Letters from Frank John Mulcahy to his family, 1941-1945 - Part 13

AIR MAIL
 

Mrs. J. Mulcahy
32 Corunna Ave
Colonel Light Gardens
South Australia
 

PR00649

Australian

War Memorial
 

SX3022
Sgt. F.J. Mulcahy
2 Aust. DR Section
A.I.F.
27 Aug 45
 

Dear Mum,
Sorry I haven't written for some

time but I have been busy, as per usual.
Well, it is all over and I saw it through
to a finish, after all. There was very little celebrating
on our part when we heard the news - we cracked
a few bottles of beer and thats all there was to
it, as far as we are concerned. Nevertheless, we
are heartily glad that the war is finally over
and that it will not be long - I hope- before
we are once more walking down civvy street.
I am afraid I cannot agree with you in
respect of the atomic bomb. It is bad business,
and should never have been invented, despite the
fact that the Japs are animals of the lowest order.
Sooner or later, it is going to fall into the wrong
hands, - then God help civilisation. I only hope
 

2

that I am not here to see the results.
Since I last wrote we have moved and we are
now at Moratoi, awaiting movement back to
Australia. However, from the appearance of things
at the moment, at looks as though we may be
stuck here for months as they do not seem to
be able to get hold of any ships, wherein to
take us back. They are all being used to take
supplies into Malaya and bring out the P.O.W's.
There is a certain amount of doubt, now, as to
whether I will make that table for Xmas Dinner.
However, you had better prepare it for me, just in
case I do arrive in time.
Although we are not doing any despatch-riding
now, I am still kept busy with the administration
of the Section. Our officer left us some
time ago, and I have been doing his job, plus
my own, consequently it doesn't leave me much
time to myself. However, I have managed to
find time for a swim now and again, and it is
 

3

bonzer to be able to get into the water. We are
camped on a peninsula with the sea on either
side of us, about two hundred yards away. It
is a very pretty spot, but just now I would
willingly trade it for two square feet of ground
anywhere around Adelaide - I'd even take a
piece of ground along the gas-works at Bowden.
Well Mum, this is all the news for now

so will sign off for the present
Love to All
Frank

27/8/45

PR00649

Australian

War Memorial

SX3022
Sgt. F.J. Mulcahy
2 Aust. DR Section
A.I.F. "Still Abroad".
13 Oct 45

Dear Shirley,
Your very belated letter
arrived yesterday, and as per usual I was
glad to hear from you once again.
You are evidently hitting the high again
with the parties - I sincerely hope that you can
keep up with the pace and do not fall by
the way-side.
Pleased to hear that you are treating the
A.I.F kindly at the moment - what's happened
to the R.A.F. - has he gone away again?
My little excursions in the planes ceased
some weeks ago, as all the chaps we knew
in the Yankee Air Corps have left here. You
seem to doubt the truthfulness of my statement

when I said I could have flown to
 

2

Tokyo or San Francisco had I wished, - I'll
admit I only had the opportunity once, and
that was at Clark Field in Luzon.
It is rather a co-incidence your mentioning
that you had been to see "The life and death
of Colonel Blimp", for I saw that very same
picture last night. I thought it was a really
excellent show and a welcome charge from the 

Yank shows– Deborrah Kerr is very nice, in
my opinion, and we should see more of her.
There is no doubt about it, the British have
the knack of bringing out the little things of
life in a picture, an achievement very seldom
acquired by Yank producers. I could listen to
the Pommies talking for hours. I also saw
"Dough-girls" a few nights ago, and thought it
was very corny. Anne Sheridan fails to appeal
to me these days – her speech and general
demeanour in too course and there is very little
feminity about her – except her curves. Although
 

3

Jane Wyman played the part of a nit-wit in the
picture, she was by far the most appealing of
the three, especially now that she has turned
brunette. Alexis Smith is too tall and raw-boned.

There is a permanent theatre in this
camp we are in now, with a show every night
except Sundays. Have seen some good pictures
lately, amongst the best being "For Whom the
Bell Tolls", "Greenwich Village", "Two Girls and
a Sailor", "Going My Way" "The Woman in the
Window" and "The Gay Sisters". Tonight we are
going to see "Sweet Rosie O'Grady".
What's this about a Cook's Tour? Listen, fair
wench, Cooks would have to pay me to come up
here in peace-time – the romantic South Sea
isles - phooey. The five year release plan
is just a joke. I will tell you what we
are up against. Firstly, there is the lack of
shipping, which is not nearly as bad as they
make it out to be, Secondly, we have to wait
 

4

for the base-wallahs to go home first. They came
up here to this safe little haven to do their
three month's overseas service in order to dodge
the income tax. Their wives, girl-friends and
relatives can expect their swift return. Thirdly,
there is the undoubted fact that quite a lot
of high-ranking officers, with which this place
is lousy, do not want to go back home for
a while yet - they are drawing good pay up
here and are on too good a wicket to pass it
up easily. They can't stay up here without any
troops to look after - so the obvious course

is - keep the troops up here, sending a
few home now and again just to keep the public
quiet. Naturally there is quite a lot of competition
to get in that selected few, and the persons
who manage to crack it are the ones they see
every day and most come in contact with -
in other words, - the base-wallahs. The ordinary
soldier out with the Units just isn't in the race.