Letters of Malcolm William Keshan, 1940 (Part 14)

(2) 
Im sorry but I can not tear it up, and remember I have short thumbs. I think that you had
better write all your letters at night after this, they are very nice, I don't like those one when you go crook
on me for writing something or other. In your answer to this letter, let me know do we or don't we
view things differently, now darl don't forget. Over here they have a rainy season once a year and
from what I have heard it certainly rains, during that time, which is about 6 weeks, when it rains
it is very cold, otherwise its very hot during the day and cold at night, we have had a bit of rain
not much though but it is expected any old time now. This is a very strange place after being
used to Aust it nothing but hills if you get to the top of some of them you can see for miles all
round, not that there is much to see you can't see anything but bare dry ground in most cases
sometimes you might see a few orchards in the distance, in some cases you can't see anything
but rocks which makes the ground useless, you often see Arab Villages they are mostly
made of mud, they get straw and mix it with mud then they make bricks out of it
and put it in the sun to dry after it has dried they build their homes out of it, sometimes
they only consist of one room with a door and a window in it or it may not have
a window and you would have to practically crawl through the door, how anyone
can live in them I don't know but they do, some of them might have three or four rooms. 
I think it all depends on the energy of the builder, so far I have not seen the interior
of there houses if you can call them that, anyhow I don't wish to. You must have noticed
the difference in the writing darl, well you see I have a different pen now, somehow I
lost my own and I had a lend of one until 20 minutes ago, then I decided to buy one
of my own. 
By the way Dot this will probably reach you somewhere near your birthday, so I can't
do it personally, but Many Happy Returns Of the Day and I hope to be with you for the
next, don't forget to have a good time though I don't think there is any need to tell you that. 
I have been doing a bit of good for myself lately, and had a fair bit of leave. 
 

(3) 
I just returned the other day from a trip to Nablus one of the Oldest Towns in Palestine it
certainly is an old place and other than Jacobs Well there is not very much to see, we had
a look at the Well and had a drink out of it, then walked from one end of the town to the
other, the trip out there was very interesting, and the driver we had gave us a few thrills, it
seems that all there Arab drivers, believe that Allah guides them and they can not go wrong
so they just drive for their life and don't worry about anything. Nablus is built in a valley
the shops and theatres and built in the bottom and the houses are built up the side of
the hills on both sides, you will find me jumping about a little Dot as I have
to write as I think of things. I have a lot of different photos darl which I'm going to
send you they are of different Towns and places and if you look on the back of them
you will find that most of them have the name of the place on the back, some of them
are religious darl of Churches and other places of interest let me know, if you
don't want those and I won't send any more, though this is the holy land, and there is
mostly, well almost everything has something to do with religion. I'm sending a few
photos with this letter, you probably will not be very pleased with them Dot but
it's not as bad as it looks. We stopped at Jerusalem for three hours on the way home
from Nablus, we didn't see much as to see anything there you need a couple of days at
least, we visited Old Jerusalem to have a look at the Wailing Wall to get to it we had
to travel through narrow passages, you go up and down steps and twist and turn
and never seem to get anywhere, there are all sorts of shops on both sides and in
almost every corner you find a goat tied, the shops try to sell you things, and
all the time there are children running around you asking for money, it gets
very crowded and is very interesting to see if you can stand the smell and
believe me it takes some standing it very nearly got the best of me, anyhow we
had to get a kiddie to guide us out, and it was certainly a relief to get out. 
 

(4) 
After that we had a feed, and then walked around New Jerusalem its just another modern City
modern in a different way than our places, but its not much, most of the building are white
it certainly has some nice places, and the shops never have the prices on their goods in the window
or otherwise when you enter they look you over and then put their price on the things, it
all depends on what they think they can get; you have to be very careful or get robbed. There
is one thing I can say and that is that the Churches in Jerusalem are something out of the
ordinary, the working in them is beautiful, Ive never seen anything like it before and I sure
you wouldnt anywhere else. The other day we had leave to go to Tel Aviv, its a nice place and
while there I had a good time, its a very big place, and is also modern and busy, they
have beer gardens all over the place, when you go into a restraunt you can sit
inside or out on the footpath, although out on the footpath is not such a good idea
there are dozens of peddlers are you never get any peace, its good to sit there
and watch the people pass up and down the streets, there is just about every nationality,
you can think of in Tel Aviv a real mixture, you can hear the different
language and see the different dresses, they also had a lot of Bing Crosby
record there which they played for us. We visited the Australia Club there, its a
nice place built on the beach, and you can sit there and have something to
eat or drink which ever you like and listen to music and watch the sea its great.
While there we had a photo taken with a little boy siting on one of the chaps knee
when they tried to take the photo he kicked up a devil of a row, he didn't want
to have his photo taken, you should have heard him, in the picture it looks
as though the chap is going to smack him but it just the way it was taken.
You might remember, a fair while ago it had a story in the paper about
two boat loads of refugees going round trying to land somewhere and no
one wanted them and they were not allowed to land anywhere, then 
 

(5) 
when the food and water was running low the Captains of the boats decided
to beach them, well the boat in the back ground of the photo is one of those
boats, the other was a little bit further down. Well darl I going to write every
week if possible, and at least every fortnight and I will send them all Air Mail,
except the photos, what I going to write I don't know, but I will write, I hope you
will be able to send one Air Mail now and then it takes so long the other way.
I got my photo taken dressed in Arab dress you should see it yoa you would
never stop laughing Im not game to send it. 
Well darl I think I have just about reached the end now, that is
for this time, wish everyone the best for me, and don't forget to write soon
Im looking forward to getting a few more letters from you the sooner the better 
Lots of Love Big Cheerio. 
Yours Very Sincerely. xxxxxxx 
Mac xxxxx 
xxx 
xx 
x 
P.S. I certainly miss our good times darl, and I don't like finishing this letter
I'd like to go on writing or better still Id like to tell you all this instead
of write it to you, but I guess it will be a while before I can do that. 
MK 
 

BY AIR MAIL 
PAR AVION 

Miss. D. Williams. 
37 Byrnes St. 
Bexley. 
Via Sydney. 
N. S. W. 
Australia 

Passed by Censor No. 647 
 

NX11067 
Sgt. Keshan M W 
.S.A.G. 
Letter No. 
Recd 20/11/40 

"A" boy. 19th Aust. Inf. Tng. Bn. 
A.I.F. 
Abroad 

Dear Dot, 
Well darl I hope I improve a little on the last letter, as it was the second 
time that I have finished rather sudden, though actually I couldn't help it, I was 
just sitting down writing and thinking, when I started to think along the wrong 
lines sort of thing, which caused me to sign off post it and go for a walk, I went 
back after and tried to write home, but I couldn't even do that. I guess I got it bad sweet. 
How did your birthday go Dot, did you have a good time? I bet you did, wish 
I had been there to help you, though I surpose there were plenty of chaps that 
were quite willing to do that, still going to plenty of dances I surpose, and how 
is the tennis going still winning everything? I hope so, I surpose you are doing 
a lot of swimming by now, and unless I'm mistaken you are just about due to 
go to the Valley for your holidays lucky you. I think I will cut out the paragraphs
again darl. I had another days leave in Tel Aviv last week, I think I 
mentioned I was getting it in the last letter. The first song I heard when I got 
there was Star Dust your favourite, funny but it don't matter where I go I always 
get a reminder of some sort. Well once more we had a great time, we wandered 
all over the place looking in the shops etc, in some shops we tried to bargain for 
different things just for the fun of it, after sending a few of the owners just 
about mad, we decided to have a look at the markets, they turned to be nothing 
less than a dirty hole of a place, I honestly don't know how they sell anything, 
it's terrible, but also very busy, a bit of dirt don't seem to worry anyone in 
the least over here. I took a few snaps of it which I will send. Thats seems to 
 

(2) 

be all I say darl, I took a snap of this and that and will send same, but I will 
remember the one I said I had taken on the donkey well its no good, you wouldn't 
have known which was the donkey anyhow so it don't make much difference. 
Do you remember the cleaner in Grace Building called Jordain, I ran into him 
over here the other day. By the way your old flame has been up home asking 
for my address, you know Gregory he said he's going to look me up, Im thrilled pink 
I surpose I had better tell you darl, the other day I made up my mind, that the 
first race meeting that is held after I get back (if & when) we are going to patronize 
what do you say sweet? I saw the first camel train since I've been here, the other 
day, there were about one hundred of them, and it was just my luck, not to have 
my camera, they certainly believe in loading the camels up over here, you see 
them carrying some enormous bundles. You might remember my saying in one 
of my letters how my mate and yours truly had been able to stick together, well 
it looks as though we are going to get broken up, I wont know what to do for 
a while you see Im the youngest Sgt in the Sgts mess and he was the only one 
I went down with. You mentioned in one of your letters a glorious night over home 
well that one thing they have over here Dot, glorious nights and its not just now 
and again its every night almost. Lately we have been having a lot of rain 
and the place is terrible muddy, but they say you get used to that in the winter. 
Well you might not believe it Dot but I had a screen test this morning, actually 
they took a few snaps of us on the march, which they said would be shown in Aust 
by Christmas Week I dont know if I will be in it or not but I was there when we 
were taken no one will miss me if I am, what with my funny face and swelled 
head etc as you say, how could they. We have a beaut little pup in our mess he 
bites everyone on the heels as they come in the door. Im getting very annoyed 

(3) 

just at present darl, and I'll explode in a minute, there making that much noise, 
and every now and then some stupid fool comes up and sits on the table. Im getting 
near the finish darl wont be long now. Don't forget to wish everyone all the best 
for me etc, and tell Ray I will write later. I can see it coming Dot if Im here much 
longer someone is going to get told off. Enclosed you will find a few snaps the small 
ones are the size my camera takes so you see I have to get them enlarged. 
Well darl I will have to end now, will write again next week, up to date I 
have only had two letters from you, hope to get lots more soon. Until the 
next time "Big Cheerio". Lots of Love. 

Yours Very Sincereley xxxxxx 
Mac xxxxx 
xxxx 
xxx 
xx 
x 


P.S Sorry its as short but I never was any good at writing letters. 
MK 
 

A. F W3078 (Crown Copyright Reserved) 
ACTIVE SERVICE 

This envelope must not 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 this on my honour that the con- 
tents of this envelope refer to nothing 
but private and family matters. 
[* PASSED BY CENSOR No.647*] 
Signature } 
Name only } Sgt Kershan M W. 

[Up to three [[?]] 
this Cover, but these must be all from the 
same writer. The cover should be addressed 
in such case to the Base Censor.] 

Address:- 
Miss. D. Williams 
37 Byrnes St 
Bexley 
Via Sydney 
N.S.W. 
Australia