Letters between Malcolm William Keshan and Dorothy Williams, 1941 - Part 13

(Same 2 you)

we started clearing our throats, & shifting our collars around,
but the score was evened off with the Bismarck sinking.
Poor wretches that went down with the Hood though
Im' not a bit concerned about the B. crew - they’re 
Germans -  and Nazis all - ‘nuf said.
Its' a quarter to eleven Mac, and as Im' going out
to-morrow night to a 21st birthday party (to-morrow
night being Friday) Id' better get off to bed & spend a few
hours sleeping. Its an awful waste of time, but being
necessary, and, according to you, a good way of wasting
time, I guess I’ll be off. So for to'night my sweet, and
until to-morrow morning, I’ll say "Goodnight m’ love".
30/5/41 (Friday)
Back once again, this time borrowing some of the firm’s
time to get in a few lines. (You notice I said ‘borrowed’)
Well, anyhow to get back to our letter writing, & what little
news there is to tell. We lose our babies on Sunday
next. It will seem so funny to be able to bang doors &
put the wireless on full power. For the past month
its always been “Turn that wireless down, you’ll wake
the baby' or “Stop singing Bub, the baby’s asleep”
Even the poor old dog has to be chained up, for fear
he’ll bark at something in the front, & wake her
ladyship. Gosh though, I’d put up with all the
bother, if we could keep her. You should see her in 
the bath Mac. She’s a regular water churner when
she started her kicking. And does she love it!

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when I lie her on her tummy, her legs spring back
underneath her, for all the world like a frog
Id' better not bore you though - I must be sounding 
like a doting parent. 
There will be two of us learning to skate all over
again, Mac. I haven't been for a month now not
that I've tired of it - no fear.  I can't seem to get the
time to make it that's all. But Norma & I will be
going Thursday night next (if I get my new dress
finished that is) so don't be surprised if my name
appears on the Home Casuality Lists.
Dancing still takes up a lot of my time nowadays. 
I've got a proper craze for it. Betty doesn't come so
much; weddings fill her time (not her own steps).
Besides, there's a certain guy - Geoff Stow by name -
who seems to monopolise lots of her time.  Of course
she tells me it's only a friendship, but nevertheless
she seems to do a lot of talking about him for just
a friendship. I think B's a bit of a die hard.
(Doesn't the situation sound familiar to you, sweet)
Getting back once again to the subject of mail.
How's the G.PO. man treating you? Do you get a
fair share of it, Mac? Golly, I'm longing to get
one from you (N.B a Letter!) I've reread your
letters dozens of times, but even that doesn't fill in.
This will be about the fifth week if I don't get one 
before to-morrow. I realise I must harp a good
 

4
deal, but heavens how I miss them, when they are 
late! 
Don't forget to tell me what you need Mac, will 
you? (Just a reminder from my last letter.) 
I hear sounds of activity outside, so Id' better adjourn 
for a while & do some more work. (I heard you 
laugh - hound!) 
(Sunday 1st June) 
Well, that was two days ago, - it's Sunday round 
again, and I still haven't finished your letter yet. 
But I hate rushing letters (as you know.) The 21st party 
I was telling you about in the earlier part of this serial 
was a huge success. The girl was an old school pal of 
mine - the captain of our school. I met quite a few 
of the old crowd & we congregated in one corner of the 
hall & held a real pow-wow. We hadn't met for 
nearly five years, so you can imagine the din. 
It's remarkable how a person can change in five years. 
Some of the frumpish looking creatures had grown into 
"dashing lines" as you boys say. 
George is home on leave from Narellan this week-end. 
Apparently it hasn't changed any since you were 
there. They slave from eight under until ten - 
they're the set periods, but on top of that they 
often have expeditions all over the countryside, 
finding directions with the help of "a clump of  
trees on a small rising to the left" etc. Just as you 
used to tell me. I dug out some of your letters written 
  
 

5
while you were at N, & we have compared notes, so to 
speak. Incidentally Mac, are you wearing your 
stripes again. Im mad at the business. Leave it to  
the army to fool around. 
Have you ever had any parts of my letters cut out 
Mac? I received one from George Brooks (starting 
in case you're interested Dear Dorothy and all at 37.) 
& in one part where he was describing the size of the  
ship he was on, the stupid old censor had cut a 
couple of pieces out. For the life of me, I can't think  
what it might have been, but apparently it wasn't 
just right so out it came. 
Here on my lap, I've heaps of your letters - re-reading 
them. This one - there's no date - was written at the time 
when you were still a Cpl "doing a horse out of a job" acting 
as a dozen Cpls. You finished up by saying I probably 
wouldn't know you when next I saw you, as you were  
gradually growing grey hairs. (That was when we were 
talking about that Ball - remember? & was before I 
even went out with you, sweet.) Then there's that incident 
in one of your letters, when you let a "prisoner" out of 
the jug, to make up a fourth at a game of 500. I think 
you are a better soldier than you were in those good 
old Greta days. And do you remember how mad you 
were when I told you not to ring me at the office? 
Then there was the time the boys wrote S.W.A.L.K on  
the envelope. Has it ever happened again? I didn't 

6
think it was necessary to tell you S.W.A.L.K. If you 
couldn't guess - well. 
Then I come to the telegram. Gosh darl, how you 
showered me with them. I quickly put away those 
two, asking me to ring your sister. That lump in my 
throat was coming into action. 
Here's one - dated Greta Monday - written after you had 
sent me my precious Donald & Pluto. You refer to that 
week of weeks. Oh Mac, it was a grand week, wasn't 
it. Just about the best week of my whole life. I 
don't suppose you tear up my letters these days. Lucky 
if you have a moment to breath I guess. In them thar  
days "you said" the general thing is to write one, read it  
tear it up & start all over again" 
Most of the letters written from Narellan were cranky. 
I'm not sure if it was me, or the school. Fiftyfifty I  
think. You accused me quite a few times of writing cold 
letters. Am I still at fault darl? Did you ever pay 
back those pals, who smeared tan boot polish over 
your face? I had a giggle when I read that letter. 
Ill' never forget either, how worried I was, for fear 
you might miss that last train. Little did I dream 
that you didn't mind missing it. And even the fight 
outside didn't daunt you did it? 
Well my sweet, I hope you haven't been bored 
thinking back with me. For me, - I never tire 
of re-reading your letters, and I have them all. 

7
Its easy to note the progress you made, too. The 
finish of your letters now is so different to those first 
ones. You had to apologise for every word in those 
days, darl. It's hard to believe it was only last year. 
To me anyhow, it seems a lifetime ago. 
Well Mac dear I've reached my seventh page 
& too, I've run out of breath. So once more, I 
send you the kindest regards from everyone  
at home. Mind crossing the road sort of thing, no 
horseplay and please take care of yourself. 
Lots of Love to you and write as often as you 
can make it. Big Cheerio darl - until next week. 
Sincerely Always 
Dorothy xxxxx 
xxxxxx 
P.S. How is your pal "Bullet Head" ? 

BY AIR MAIL 
PAR AVION 

No. NX11067.
Sgt. Keshan M.W.
"A" Coy, 2/4th Bn.
AIF Abroad
  
2 Opened by Censor 
Passed by censor S.249
 

RETURNED TO SENDER:-
Ms. D. Williams 
37 Byrnes St 
Bexley
FROM DEAD LETTER OFFICE SYDNEY

Undelivered letters will be returned to the sender
unopened if the covers thereof are endorsed "If not
delivered in ( 7 or more) days return to (name and
address of sender)."
  
2 Opened by Censor

ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE
  
RETURNED SURCHARGED LETTER 
The surcharge on this letter must be collected
before delivery. Refusal on the part of the person
to whom the article is now directed, to pay the
amount involved, renders him liable to a penalty of
Forty Shillings.  In case of such refusal, the letters
should be forwarded without delay to the Head
Office with a report of the matter. 
To facilitate the return of undelivered letters, with-
out their being opened, business people and others
concerned should endorse the covers of all correspondence
posted by them with a special request for 
its return in the event of its remaining undelivered
at the expiration of a specified period, which must
not be less than seven days.  In each case the name
and full address of the sender should be appended
to the request.

"Dorothy"
37 Byrnes St
Bexley
Commonwealth of Australia
POSTMASTER GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT
DEAD LETTER OFFICE, SYDNEY, N.S.W.

Rec'd 30 Oct 41