Letters of Malcolm William Keshan, 1940 (Part 15)

S. A. G

“A” Coy. 19th.Aust.Inf. Tng. Bn. 
A.I.F. 
Abroad. 

Dear Dot, 
Here we are again, I hope you are getting my letters ok, so 
far I have only received only two of yours since I left worse luck 
anyhow dont forget what I said about not waiting for a letter to write. 
In the last one I mentioned getting leave to Jerusalem again, well 
I didnt get it to Jer but I did get it to Gaza, which is not much of a 
place in fact its ol only a large native village from what I could 
see of it, we had an interesting time though. 
It was funny going in we decided not to wait for the bus but to 
walk along the road and pick up the first military truck that came 
past, well we had not gone far when along it came, anyhow he pulled 
up for us and we climbed in the back, there was a strong smell of 
benzine in there, and a big pile covered up by a tarpaulin well at 
the time my mind was far away and I didnt take much notice of it 
the chap that was with me pulled out a cigarette and after lighting it 
and smoking it for a while he decided to have a look under the tarp 
and got quite a surprise when he found out there were tins full 
of benzine which had be opened and the hole blocked up with a 
piece of rag only, it didnt take him long to get rid of his 
cigarette. 
When we arrived at our destination we wandered all over the

(2) 
town and had a look at what was surposed to be Sampsons Tomb 
then we wandered through the Arab quarters which was out of bounds 
to all troops although we didn't know it at the time it was very interesting
though, walking through the narrow streets, and I enjoyed it. We 
happened to run into a place where an Arab Girl had just died, outside 
the house there was a big crowd ,and a boy with a big drum, and another 
with two brass plates, and they just stood there and beat them, I watched 
them for a while, and as far as I could make out they were celebrating 
more than anything, anyhow I decided to find out what I could, so 
I wandered up, and as soon as I got near them they stopped, well I 
tried for a while but couldn't find out anything, as a matter of fact I 
didn't find out about the girl until later when I saw the funeral, anyhow 
I took a few more snaps, and had one taken when in the centre of the 
crowd, but after I received them I decided that there was something 
wrong with the Camera, or the person taking them and Im not going 
to use it anymore, I think its to small. They don't seem to worry about 
death much over here when anyone dies they just say its the will of Allah and 
had to happen. For the funeral they just put the body on a few crossed 
boards and carry up the street on there shoulders beating their drum all 
the time. I think I had better change the subject. 
We also had a look at a Bazar, and they tried to sell up us everything 
but didn’t do any good. the, flies were terrible I’ve never saw so 
many before and they crawl over everything, eats or otherwise. 
I think there must be something in what you Father says about 
there camels darl, I got one kneeling or rather sitting down and

(3) 
thought it was a good opportunity to get a close up, but he had a 
different idea, I got a snap, not a very good one, as his head was in 
the shade, he got to his feet just after I had taken it, and had a go 
at us, it didn’t do him any good though. 
You should see the Arabs plowing, some of them use camels to 
pull the plow, which is made of wood, others use donkeys and some 
a cow and a donkey it looks very funny to see a cow and a donkey 
pulling one. I’ve never seen anything so slow before, they go a 
long way in a very long time, there are a lot of them working no 
far from where we are at present, and I have watched them working 
for the past week and they never seem to get anywhere. 
Just near us there is a Jewish settlement formed by Jews who have 
been forced to leave the country they were in before by the war 
Some of them work near us, and the women work just the same 
as the men. I saw one working on a building the other day, carrying 
timber and useing a hammer and nails , just as good as some of 
the men, they wear in most cases, a blue scaf tied around there 
head to keep their hair in place, a blue blouse and slacks and 
boots something the same as our army boots. 
Well darling I just received a very pleasant surprise, guess what it 
was, now don’t tell me you don’t know? well it was a letter from you, 
and believe me there is only one thing, better than a letter from you, 
and that two letters. 
As you probably know by now I have received two previous letters from 
you and this makes no.3 and that is a very good idea I will number

(4) 
all mine in future starting with this one as no.1 sorry but putting 
the date on them is definately out, its one of the first things on the 
censored list. I knew all about Greta before I left, but I certainly 
did not think it was the best camp in the country, not as far as I 
was concerned anyhow. I can remember a few good nights I missed 
just because it was so far from Sydney, one in particular, I was 
very annoyed with the place after that night, and thought it was 
the worst place in the world. 
Talking about horses I certainly wish I could have got back for 
Derby Day I reckon we could have had a very good day don't you. 
I still have that photograph always will, as for the letter that 
came with it, well I was very cranky the morning I received it darl 
things had not been going good enough to please me, and when I 
read that letter I got worse, anyhow I destroyed the letter there and 
then. I'm glad you cut out that word darl, but do you still feel 
the same about things or not? don't forget to let me know will you, 
at times I think you dont, and then other times I don't know what to 
think, I get a bit confused 
I'm also not sure when you receive my letters Dot, yours 
do take a long time to get here, but a week seems a long time to 
me 
You certainly get funny ideas darl, when I get your letters 
they are anything but stale, and when you start writing this trash 
you talk about, I will let you know, and where the hec do you 
get this boredom and amusement from, and also the can tear it

(5) 
now you shouldn't say those things darl, they are definately out, or 
wrong, you be careful now young lady or I will be going crook 
on you, those letters are one thing I count on getting, and really 
look forward to. And remember you are still writing to the same 
old Mac, you know? the one who just would'nt say goodnight, you 
will find me worse when I come back you will have to put Rex 
onto me and I doubt if he will do any good, anyhow no one could blame 
me for not wanting to, no one. Im still the same I have not changed
in the least, still feel exactly the same as I did before, and I can 
tell you one thing definate nothing can change me and nothing 
ever will never, what is it you used to call me? are I remember 
a swell headed (that the latest) funny faced, dumb and boreing person, that 
me all over. (Pardon my mirth) 
Well darl I will do as you say and lay of the so and so, actually 
I have only had a few little spats since I have been over here 
though it might not look that way after looking at some of the 
snaps I have sent you, but as I said at the time its not so dab 
bad as it looks. 
I got a surprise when I saw the S.A.G on the back on your 
letter, and trust me to tell you not to write until you heard from me 
I do the most stupid things at times, and dont relise it until its to late 
You will find a few snaps enclosed, terrible looking things, they 
reckon over here I look just like a Wog (Arab) we call them Wog's, in 
that snap. 
Well once more Im getting near the finish darl as I dont know

(6) 
just how often you receive my mail I must take this opportunity of 
wishing everyone at home and most of all yourself a very Merry 
Christmas, and I only hope I spend the next one with you. Lots of 
love and until next week Great Big Cheerio 

(Signature) [*J. McKellan*] 
Sincerely yours Forever. X X X X X X 
Mac X X X X X 
X X X X 
X X 
X 


P.S Also wish Old Dave a Merry Christmas for me sweet. 
Mac

PASSED BY CENSOR 
[No. 506] 

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

[1067] 
Sgt Keshan [ ] 
S. A. G

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

Dear Dot, 
Well darl this is No 2, you must have a bad memory darl, you suggested
that we No our letters, and then forgot to number your own, but 
while we are on it, I also made a mistake in saying I could not date them 
because since then I have found out I can, I hope you have received them 
all ok so far, I think you still had another one coming to you by sea 
mail, when you posted this letter you should have it by now though, its 
a big one posted in two parts as I could not get it all in one envelope, incidentally
the censor just walked past and said , What writing another one to Dot, 
but I will have to disappoint him this time, because when I send one in 
these envelopes they are not censored, or at least they only pick a few out 
to censor, I do believe you can get envelopes the same as this at the post 
office anytime you want to. As far as health is concerned my sweet I'm
as fit as a fiddle, just about jumping out of my skin, as the saying goes. How
about yourself got over that sunburn yet, you say thank heavens I can not see
you, but I say just the opposite, you are getting my habits darl remember
how I used to come to work burnt up and looking worse than a boiled
lobster, they do boil them. You will have to excuse the writing darl this paper
is terrible to write on. So you had a go on a surf ski, I always thought that
would be great fun, sorry to hear you received a knock on the jaw though,
but then you can take it, remember how you always had me scared. You
had a good time at Stanwell to. I was glad to hear the lads you went with
were a crowd who refused to "pair off". You don't want to take much notice