Letters of Malcolm William Keshan, 1940 (Part 18)

(3)   
thing that annoyed me most was everyone calling me Young Keshan or 
Young Fellow especially when a lot of them act worse than a crowd 
of school kids, but I get my own back by calling them Old Fellow they 
get more annoyed that I do. Now young lady if you were in my  
position and you wanted someone in Aussie to have your address what 
would you do? personally I would write to them, that lets Kelly out. 
You beat my five pages every time darl, and dont forget to keep it up  
I can take it, the more you beat me by the better I like it, and anytime 
you fail to beat me, dont be surprised if I go crook.  Well sweet you don't  
have to put the other bit, as I can I believe read between the lines, but 
you have changed so suddenly in other letters that Im not sure if I'm 
right or wrong, and sometimes I wonder if the next one will change, that’s  
the reason I wanted to see that bit, just to ease my mind. I think I had 
better change the subject I'm starting to get that chronic feeling, though 
its very common when I'm writing to you. 
Here's another little shock for you. I have finally posted by boat 
mail one photo Album + a few snaps posted on the 14th Dec 40 I do hope  
they arrive ok let me know if they dont. you will also find corners to  
put the snaps in, but no letter.  you will find that I did start to put 
the snaps in it myself when suddenly I thought it was stupid of me 
as it was your album & snaps, and you might not like the way I  
was putting them in, besides some of them are no good I just got the 
lot and put them in I decided that whatever you thought were no 
good you could discard you will find quite a few, however you do 
just as you please. 
I had my first look at a Race since I left Australia the 
other day darl, but I did not have a punt. They were donkey races run 

(4) 
by the Soldiers for the Soldiers and Nurses and talk about funny, they had  
six starters each race, the course was about 150 yards long the jockeys 
were some of the Soldiers, and they had tote betting, that is if you wanted 
to bet, strange to say I didn't, the riding gear consisted of a saddle 
+ a halter with out any bit, and they had about 30 donks in a ring 
and the jockeys just go and pick which ever they think is the best out 
of the bunch, then they give them a name and number, then they line 
up at the starting post, and some one yells out go, thats where the fun 
starts the donkeys run every where but in the right direction talk about 
laugh. 
By the way getting back to your letter, I was very glad to hear you 
had a nice Birthday and thats a great idea about having your 
photo taken I'll be expecting it in every letter. whats got me worried 
is you receiving that basket of flowers again, that means another 
rival and I have to many as it is, Im getting jealious, remember 
how you accused me of sending them last year and even when I 
said I didnt, you doubted it, correct? Your description of the East is 
right it is nothing but a ,smelling, pedlerly, beggarly place thats 
it all over, but one thing they do have and thats lovely nights, there 
they really have something but even so they are all wasted, and  
there certainly is no place like home.  
Well believe it or not, Ive had a ride on a camel , and what's 
more he did not bite my foot off, it wasn't a very long ride as a 
matter of fact you could hardly call it a ride at all, the stupid 
looking Arab wouldn't let me ride it on my own, he wanted to either 
get up with me or just lead it around he was not as clean as 
he could have been so I wouldn't let him hop up, so it only walked 

(5)  
around, the worst part was when it was getting up and down 
first of all you get a terrific jerk which almost throws you over 
his head, and before you have recovered from that you get jerked 
back the other way and almost fly over his back, and believe me if you 
don't get a  firm hold you get off a lot quicker than you got on, they 
have two sticks running right through the saddle and they extend 
about a foot out of both ends, so you can grasp one in front and 
one at the back and hold tight, even so it almost jerks your head off.  
I got a snap of if it I will send with this letter. 
Maybe you have seen this place on the screen  darl, with its  
glamorous women etc, well dont you believe it, its women are any 
thing but glamorous they are horrible looking people not that they can 
help their looks but they can keep clean if they want to but they dont. 
Gee darl this is the second time I wrote this letter I finished 
it yesterday then tore it up after reading it however I will post 
this one. 
Well darl whi wish everyone all the best for me and don't 
forget to write soon and often, Lots of Love sweet and don't forget 
to take good care of yourself. So until next time "Big Cheerio" 
  
Very Sincerely Yours       x   x   x   x    x 
Mac                               x   x   x   x 
                                          x   x   x 
                                          x  x  
                                            x 
  
P.S Please excuse writing etc 
Mac 

BY AIR MAIL 
PAR AVION 
Miss. D. Williams. 
37 Byrnes . St: 
Bexley. 
Sydney. 
N. S. W. 
Australia.  

Sgt. Keshan 
NX11069. 
Received 2nd Jan 1941. 
S. A. G. 

                                                                                                      
"A" Coy 19th Aust.Inf.Tng. Bn. 
A.I.F. 
Abroad 
22nd Dec 1940 

My Dearest Dot, 
Hows that for the start of my sixth letter, or at least had I have mail 
-ed more than six, I suppose if you had not previously said the word was 
definately out, you would say it was mushy, right? Well darl I have received 
another one of your letters still unnumbered though, but it brings the total 
to six now, three boat mail and three Air, I think your letters travel a lot 
faster than mine do sweet, and incidentally only one of them has been censored, 
I did expect to get another one with to-days mail but was disappointed 
it was the last mail before Christmas. I thought that piece about Kelly would 
get you wild, remember how I have always wanted to see you when you were 
wild. I hope I soon get a chance to do so. In your reference to one of my other 
letters, I just can't place the part about growing old, I wonder what it was. You 
say darl that when I get back I'm going to run walk dance and swim etc, well 
I know that sweet, but what is really worrying me is who with. You were 
quite correct in saying it must make me feel glad I'm an Aussie after looking 
at these Arabs, the greatest percentage of them, are nothing more that dirty  
cunning and cruel lazy people, it doesn't sound very nice I know but its a 
proved fact, personally I can't stand them, I suppose I could feel sorry for 
them if they would only try to be a bit clean, but then they wont, and after 
all water costs nothing not even in Palestine. I did see one of them doing 
a spot of washing the other day, a most unusual ((?)) sight, he was washing  
a pair of sox, and the funny part about it was he still had them on his feet. I 
may be wrong however as he might have been washing his feet its hard to say. 

(2) 
As for the Wogs amusement darl well other than pictures I don't know that 
they have any, even so they only have pictures in the bigger towns and its 
mostly only the better class of Arabs that goes to them, still the others must have 
some sort of amusement, maybe they get it by beating the little donkeys the 
way they do, I visited their theatre in Gaza the other night and received quite 
a surprise when I entired the place its an open air place and a lot better 
than I expected, clean and not bad at all, when they play records they play one 
English and one Arabic, the Arab are terrible things to listen to the others are not 
bad though Begin the Begin and others like that. As for the dress well in places like 
Tel Aviv etc its mostly after the style of our own, though you do see a little of 
everything almost, and some wear a little of both, in places like Gaza however 
it's mostly Arab dress. Im glad you liked the snaps darl and I hope you 
like all the others that are on there way, you will find two more enclosed and I have 
some still to be developed, it will probably be a long time before you receive the ones 
I sent by boat. And once again I repeat myself and say I don't drink not Irak or 
anything else. You are right when you say this place and the trip is all very 
fascinating and a marvellous experience it is but its also very easy to get tired of 
after seeing all these different places you start to relise what a great place Australia really 
is. Im pleased to find out we are going to the Races when I get back, its something to 
look forward to. Well there's no doubt about women, all the same, that is in this respect 
that they must get a new outfit to go here, and another one to go there, and then another 
for the Races, you don't need a new outfit just to go the Races with me darl, and 
another thing you wouldnt need one to create a sensation, you would show the 
other women up even if you went in rags shall we say, but if you want to get 
an outfit you will have time, because you must remember I will have to 
get an outfit myself, so one night we will go shopping if you like and I will 
watch you pick your outfit, then you can help me pick my own, what do you

(3) 
say, anyone would think we were going next week if they were to read this, wish 
we were. I hope this drought you spoke about has broken so everything will 
be nice and green for you when you go to the Valley for your holidays, and 
don't forget to have a good time, though I don't think there is any need to tell you 
that, as you always do. You must have made a mistake sweet we couldn't have 
a dog like yours in the army, what was it you called him well mannered wasn't it 
are you sure you didn't mean cissy, they wouldn't stand for a dog like that. (What 
was that you said, and after me telling you to count ten first to) Sorry darl only joking 
Im afraid you have me again darl, you say judging by the ending of my 
last letter I must be getting old and cranky. why what have I been and gone 
and said now. You ask me what I like to hear about well darl, you mainly 
and after that just ramble on, anything at all, and just forget about boring 
me thats impossible you couldnt not you. Talking about that light out in 
front of your place certainly brings back memories, and makes me feel 
homesick, when I think of them I often wonder why I ever joined the army, but 
then I had joined the army before those nights happened, and I think you had 
better either shift the house or the post because if its still there when I get back I 
will be tempted to chop it down, the post I mean. I wonder what you would have 
said if I had kissed you that night in the train. I remember it well that was 
one of the nights of our, or should I say my, week of weeks. Well darl last week 
I posted two letters to you, or at least one letter in a green envelope and a few 
snaps in a plain one you should receive them both at the same time. I 
also wrote to Ray and gave him a few snaps to give you, the ones with the 
numbers on are of the Suez hope you like them. At present there is a singing 
contest going on darl, Im trying to write a letter and down one end of 
the room there are six Sgt under the influence singing, at the same time 
there are about eight up the other end trying to out sing the six, talk

(4) 
about noise. You should see the Gaza Gardens darl they are said to be the 
best gardens in Palestine and every body tells you so if they can make you 
understand, however it dont say much for Palestine. I dont know what they 
would say if they were to see ours, and they would be speachless if they saw 
the Cinnamon Gardens. Well darl my cabin mate and myself are back 
to-gether again and going strong. Gosh Im getting feed up darl Ive 
thought of throwing in my stripes a few times in the last week as I look 
like being made an instructor which is no good to me. 
Well darl wish your Mum & Dad all the best for me and tell George I 
feel sorry for him. I hope you can understand this writing etc ok. 
So sweet once again its Lots & Lots of Love and I do miss you more 
than you think well "Big Cheerio" 
                                                                                                                           
Very Sincerely Yours    
Mac 
x 
xx 
xxx 
xxxx 
xxxxx 
xxxx 
xxx 
xx 
x 
  
P.S. Hope you had a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year. 
Mac               

A. F. W3078 
(Crown Copyright Reserved) 
ACTIVE SERVICE  
AIR-MAIL. 
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 folowing Certificate must be  
signed by the writer:- 
I certify on my honour that the contents 
of this envelope refer to nothing 
but provide and family matters. 
Signature 
Name only 
M. Kehsan.  
(Up to three letters may be forwarded in 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. 
Sydney 
N.S.W 
Australia.