Letters of Malcolm William Keshan, 1940 (Part 16)

(2)

of me darl, over here I gets lots of time to think, to much, and at times after
reading your letters, I think whats the use, especially when you refer to the other
chaps and the good times you have with them, I don't know but maybe Im 
jealous, I don't like to think they are having a good time and I can't.  We hear very
few of the latest songs over here darl, but lately I have been going to the pictures
every night though last night it was a concert instead, put on by the English
Soldiers a very good one to, they have one of the best rythm Bands I have ever
heard, real hot to, and did they go to town, I'll thay. So still going to physi darl,
what do you do there, sit down and talk about people, and the way they dress and
the hats they wear, I surpose, until its time to come home (naughty naughty don't forget 
your a lady)  Well I hope by the time you receive this you have had plenty of rain
and everything is ok, but I cant say that I would like to see any over here its such a muddy
place when it rains.  You were correct in your reference to the "line" as I put it, I
was not sure if you would work it out. So you cleaned up on the Melbourne
Cup, good on you, but just because you had a win don't take up gambling darl.
You say don't go getting any ideas in reference to buying wives, it might not go
over in Aussie but it would be a good idea in a way, then I might have a
chance of getting what I wanted, but at present I'm getting no where fast.
When you mentioned those Weddings I thought you were referring to yourself
had me worried for a minute, anyhow I had the nicest little tin opener, but
Im glad I wont have to send it as a present, not that I want it I don't. So you went
to see Sea Hawk its nice to hear you think we had a much better time when
we went to see His Favourite Wife, I know I had a grand time, You said
ten to one I would not know the name of that picture darl, well I had ten on
in so thats one hundred you owe me, I'll collect them when I get back in the
meantime you can guess what they are, which should not be hard, it was bad
business on your part, thats one of those nights I could not forget if I tried.

(3)

So you dont show Ray my letters, and you say thanks to your instructions
there is nothing in them that would make you blush, well by now you may
have noticed that I have not been following your instructions as I should be. I
can't figure you out at times some of your letters are so different, still I look
forward to getting them all, incidentally I received your last letter about five
minutes after I had posted my No 1 to you, you should get this about a week
after it as it will go with the following mail, I received your No3 on the 24th Nov
and you should get one of mine very close to your birthday and what is
more I did not forget it, another thing they do not censor your boat mail.
Boy am I waiting on that Christmas letter, keep them coming I can't get
enough, so don't stop at a Christmas letter.  You should read some of the
books over here darl, they read back the front; from the back of the book and
from right to left, when talking to the Arabs they say we read back the front
not them.  The shepherd boys play a pipe and walk around their sheep all
the time, I tried to buy one of the pipes, but they wanted to much seeing I didn't
want it to play, anyhow they are only made of reeds, but they have a funny noise
incidentally you should see the sheep, you would never know they were sheep
unless someone told you they look more like mountain goats.  We have a complaint 
over here darl known among the troops as desert madness, well I think
its just about caught up with me, the other day I was standing near a dish of
water talking to one of the chaps when he dropped his spoon into the dish not
thinking I bent down and dived my hand into the dish watch and all, I was
fishing around for quite a while before I relised I had it on.  They certainly
have good saddles on the donk's over here darl you should try one some time
all you have to do is get a charf bag fill it with straw and tie it on the horse or
donk's back and you have one.  I made a parcel out of these photos I have
and was about to mail it when I decided to send a few with each letter instead

(4)

you are more certain of getting them that way. Once more I am going to
say Merry Christmas to all as this might also reach you before it so darl
lots of love don't forget to write very soon, and I do hope these letters dont
bore you to much. Until next week "Big Cheerio"

Very Sincerely Yours, xxxxxxx
                                   xxxxxx
Mac                            xxxxx
(Dont forget you         xxxx
owe me 100)                xxx

P.S. Those ones for me in case I was lonely were very welcome
as every time I think of you which is always I feel that way.
Mac 

A. F. W3078
ACTIVE

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 on my honour that the con-
tents of this envelope refer to nothing
but private and family matters.

PASSED BY CENSOR

NO. 506

Signature}
Name only}
M.Keshan.

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

S.A.G

"A" Coy 19^th Aust.Inf TngBn
A.I.F.
Abroad

4.12.40.

My Dear Dot,

Well darl this makes No3 of these boreing letters dont say they
not because they must be, there is very little I can tell you, so
just to make up a few pages I have to put in all the trash
about the place, dont get mixed up by that, there are certain things
I write which are not trash, not in my opinion anyhow.

One of these days I will write pages, telling you what I
could actually tell you in one word, if I was game, but you
would definately think it was trash and would probably think
me very stupid not to mention a lot of other things. 

I suppose you have been going crook about No2 letter
what with me telling you, you must be getting absent minded
for not numbering your last letter and then forgetting to date
my own, especially after saying I was allowed to do so, thats me
all over though, as soon as I had sealed it I suddenly remembered
I had forgot to date it, and it was to late then anyhow it was the
27th Nov 40. I posted one to Ray on the same day let me know if you
both receive them on the day darl. I want to know if they hold
the green envelope up or not. 

We have just been holding a meeting as to just what we are
going to do at Christmas, so far we have decided to have a big
party, and celebrate it the best we can, wherever we may happen
to be at the time.

(2)

Well darl I should have plenty to tell you in No4 as I have just
been granted leave to go to Jerusalem to morrow. I don't say I will
have but I should have, and whats more I will have two mornings
to sleep it in, which will certainly be a change.

I dont think you would be so fond of dancing  if the conditions
or at least floor, was the same same over there as it is here, you see in
nine cases out of ten its concrete, they are polished but I should
imagine they would make your feet very sore, I have seen them
but not danced on one, they have a lot of night Clubs in Tel
Aviv all with concrete floors, you can go there for supper any
time you like, they are open until all hours of the morning
and they put on some very good floor shows, they also have plenty
of ladies to dance with if you wish, I dont wish.

How is everything going at home darl, did you have a good
time at the Valley? I bet you did, still are maybe? how are all
my rivals, have they cut me out yet, maybe Im taking a lot for
granted when I say that, they probably dont have to cut me out, as the
saying goes,

Did you get that rain that was so badly needed darl, or is it still
dry, the rain has certainly set in over here, it nearly washed us
away and the place is just one big mud hole.

You should see the latest craze darl it's mustache growing
and believe me some of them have beauts, though I havent grown
one yet.

Once again I repeat myself and say, I dont know just
when this letter will reach you. So I will take this opportunity
to wish your Mum Dad & George & last but most important 

Yourself a very Happy New Year. Just think of how we could celebrate, 
if I were only over there darl, that is if you didnt go to
the Valley, I have thought of dozens of different ways of doing
it, anyhow maybe we will get a chance to celebrate the next one.
I hope so

I also hope to get a letter of to Ray in the same mail as
this one so dont forget to let me know if you both receive
them at the same time darl.

Do you remember saying in one of your letters that we
refused to say Good well darl I know of one time when
you did say it, that was the last time I saw you the night
after the dance, you said it as I went out the gate, at the time
I paused and was going to remark on it, then changed my
mind, I thought about it all the way home then.

Well sweet once again I must finish not because duty
calls, but I've simply run out of news if you can call it that
and so Lots & Lots of Love and a "Big Cheerio"

                                    xxxxxx
Very Sincerely Yours,    xxxxx  
                Mac               xxxx
                                        xxx
                                        xx
                                        x

P.S Dont forget to write soon and always.

Mac

Air Mail
A. F. W3078
ACTIVE SERVI

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 on my honour that the contents
of this envelope refer to nothing
but private and family matters.
No.647

Signature}
Name only}
M.Keshan.

[Up to three letters may be forwa
Cover, but these must be all fro
writer. The cover should be addre
case to the Base Censor.]

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

S.A.G

Received 18/12/40