Letters of Thomas Rampton Hunter, 1940-1944 - Part 5

 

No 8

Mrs. B.N. Hunter
277 Springvale Rd
Tunstall
Victoria
AUSTRALIA

 

AWM2017.208.1
 

LETTER  11 (?)

 

Cpl. T. R. HUNTER

2/1 Corps Field Survey Coy

R.A.E    A.I.F  Abroad

Tuesday

20/5/41

Dear Mother & Jean
You must pardon me for again writing
to you both ^collectively for on Sunday Mother's letter 12 ? & today
Jean's # 6 arrived chocked full of bright news.
I see you are home again after the long sojourn at
Somers & I bet both of you are in the best of health.
Well Mother thanks ever so much for the Canteen

order but don't forget I'm well set up & seeing as

I left a edition (Flowers) "completely slipped my

memory, the five bob should have gone to his

credit. The stamp was also nice to receive.

I guess the garden is rather wild &
lawns & tennis court a little decrepid but with
Autumn & approaching winter the grass should
automatically renew itself as is has previously done.
with a man such as Mark - I know with out

doubt the mower will be A-1 & any little

job he attends to he will know that my

thanks are for him. Does the man in question

still have to leave early in the dawn to procced

to his home of daily occupation.
I may add that I am very pleased

that Jean has returned to help at ^the old job at

Blackburn instead of tackling the one opposite

with that skinny hag "Hilda" & her [[mongs?]]. It is far

far cleaner, I think brighter company & not a bad

atmosphere & for Lal except for 7 or 8 things he is

an excellent chap. Please remember me to him & also

Jack Beton & tell them have my permission

"to have one" for me.

Apparently the day you both spent in

Melbourne was one of interest especially when Jean

went to the Gallery, Library & finally the Doc Floyd

episode. With your good manners and will you

can get anywhere without being precocious. Sometimes

I've been successful myself but to you - never

let yourself be squashed. That was good work. 

2

I perceive that you had to face the ordeal of junior
across the back paddocks with his accursed, string,
torturous instrument. Now you are aware of the
ordeal I once had to face.
Has Ron ever paid you a visit since your
return back home. He wrote to me & in one

letter stated he & Marg called in one week-end

but of course found only Ralph & Mark at

home & you both away. I suppose by now

Joan has been up & news has been swapped.
actually news from me to be swapped
should not be very much as the same in

most cases is posted to you both but in

different words.

Very few events have taken place since last

writing you. Jack, Bill & self have been very

busy & this afternoon as the fog of work had

lifted a combined official & a short pleasure

trip to Tel Aviv made a pleasant break

a swim in the beautifully warm Mediterranean

was marvellous & we combined a

bottle of australian beer with it to top of the

day. on an open air balcony one can sit

& sip whilst the Jewesses sport on the

sand beneath. The beach here is not

a patch on our beaches when one compares

them to Frankston, Seaford etc. Rocks & a

couple of small sunken coastal boats have

to be dredged. The story goes that at the beginning

of the war 2 boats laden with refugees

landed or beached one dark night right on

the best of the beach at Tel-Aviv & now they

are heaps of scrap iron. I upset our hired

driver considerably by calling him George - the

name all the boys called everyone alien &

he finally said his name was Issac & he

was most obviously so. I said I thought he

was an Arab whereupon we nearly hit

a bus but I finally patched it up with him.

AWM2017.308.1

 3

Thanks very much for the paper you enclosed
Paper is easy to get & writing pads are available
Nevertheless I will carry your samples in
my pocket just in case I need it.
With Sunday;  mail arrived also a letter

from Joan & one from J. T. His was one

of very wise counsel & advice & also of

Tony. I believe it may be possible that a

kidney may have to be removed. Was he

wounded to be sent home or was it

an internal complaint? Should you see him

remember me to him & say I am very well

putting on weight & having a good time. Betsy

also sent me a nice note & the old dear

enclosed a small canteen order.

Do you ever see Nancy Dod. She wrote

me a very nice letter & I'm sure she would

very much like to go over home if you asked

her.  I hope her brother is not too badly

wounded & that he is progressing satisfactorily.

Met a chap that used to work in my

dept at Stotts about a week ago & he certainly

has seen places. He left Australia about

6 months ago or of course was quite a seasoned

soldier having been in a couple of notable

campaigns & an evacuation.

Well please remember me to Ivan & Doris

Sylv & Wall, Sid & Alma & all the rest of our

friends - I can't name them all. Not forgetting

Ivor Reece.

I'll close now wishing you the best

of health,

Yours with lots of Love

Tom

[*N.A Johnson*]

BY AIR MAIL

PAR AVION

N.A. Johnson     II

Mrs. B. M. HUNTER

277 Springvale Road,

TUNSTALL,

VICTORIA,

AUSTRALIA.
 

PASSED BY

CENSOR

No 2095

AWM2017. 208.1

LETTER No 12

VX 17049

CPL. T.R. HUNTER

2/1 Corps Field Survey Coy

R.A.E.    A.I.F.

Abroad

Friday

30/5/1941

Dear Jean & Mother

It was nice to receive your

letters today, one from each of you respectively

dated 13^th & 12^th May giving me all the bright

news from each home. Nice to know that

things are O.K and you are both well as the

photos Jean enclosed prove you to be. They

were very good snaps especially the one of Jean

at Somers in the shallow water. I showed

it to several & they had quite a discussion

on its merits. To pass the praise on to the "artists"

who were instrumental in its reproduction.

Apparently I went to town (new expression) on

a couple of letters I sent & thinking them over

several items in them that were censored

were common news before we left. So in future

I will endeavour to tone down my views and

expressions which in turn makes it harder

to write. Frankly it is becoming hard to

tell you fresh news as very few things

since I last wrote have eventuated.

Very glad to hear Mother, that you got

through in the V. A. D.  but if they knew

of your corporal son [[?]] on 27 & you

stating your age as 39 I'm sure people

would commence to wonder, even though the

age of miracles has not yet passed. Any rate it

was well worth trying for. Your assumption

of our second stop was correct ^Mother and I expect

that the surface mail was somewhat out of date. 
Thanks ever so much for the canteen order,

but don't forget I'm pretty jake for all things.

I don't think it will be long before Jean has

old Hal under the thumb & it must be a very

nice place. Remember me to Hal & Jack Beton.

Jean, you speak of a young lady at your office

by the name of Betty Scott - is that her maiden 

name & if so I think I remember her & yet 

2
I also recall a girl at Stott's by the name of

Peggy Scott who resided at Burwood. If she be

the one, she will know Bill Reg & Jack for

Bill's boss knew the Scott's very well. Tell her

I hope her husband is O.K & that a lot

evacuated successfully.

Jean, I have taken the liberty to let

Jack & Bill read your letters for they are different

and so interesting & they always enjoy them.

Aunt Fanny's letter also arrived with

yours & she also was more than good &

enclosed a Canteen order. She said that they

were very busy at Blackburn & that possibly

means it will be all the longer when Jack

becomes settled.

How is the tennis court? Has Jean's new

racket had much exercise - better to exercise

it than let it remain dormant.

It is very interesting here and the

practical work keeps me very busy often

well into the next day & apart from a

couple of duty trips to Tel Aviv & Jerusalem

nothing exciting has taken place.

Chris Rickie sent me a cheery little note

which took many many weeks to arrive.

What has is happening to the badges that

were  to be minted for the Mothers & xxx wives

of the A.I.F? Have you also heard anything

further of the Survey crowd in Melbourne

who appear to have innumerable meetings etc.,

to send comfort over. Bill received a letter

today from his old man & he stated that the

ladies raised ₤7. at an afternoon at his place.

He said (Bill) they would not have got 7/- if he

had been there. 

George & Reg are still away at Cairo & I believe
working hard.
Remember me to Mark & Ralph

So I'll close with lots of love

Tom

P.S. Spots have gone & I feel very well & fit

AWM2017.208.1

A.F.W.3078. (M.E.)

ACTIVE                    SERVICE

12

STAMPS

AIR MAIL

PAR AVION

 

 be used for coin or valuables. It cannot be accepted

for registration.

NOTE:-

Correspondence in this envelope need

not be censored Regimentally. The

contents are liable to examination at the

Base

The following Certificate must be
signed by the writer:-

I certify on my honour that the contents 
of this envelope refer of nothing

but private and family matters.

Signature

Name only

Thos R. Hunter

 

 

[Up to three letters may be forwarded in

this Cover, but these must be all from the

same writer. The cover should be addressed

in such case to the Base Censor

 

Address Mrs. B. M. Hunter,

277 Springvale Rd.,

TUNSTALL

VICTORIA,

AUSTRALIA