Letters from Frank John Mulcahy to his family, 1941-1945 - Part 8

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out having a look at the tree when they noticed

this bough laying under the tree it, so they

whipped it in the back of the truck and brought

it back to camp. Since then it has been cut up

into many pieces and the boys have been making

odds and ends out of it. One chap has concentrated

on serviette rings and up-to-date he has made

12 dozen - has sold a lot of them to chaps

in the unit and made quite a lot of cash. Anyhow,

you'll be able to work it out for yourself when

you see it. One point I would like you to 

remember - the rings on top are fitted onto felt

pads glued to the stand. When you take the 

rings off, screw them - don't just pull them

straight up as you may pull the felt pads

with them - the glue I had to use wasn't the best.

Well Mum, it is getting late so I will

close, hoping this finds everyone at home well and

happy. Love to All

Frank

 

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AIR MAIL

 

13/5/45

Serviette

Rings

Cedar.

 

M^rs. J. Mulcahy

32 Corunna Ave

Colonel Light Gardens

South Australia

 

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PR00649

Australian

War Memorial

 

SX3022

Sgt. F.J. Mulcahy

2 Aust. DR. Section

"A" Aust. Corps Signals

AIF. Australia

31 Mar 45.

 

Dear Dad,

Received your letter this morning

and was pleased to hear that you are doing

fine. There is no doubt about it, pushing that

bike backwards and forwards to work used to take

it out of you - you should have taken to the

trams years ago.

Uncle Frank certainly is a beaut - I guess

you will think twice before going to a show

with him again.

I am glad you like the "Signals" book - it is

not bad, is it? Pleased to hear also, that the

"doover" I made arrived home safely, and that

it meets with your approval. The brass parts

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will look better when it is chromed. My uniform

didn't take long to get home - I didn't expect it to

arrive for some considerable time.

I wouldn't say I have been having the time of

my life up here, but during the past couple of monghts

I have enjoyed myself more than I have during the

whole of the time we have been here. We have

become acquainted with some very nice people during

the past few weeks, and they are a bonzer crowd.

I wish we had got to know them long before this

-it would have made life much more pleastn.

During this week I have been to two house-parties,

one on Saturday night, held in a farm-house, and

the other on Monday night, in a house in a town

near here. The same crowd was at both parties,

and it is just a nice select little group, consisting

of about a dozen of we soldiers and about two dozen

civvies, most of whom are, of course, girls. Included 

amongst the civvies are a few young married couples,

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also the barman of one of the local pubs - 

you can gather that he helps things along very well.

We have our own orchestra, one of our chaps plays

the piano and another the drums, whilst two civvies

play a piano-accordion and a violin each, so we

have plenty of music, and as the majority of houses

up this way have long, wide wooden verandahs

we have ample room for dancing. You should see

the suppers that we have, - these people certainly

know how to turn it on in that respect. We

hope to have another evening next Saturday week.

only this time we, that is, the boys are providing

the supper - and drinks. Arrangements are well

in hand and it looks like being a good show.

We are having the do at the home of some people

by the name of Ryan - and they are not Scotch!

With regards to getting out of the Army if the

opportunity arises, I realise that the chaps who get

out now are getting the pick of the jobs, but I have

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seen it out this far and I want to see it through

to a finish now. I wouldn't be able to settle down

to a job again whilst the war is still going - 

I would be too restless. But don't think I won't

be glad to get out when the war is over - boy,

they won't be able to give me my discharge quick

enough for me. I guess I'll just have to take my

chance with the rest as regards a job. Anyhow,

I doubt if anything will dome of this talk about

giving men with long service the option of a discharge

If it does, then you can almost count on it excluding

this unit - it is generally the way.

I see that trouble has flared up in Syria

again and looks like developing into something big.

Well, my sympathy is with the Lebanese & Syrians.

The French are poor colonisers - they try to get as

much as they can out of the country without putting

anything into it. I had plenty of time to form my own

opinion whilst I was there - and I know that the

Wogs won't have the French at any price. I don't blame

them, either.

Last night we went into town to the pictures and

saw Frank Sinatra. I fail to see what makes a 

lot of people go mad over him - it would have been

a good show without his moaning voice

Well Pop, time mooches along and me thinks I

could do with a spot of shut eye, so I will slide

off.

Love to All

Frank

 

 

[[?]]

31/5/45

 

 

PR00649

Australian

War Memorial

 

AIR MAIL

 

M^r. J. Mulcahy

32 Corunna Ave.

Colonel Light Gardens

South Australia

 

AUSTRALIAN

IMPERIAL FORCES

PASSED BY CENSOR

?73

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