Letters of Malcolm William Keshan, 1940 (Part 1)

ROBERT C. HENRY 
COMMISSIONER 
WILLIAM R. DALZIEL 
LT. COMMISSIONER 
  
TERRITORIAL HEADQUARTERS 
SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA: 69 Bourke St., Melbourne. 
EASTERN AUSTRALIA: 140 Elizabeth St., Sydney 
  
THE SALVATION ARMY 
RED SHIELD HUTS-HOSTELS FOR AUSTRALIAN TROOPS 
C/o 36th Battalion. 
“A” Company. 
Rutherford. 
12 - 3 - 40. 

My Dear Dorothy, 
Well Dot I reckon that is a very good start even  
if you do not, but getting to the point I was very pleased  
to receive your letter even if it was a long time in  
coming, that kind of fits in with the saying absents makes  
the heart grow fonder, dont you think. 
In your letter you mentioned seeing Joan, well  
being quiet frank I am very disappointed in her because  
I wrote to her a week before I went into camp and  
I have not received an answer yet. 
The entertainment up here is not bad we have  
concerts just about every night and they have some  good  
artists to, but the best entertainment is made by us when ever  
we want it all we have to do is let a tent down on top of  
some one “A” Coy also has cock fights with B Coy and a tug of  
war and all things like that. 
You will probably be very worried to learn that  
our good friend Mr. Kelly has not had an opportunity 
 

ROBERT C. HENRY 
COMMISSIONER 
WILLIAM R. DALZIEL 
LT. COMMISSIONER 
  
TERRITORIAL HEADQUARTERS 
SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA: 69 Bourke St., Melbourne. 
EASTERN AUSTRALIA: 140 Elizabeth St., Sydney 
  
THE SALVATION ARMY 
RED SHIELD HUTS-HOSTELS FOR AUSTRALIAN TROOPS 
  
2 
to liven up the camp just yet; as you mentioned for 
the simple reason that so far he has passed out three times 
and at present he is in hospital under observation for appendercitis 
and has been there for the last ten days, here is a bit 
of sad news for you, the quack has not got hold of me yet;  
but he will more than likely get me by Easter because I  
entered for the boxing championship up here (go on laugh) 
I will just give you an idea of what we do up here Dot 
or at least what we have done yesterday and to-day to begin with  
we were draged at of bed at 6'o'clock I say that for the simple reason  
that they have to drag me, anyhow, we then do 15 minutes exercise, 
then we return to our tent tidy it up clean our rifle, polish 
our boots have a shower & shave then we go on parade and they  
inspect our things to see if they are cleaned correct, after we finish 
that we retire for ten minutes and then breakfast ect ect well 
getting to the point we left the camp at 8.30 AM. and marched 
about 6 miles across country then we would dig in and be befending 
ourselves from the enemy and we played around like that 
until six oclock when we went in for tea after which we went 
to bed until 11.3.P.M. when we got up and set out on a fighting 
patrol returning at 1.30.a.m. we then slept until 2.45.a.m.  
and after packing everything (all this in the dark) marched about

ROBERT C. HENRY 
COMMISSIONER 
WILLIAM [[R]]. DALZIEL 
LT. COMMISSIONER 
  
TERRITORIAL HEADQUARTERS 
SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA: 69 Bourke St., Melbourne. 
EASTERN AUSTRALIA: 140 Elizabeth St., Sydney 
  
THE SALVATION ARMY 
RED SHIELD HUTS-HOSTELS FOR AUSTRALIAN TROOPS 
  
3 
four miles and as dawn was breaking we made an attack 
on the enemy after which we had breakfast and returned to 
camp for lunch. It is not quiet as childish as it all sounds for we  
do have an enemy, you see one Coy acts as the enemy and one 
as the allies.  
News Flash. Mr Gregory Brian Patrick Kelly has just returned 
from the hospital just this minute. 
Gee Dot I guess I am even worse at writing letters than you  
reckon you are, although I think your quite good in more that 
one way to.  
Well Dot until the next time which I hope is very 
soon "Cheerio" 
  
Sincerely Yours 
Mac. XXXXXXXX 
XXXX 
XX 
X 
P. S. Best of luck with your comp and I feel sure you 
will improve a 100%. Wish Joan all the best for me both of  
them if you see them. 

12.3.40

"EL SHADDAI" 
GOD ALL SUFFICIENT 
N.S.W. Open Air Campaigners 
ACTIVITIES 
PREACHING AND WITNESSING FOR CHRIST 
IN THE OPEN AIR WITH WELL-EQUIPPED  
GOSPEL MOTOR WAGONS. ETC.  
  
NX 11067 
Pte. M. W. Keshan 
No1 Platoon 
"A" Company. 
Ingleburn 
  
Dear Dot,  
Just a few lines to let you know that I have 
changed places since I last wrote to you, I do not know 
if you answered the other letter yet, but I hope not as 
I have not been up at Rutherford since the 20th March 40, 
so if you did happen to write do not go crook because I 
did not answer.  
It might please you to know that I am in the A.I.F.  
and expect to go overseas in about 2 months. 
Well I was  in Grace Building last week and I kept an eye 
out for you but could not see you (Just my luck) I was very 
dissapointed after coming all that way special to see you.  
I know you do not believe that, you never did really believe me 
Anyhow going back a bit you remember in the last 
letter I told you Greg had just come out of hospital, well 
the very next day they had him back in there again 
for four days then they let him out, and low and behold 
he was back in again two days later and he still is 
or at least was when I left.  
I hope you will  excuse the writing paper but it so 
hard to keep a pad without getting it all crushed up that  
[*(Please use other side also)*]

"EL SHADDAI" 
GOD ALL SUFFICIENT 
N.S.W. Open Air Campaigners 
ACTIVITIES 
PREACHING AND WITNESSING FOR CHRIST 
IN THE OPEN AIR WITH WELL-EQUIPPED  
GOSPEL MOTOR WAGONS. ETC.  
  
2 
I can not be bothered trying, by the way I will send 
some photos down if you like but please send them back 
do not tear them up (don't say it) I will probably send them  
in the next letter.  
Well Dot I seem to be getting a bit stuck for something 
to say I wa never was very good at writing or talking 
either if it comes to the point.  
Anyhow I hope you had a very good Easter I did I went 
to the races and nearly busted the bookmaker's. I guess if 
I wrote a bit larger and put a bit more space between  
my words this would just about be three pages anyhow 
So until the next time which I hope will be soon "Cheerio" 
Yours sincerely,  
Mac. XXXXXXX 
XXXX 
P. S. I notice you never return those X I wonder why.  
[*(Haven't they got a hide)    ->    (Please use other side also)*] 
  
 

No 1 Platoon 
"A" Company 
"J" Block 
R.T.D 2/A.I.F. 
Ingleburn 
  
Dear Dot, 
Terrible sorry I did not answer sooner but as 
you will notice I left the most important part 
of the address out, trust me, or maybe it was your 
fault (figure that one out).  Anyhow I believe in 
the old saying better late than never. 
I did pay a visit to the building the other day 
and as per usual my luck was bad and I could 
not see you.  I thought about calling up to see you 
at the office, but I knew you would shoot me if 
I did, and that would make one of those "Huns" sore 
at you for not leaving me for him.  You were correct. 
I was in uniform for the simple reason that if I'm 
caught out of it while on leave I would find myself 
in a spot of bother. 
In regards to week end leave I get it from Saturday 
afternoon at 12.30 for the week end, but very occasionally I 
put one over the army and get of on Friday instead. 
If George is not in camp already he will be very 
shortly I think he will find that the first month is 
the worst after that it is more or less a joke, everything 
they do they tell you to imagine this and that in fact 
you just about use your in every thing you do.  I know 
when I left there, I found out that the only thing they 
taught me to do was use my imagination.  Taking it 
all round though it is only what you make it so 
when you go into camp it depends on yourself what  
sort of a time you have, and I had a good one.

(2) 
Enclosed you will find those photos, you will also 
find two of an old friend of yours which I thought 
you might like for your collection you will also find 
one of us which I would like you to keep for me 
until I come back as I do not want it to go astray, 
in one of the photos from camp you will not be 
able to recognise me, so I tell you Im the one on the 
outside in shorts, you will know which one I mean 
I also enclosed a few extras which I thought you 
might like to see, if you want any of these photos  
just put a cross on the back of the ones you want and 
I will get them for you. 
Well Dot on "Anzac Day" or at least night I am in 
the Guard which takes over the old A.I.F colours so and after 
the finish the Returned Soldiers League is giveing us a party  
so it should be good, they are holding the lot at the  
Show Ground.  The other day when we were training for 
it they took our photos for the papers. 
You asked me if the A.I.F. was different than the Milita 
well the only difference is as I told you in the Milita  
you imagine things, but in the A.I.F you do things 
instead, you also asked me what I do well in the infantry 
we do the hand to hand fighting, go out on fighting and 
reconnaissance patrols ect ect or at least that is what  
we are trained for. 
As for the girls up here I'm not interested. I would  
not wondering mind meeting your cousin Joy, but I do 
not see how I could fall for her with you hanging 
around, pardon me for laughing but I was just thinking 
(trying to) what you will say when you have read that. 
You also asked me for a few other things which I will leave 
for you to figure out yourself. 

(3) 
I thought I told you about your friend Mr Kelly he 
had an operiation for appendercitis and he is not in 
camp anymore. 
Tell George when he goes into camp that if he is in 
a hut and has electric lights to arrange between the boys 
to get a wireless, we have one in our hut and you 
have no idea what a difference it makes. 
Well Dot I hope to see you before I go but we have 
to expect to leave to-morrow morning if necessary but I do 
not think I will leave before six weeks, and besides I can 
still write from the other side. 
Anyhow as you have no doubt noticed I'm not very 
good at writing letters Dot especially long ones, so until 
the next time which I hope is soon "Cheerio" 
  
Sincerely Yours 
Mac 
 

YMCA with Australian Defence Forces 
  
Young Mens' Christian Association 
Patron: HIS MAJESTY THE KING 
Address your reply as the following example:-- 
Reg. No. V1234, Pte. T. Atkins, 
A Company, 2/5 Battalion  
(or Headquarters, Squadron, or Battery) 
Ingleburn Military Camp, 
(or any other Military Camp in N.S.W. 
as the case may be. 
  
Think Clean 
Talk Clean 
Live Clean 
Play the Game 
  
Write home first 
  
6th May 1940 
"J" Company 
R. I. D.  A. I.F 
Menangle Park, 
Menangle. 
  
Dear Dot, 
Just a few lines to let you know that I received 
your letter ok.  
As you notice I'm still here and I will be for six 
weeks at least, as I told you most of the camp was 
standing by ready to leave at a minutes notice, but 
on account of being in the Guard on Saturday they  
had to leave me behind, I think they had another 
reason also.  
Anyhow they put the Guard on Saturday night and  
it was a big success, after the show was all over,  
they gave us a bottle of beer each for being so 
good, so I had to be take it, I was not going to at 
first especially when I though of what you would say 
With a bit of luck Dot I may still get a chance 
to take you out, if you will go I mean. I do not think 
I will be able to see you after work as it is very 
hard to get out of this place, But I'm certain to get  
final leave before I go so I will see you before I 
go, and as soon as I do leave I will write and let you  
  
PLEASE WRITE ON BOTH SIDES