well May I must Close now.
Hoping you are all Quite
well still
Very Much Love & good
Wishes
Yours Sincerely
Ken
 PS
Tell Con' I've still got that wee soap
Holder she gave me before I left, it
has had some knocking about, eH?

 

O-
Miss May Young
Princes Street
Alberton
Adelaide
South Australia

 

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