Letters of Malcolm William Keshan, 1940 (Part 19)

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Subject:
  • Love Letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
AWM2019.22.13
Difficulty:
2

Page 1 / 6

A bay 19 Aust Inf. Ting. Bn A.S.F. Abroad. 3.1.20 Dear Do Well daol here I am again with a pen ink and pad to see if I cant fill a few page with news att, this makes hognaw, I guen it wont be long before I reach double figures, this is not going to be a long letter as there is very little to tell you, most of it will be in answer to you letter hos, which incidentally I received on Christmas Eve, remember me saying in the last letter I was disappointed because I would not get a letter from you before Christmas, well as you see I was wrong, and very pleaces tha I reas. Im glos to tear you are getting my letters regiter Dat, I was not sure just haw you would receive them, I thought you migh have received them about once a month. And another thing youn lady never mind trying to tell me that bet was only for matches, because it won work, not if I can help it any haw, you just wait and res, and its to sate to get out of it, so dont try. Well you certainly surprised me darl, I wouldn't have known you worked at Phrie, that is worked hard, if you hadnt told me, and you say that you could show us soldiers a thing or twr, well that ah with me, if you like you can come over here and be my personal instructor, but I wont promise to do exactly as you tell me, not all the time anyhaw. That will be she day sarl the day you samed I wonder who the lucky guy will be Falking of marriage reminds me, one of the chaps over here received a present from his iod friend the other day, it was a piece of her widding cake, not bad hub. You were right sarl, I am an ald ars, a bit of a foot to I
but then Ion a funny person and get furny ideas at tin trauble to I have been taking to much for granted tust me, but naw being in my position, so far away I mean, I quers there is nothing slre I can do but leave it all to you and hope for the best, but donet say Imnat a trier, and naw the next mane so yours, dent forget to det me know if you decide on anyhing haw listen, say off this talk about getting my foat bitten off by a camel, you will be making me nerviaus if you dent. That map of the boat was taken in the sucy just in case you would like to knaw Just a reminder darl if my letters stop all of a rudden dent let that stop yours, you can never tell when mine might get held up for a month or even more, dent forget naw, I will write regular, and yau will probably continue to get the letter regular, but thats just in case you don't. Haw did Christmos go wnt did you have a good time, and the tew Year I hape you injayed yound we celebrated Christmas rather well over here, had a party in the Syds hew with free beer and sots of toacto, which I drank in tea, I didnt have a drink believe it or not seeing you seem to think Im such a heavy drinker. All the Sgs and Officers acted as waiters for the men on Chustmas day talk about fun, I don think I made a very good waiter I used to sat as much as I rened out butt it was fun while it tarted. Its funny in our tent when ever any of us receive a parcel everyone gathers araund while he opens it, and if there is anything in it catable there is a general chuer, and a chorus something else for us to sat, thats all we sem to have been daing sately sating, sine just before bhailmar up till to day we have been having six meals a day, between sight of us we have cleaned up about twelve cakes just as many plum pusdings and tins and tins of fruit and cream, and twe stanted to put in weight tet I surpose I will soon loone it all again after the hew year and when I get down to a bit of hand wont again 1ye 1so
Enclosed you will find a fu maps sweet, they were taken in Gaza, and there not very good ones though, there is ore of an Arat making clay pats he has a lump of clay in from of him its interesting to watch a there is two others taken with the Patestine and next men Sohn horr Sampsons Tomb, the day we took shore we les trying to got the chap there to bring out two wited de hume henres they had there so we could map them, they were the best looking horses ee ever sen honort and I wish we could have map them, they were valued a $600 each. Son glad to hear George likes camp, its ot for a while but then you can have to much of anything wish him all the best for me when you see him meat. Well I quers this is gaing to be a very shout letter sweet as its getting to mainy so write hauseur Ill leave it sentil to morraw ert 18 sc I am swcet tack again an t matting of interes to tell you. You rem ember me saying tree and I were tock together again, well ws split again on Sunday ware buck you will probably be down at the Valley on your hob sdays when this arrives, I was guing to address it to you there, but I chaught I had better not, Le me knaw if Ray has left the Building, as you mentioned if he has Iwill dras him a few lines with your address as he can pow thos po on to you. Well seeet I guess this is just about the linit this time one all the bect for me, and hats of have, son' forget to have ad time on your hals, So it's unto next week when I will be writing again Great Oig Cheeris and don ferget to write Very Sinerely Yours & F M P.4. Eewn tangh there is inly the pages thy are filled or dont get or only writing three. m
ACTIVE 22 This cnclope must not be ueed for coin or valuables Ii cannot be accepted for registration. Nork:- Corcyodence in tt omeore ned not be censored Regimentally. Tho contenes are liable to examination at the Base The Collofin Ceritieaie must be signed by te cr i o that the con eloll veser to nothing wnl bu v and sagiy matters. W323 M. Keshan SERVICE Op to three letters may be forwarded in this Cover, but these must roth arter e sol ts i t cas to the Bare Consor.) Address: Mirs D. Williams 27 Byrnes W. Bexley Sydney p.p. W. Austral
Renni

Received 7/1/41
SAG

 

"A" Coy. 19 Aust: Inf. Tng. Bn.
A.I.F.
Abroad.
31.12.40


Dear Dot,
Well darl here I am again with a pen ink and pad to see if I
cant fill a few pages with news etc, this makes No 7 now, I guess it
wont be long before I reach double figures, this is not going to be a long
letter as there is very little to tell you, most of it will be in answer to your
letter No 4, which incidentally I received on Christmas Eve, remember me
saying in the last letter I was disappointed because I would not get a
letter from you before Christmas, well as you see I was wrong, and very
pleased that I was. Im glad to hear you are getting my letters regular
Dot, I was not sure just how you would receive them, I thought you
might have received them about once a month. And another thing young
lady never mind trying to tell me that bet was only for matches, because
it wont work, not if I can help it any how, you just wait and see, and
its to late to get out of it, so dont try. Well you certainly surprised me darl,
I wouldn't have known you worked at Phsie, that is worked hard, if you
hadn't told me, and you say that you could show us soldiers a thing or
two, well that ok with me, if you like you can come over here and be
my personal instructor, but I wont promise to do exactly as you tell
me, not all the time anyhow. That will be the day darl the day you
get married I wonder who the lucky guy will be. Talking of marriage
reminds me, one of the chaps over here received a present from his
girl friend the other day, it was a piece of her wedding cake, not
bad huh. You were right darl, I am an old ass, a bit of a fool to I
 

 

(2)
guess, but then Im a funny person and get funny ideas at times, the main
trouble is I have been taking to much for granted trust me, but now
being in my position, so far away I mean, I guess there is nothing else I
can do but leave it all to you and hope for the best, but dont say Im not
a trier, and now the next move is yours, dont forget to let me know if you
decide on anything. Now listen, lay off this talk about getting my foot bitten
off by a camel, you will be making me nervous if you don't. That snap
of the boat was taken in the Suez just in case you would like to know. Just
a reminder darl if my letters stop all of a sudden dont let that stop yours, you
can never tell when mine might get held up for a month or even more, dont
forget now, I will write regular, and you will probably continue to get the
letter regular, but thats just in case you don't. How did Christmas go sweet
did you have a good time, and the New Year I hope you enjoyed yourself
we celebrated Christmas rather well over here, had a party in the Sgts mess
with free beer and lots of toasts, which I drank in tea, I didn't have a drink
believe it or not seeing you seem to think Im such a heavy drinker. All the
Sgt's and Officers acted as waiters for the men on Christmas day talk about
fun, I dont think I made a very good waiter I used to eat as much as I served
out but it was fun while it lasted. Its funny in our tent when ever any of
us receive a parcel everyone gathers around while he opens it, and if there
is anything in it eatable there is a general cheer, and a chorus something
else for us to eat, thats all we seem to have been doing lately eating, since
just before Christmas up till to-day we have been having six meals a
day, between eight of us we have cleaned up about twelve cakes just as
many plum puddings and tins and tins of fruit and cream, and Ive
started to put in weight but I suppose I will soon loose it all again after
the New Year and when I get down to a bit of hard work again. (Yes I do.)
 

 

(3)
Enclosed you will find a few snaps sweet, they were taken in Gaza, and
there not very good ones though, there is one of an Arab making clay pots,
its interesting to watch one minute he has a lump of clay in front of him
and next minute its a pot, then there is two others taken with the Palestine
Police horses, and one outside Sampsons Tomb, the day we took those we
visited the Municipal Stables trying to get the chap there to bring out two
horses they had there so we could snap them, they were the best looking
horses Ive ever seen honest and I wish we could have snap them, they were
valued at £600 each. Im glad to hear George likes camp, its ok for a while,
but then you can have to much of anything, wish him all the best for me
when you see him next. Well I guess this is going to be a very short letter
sweet as its getting to noisy to write however Ill leave it until to-morrow
and see if I cant improve it a little then so until tomorrow "Cheerio". Well
here I am sweet back again and still nothing of interest to tell you. You remember 
me saying Mac and I were back to-gether again, well we split again
on Sunday worst luck. You will probably be down at the Valley on your holidays 
when this arrives, I was going to address it to you there, but I thought
I had better not. Let me know if Ray has left the Building, as you mentioned,
if he has I will drop him a few lines with your address as he can post those
snaps on to you. Well sweet I guess this is just about the limit this time
wish everyone all the best for me, and Lots of Love, don't forget to have
a good time on your hol's. So it's until next week when I will
be writing again "Great Big Cheerio" and dont forget to write.

                                                                                                         x     x     x     x
                                                      Very Sincerely Your's        x    x      x     x     x
                                                                Mac                                x     x      x     x

                                                                                                            x      x     x

                                                                                                                 x     x
P.S. Even though there is only three pages they are well           x
filled so don't get cranky at me for only writing three.
                                                                                         Mac

                                                                                         X

 

 

A. F. W3078
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 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.

Signature

Name only
M. Keshan

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

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

 

Received
16/1/41

 S.A.G.
 

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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