Letters between Malcolm William Keshan and Dorothy Williams, 1941 - Part 4

(4) 
-ntain to the floor of Derna Valley which is about 1000 ft down, they had  
blown parts of it up but our chaps soon fixed that up, the Valley is a  
fair size and had been colonized, from the top of the mountain you 
could see the full length of the Valley with the town on the sea shore 
and a wall built right around it, all the houses are flat topped and  
white, and I think just coming out of the desert would make it look a 
lot better than it actually was to us, but it certainly was a pretty sight  
sight, we didn't stay in Derna just passed through, and it wasn't dam- 
aged much at all, once again the Wog spoilt the place, we had to go  
up another pass to get out which was much the same as the first only 
not so steep, that night we stopped and had tea then rolled into bed 
under the stars fully clothed and ready to move at a moments notice.
Next morning up before the sun a cold breakfast and on again, you
don't have time to wash or shave, and even if you did, you haven't
got enough water.  I'm sure if you were to see me some times you wouldn't
know me, with three of or four days beard on my face loaded like a
pack horse and covered in dust; why I don't know myself when I
finally do get a chance to shave.  Well form there we pushed on through
Barce, there we had to go down yet another pass and this was even
better than Derna there was a lot of arguement about it some saying
it was better than our own Bulli, personally I wont say but it
certainly was marvelous, a great big stretch of green fields dotted
at equal distances by white houses and the town built in the centre
it was the best piece of country I had seen so far we didn't stop
just passed through then on through Tocra which is more or

(continued on back of page (1))

(5) 
less a Wog Village, from there on the type of country improves 
a lot but there is very little to see just a cottage here or there 
nothing of any interest though.  I finally caught up with and 
joined my unit just this side of Bengasi.  Looking at Bengasi from  
the distance it is a very big place and being white looks very 
impressive but when you get into the place it's not so hot a real 
dump of a place, once more the Wog is very prominent and a pain 
in the neck, and in the finish nearly all of them were wearing Iti 
uniforms which they had found, well we lived a life of leisure there 
for a few days everyone had as much tin fruit as they wanted and 
all kinds, though you could not compare it with Australian stuff 
I had a little of everything we got it all buckshee (free) to, just a 
matter of finding a way of getting it home from town, it was no 
trouble to get a push bike or anything like that, whilst wandering 
around one day we found a big Cave which had been a tourists 
spot, it was an excellent place for a swim and had electric light 
and everything, when I say excellent place for a swim I mean it 
led to an excellent place, we managed to get the light turned on 
and went down as far as we could and came to a beaut under- 
ground pool of fresh water, there was a platform leading out into 
it and two rowing boats, the lights were coloured and shining 
on the walls giving the place a great appearence the rock was all 
white like chalk and the water crystal clear, and boy did we have 
a good time, later we found out that it was an underground river  
called the Lete which ran into the River Sticks and there was some

(back of page (2))

(6)  
sort of a yarn attached to it but I didn't take much notice of it, to me 
it was a good swimming hole and thats all I wanted, well we stayed  
there for a while and then ^ they decided to head back so now Im on my 
way back again. 
I don't know whether you have received any snaps from Mac 
yet, but he is going to post some to you for me you will probably 
have them by this anyhow I hope you like them, and incidentally 
the date to-day is the 28^th Feb 1941 so you see its taken me four days to 
write this letter. you will also have to excuse me for writing on both 
sides but paper is scarce and I wanted to get a few pages away even 
if they did happen to bore you.  Im improving sweet, dont you think 
six pages. I could have got more in still only I didnt want to bore 
you to much.  What I am wild at was I left my camera at 
Palestine with Mac and I could have got some beaut photos 
but thats just like me.  And another thing I had a little celebrat- 
ion the day we left in the Sgt Mess not much though, so I hope 
you will let me off this time. 
How is everyone at home going darl ok, wish them all the 
best for me and how's George, getting up any higher yet, still plenty  
of dancing etc I suppose.  Well once more I have something to tell 
you. I have decided that we are going to a Ball shortly after I get 
back ok, that makes two things now the Races and a Ball and I  
wont take no for an answer, I made up my mind last night. 
but just in case you would like to know there will be no beer ok. 
I know Im taking a lot for granted in thinking you will still 
want to go with me, but I hope Im correct, I say these things 
 and hope for the best

( back of page (3))

(7) 
I often wonder just what it will be like to see you again sweet 
you know it's a long time now, since I last saw you, have you  
changed at all,  I hope not, I bet I dont know just what to say 
the first time I see you, but then it wont take me long for me to 
think of something. 
By the way did you get those snaps off Ray yet, and what 
about that one of yourself your were going to send me, don't for- 
get it Ive been waiting for it. 
Well darl there is not much more I can bore you with 
Im in the best of health at present, even if I am a little sick  
of this land of sin for thats about the best name I know of for this 
country. and I hope I'II be back with you soon the sooner the better 
Well darl once again its Lots & Lots of love all the best and take 
care of yourself "Great Big Cheerio"                          x x x x 
xxxx 
Very Sincerely Yours  xxxx 
Mac    xxxx     
xxx 
xx 
x                               
P.S. Please excuse the writing and mistakes    
Mac x                                   
P.S.S Did you find out the name of that song.         
Mac x

A. F.W 3078.  (Crown Copyright Reserved) 
ACTIVE SERVICE 
C  & Co (B) Ltd  
-AIR-MAIL- 
This envelope must not be used for            
coins of 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 
*PASSED UNIT 280* 
 [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.
Austra

S.A.G. 
  
Received 21/3/41 

"A" Coy . 2/4^th Bn. 
A.I.F. 
Abroad 
10^th March 41. 
  
Dear Dot, 
Well I have just had the very great pleasure, of receiving 
another one of your letters, the one dated 29^th Jan , and the first for 
about a month, and it seems like three honest, gosh they take a  
long while to get to me sweet, I think I'II have to complain to the 
postal authorities about the delay.  I was glad to hear that you are 
having a good time on your hol's, I knew you would you always 
do down in the Valley. So far Im doing ok over here, in the best of  
health and all that, but it certainly is a case of "Be it ever so humble 
there's no place like home" has been for quiet a while as a matter of 
fact darl. I'm worried that some one may get in on me, so to speak, 
catch on, you'll probably say dont be silly but I still worry, another 
thing I found a big hole full of trouble, and jumped into the centre 
of it, or Im about to.  You remember I told you I had been reduced 
to the ranks, well so far Im still a Sgt even though I dont wear the 
stripes its still in my pay book and Im still getting a Sgts pay, 
and I went poking my nose around and found out, that seeing 
that my rank is confirmed, and is a promotion and not an app- 
ointment, they can not reduce me to the ranks unless they give 
me a court martial first, unless I happen to be ineficient,  which 
Im not, or if I am there are a terrible lot of ineficient Officers 

(2) 
anyhow they havent given me a chance to prove myself, and I'm 
sure Im not going to take it lying down, they are pretty hard to beat 
but Im going to give it a fly, you never get anywhere by letting them 
down you every time you get up, besides it's only being fair to the 
other reinforcement Sgt, so keep your fingers crossed, because if they 
do down me I'II probably be down for keeps. So you got the photos 
off Ray ok, he told me he had passed them on, glad you liked them 
and by the time you get this you should have received the album 
to, because a parcel I posted home at the same time has arrived ok. 
I've just been thinking after reading your letter, when I get back 
which wont be to soon, about 18 months in my estimation I will 
have to learn to dance, (not that I ever could) play tennis, and everything 
all over again. Don't forget those photos of yourself Im waiting 
for them, and as for my snaps I didn't take them all only about 
half of them, some of them I couldn't possibly take myself, I'll tell  
you all about them when I get back.  I cant place some of them you  
refer to. As for asking questions, ask all you like sweet, and I'll answer 
all I can, as for that question you asked before and I wouldn't answer 
well I think I know what it was, but I'm not sure so if you still 
want to know ask again but I dont say I'll answer it. You say I 
have a habit of getting my own way well that remains to be 
seen. I think I explained in one of my letters, about these things 
over here the Christmas Bells, and manger etc, its very hard 
to explain, so I think we will make that one of the things I'll  
tell you all about when I get back ok. Now listen you tell your 

(3) 
cousin to lay off you whilst you are writing to me, or she will  
have me to answer to, that ought to scare her, I don't think. 
Now, this chap you young ladies whish wish to know about;  
well he's a nice chap and all that, and very fond of women, but I
honestly dont think he would suit your cousin, how ever his name 
is Pat Garven and you have him in one of the big snaps you once  
said you though he was Mac, and referred to him as a dreamy  
looking chap.  Sorry to disappoint you darl, as you say one never  
knows, we might arrange a wedding between us, it would be easy  
all I would have to do would be ask the question, and you say yes  
very simple dont you think, I beg your pardon, I didn't quiet catch  
that. Don't you worry sweet the only thing I say when I get your  
letters is, what only one, and I'll never say blow that William's gal 
no sir. Well darl, since I wrote last we have shifted on again, Im 
still in Libya though and doing a spot of Guard work on a food  
dump, its what you would call a soldiers seventh heaven, there  
is tinned fruit of every kind, and milk, everything you can  
think of, and all Australian but I'm getting fed up with eating  
tinned food and I'm sick for the want of a decent meal.  Tell  
George if he would like any souvenirs let me know I don't  
say I can get him many but, from the last stunt I got a pile  
of Iti badges all different only tin but that dont matter, and a  
beaut 38 Automatic Pistol, I'm not supposed to have it, its off an 
Italian Officer, but until they catch me with it they wont get it,  
you probably wouldn't think much of it but I reckon its a beaut  
some of the chaps offered me £4 for it.

(4) 
Things have been pretty quite the last few days, we have had a 
few air raids, two German planes came over one day to bomb 
the town and when they flew across our camp, we shot one 
down, his mate must have got wild because when he finished 
bombing the town he flew back and machine gunned the 
camp, he didn't do any damage anyhow, I wasn't in camp at the 
time, funny thing but when ever anything happens, I seem to be 
some where else, we had another air raid last night, there good 
to watch, its better than the 4^th July, with all the search lights in  
they sky and flashes coming from every where its a great sight. 
if it only wasn't so serious. The weather over here is getting 
terrible hot once more, at times during the day the heat is 
unbearable and at night its just like winter again. This is 
terrible country, if I walk out the door and look around all 
I can see is a barren country, all thats on it is a house, a 
food dump, and about 30 burnt out trucks, nothing else not a 
tree not a blade of grass, and about every third day a dust 
storm blows up and at time it's hard to see 50 yds in front of 
you, and you get covered with a film of dust; in your hair 
in your eye brows, you look like a ghost. Yesterday two of us 
were siting down talking, and as it always dose, the old question 
came up, what would you be doing if you were in Australia 
now? well as per usual I took a lot for granted and said after 
working out the time, Id be in Bexley enjoying myself, the 
time was 1.30 AM. Well darl this letter is getting very near the