Letters between Malcolm William Keshan and Dorothy Williams, 1942 - Part 8

SERVICE DES PRISONNIERS DE GUERRE. 
KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST 
PAR AVION 
Aust.-U.S.A.-Portugal 

22 JULY 42 
N.X.11067 Sgt. M.W. Kesham 
Australian Prisoner of War No.3768 in Germany 
STALAG XV111D/489/L 
GERMANY 

AUSTRALIAN
RED CROSS 

MELBOURNE-VIC-AUST 3 AUG 1942
12 JAN 1943 3 PASSED BY CENSOR 430
Stammlager [[?]] 13 GEPRUFT XVIII-D 

M Stammlager XVIII-D
Marken und Streifen zwecke
Prufung entfernt

Miss D. Williams, 37 Byrnes St. Bexley.N.S.W. Australia 

3 Opened by Censor
3 Opened by Censor
3 PASSED BY CENSOR 430

Dearest Dot,             29th July 1942 
Received your letter dated 6th April last week which is the first for
a considerable time. I havent had any from home for a long time now. I dont
know whats happened to it it must be nearly 5 months since I had one from home.
I had just about given up hope when you letter arrived darl, you have no idea
what a difference the mail makes sweet: I hope you receive my mail a
bit more regular than Aussie mail comes in this end. You will notice
I have changed my address once again, quiet a travelled gefangenen what
Im in an L.C.O camp for people who dont work. We do ok here
though, out of the crowd we managed to scrape up an orchestra
it's not the best you know but its very good, we hold a concert once a week
and make up dances and put on swing concerts. We also have a composer 
here who turns out quiet a few songs and believe me some a very
good, one called "Until The Dawn" was sent to England and was a 
great success you may have heard it yourself by this. Well darl it certainly
is no more cages, and it's definately not feet either you would probably
go crook if I told you what I was thinking of so I'll save it for the
time being. Well Ive had a few snaps taken again so I should be
able to send one next letter. I was hoping to have received some
from you by this. Ive been doing plenty of thinking lately sweet, to
much I'm afraid, as I always do I had myself a bit worried in 
the finish and was perfectly miserable until I received your letter
I wish they would speed the mail up a bit. Well darling wish everyone
all the best. Take good care of yourself. All my love sweet. Cheerio. Mac.

Kriegsgefangenpost 
An: Miss. D. Williams 
Empfangsort: 37 Byrnes St. 
Stasse: Bexley 
Kreis: Sydney 
Land: Australia 
Landesteil (Provinz usw.) 
Gebuhenfriel

Absender: 
Vor- und Zuname: Malcolm William Kesham 
Gefangenennummer: 3768 
Lager-Bezeichnung: M.-Stammlager XVIII B 
Deutschland (Allemagne)

KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST. 
NX11067, 
SGT. KESHAM M.W. 
AUSTRALIAN PRISONER OF WAR 3768. 
STALAG XVIII D/489L, 
GERMANY.

AIRMAIL

MISS D. WILLIAMS 
37 Byrnes Street, 
BEXLEY. N.S.W. 
AUSTRALIA.

4th August, 1942 
Dearest Mac, 
Hullo you- how are you my sweet? Still my best pal? 
To-night I decide to stay home from Physi and get some odd jobs 
cleaned up, but first we're going to have our funny one-sided 
chat again. The only thing for me to do darling, is just imagine 
that you're here with me, instead of being way over there. I 
can see your face easily enough & your grin, but your voice is a 
bit of a problem nowadays. I can't remember it so easily; I'll have 
to go and see Gloria, 'cause you and she are so alike in your speech. 
Norma and George were in my bedroom here a minute ago. Norma 
kissed her finger and placed a kiss on the bottom of this page. If 
you look, you will see a dirty red smudge. I told her I'd be 
objecting if she weren't going to be my sister. She and I and 
Bessie (remember my cousin- you saw us coming back from skating 
one afternoon) went riding on Sunday morning. It was a dull 
morning but not cold, and the ride was beaut Mac. Add that 
on to our list will you darling? Norma had a terrific buster 
when the stirrup came off; however she's only a bit stiff she 
said to us to-night. We came home about lunch-time and by that 
time the rain was coming down pretty heavily. The three of us were 
in the seat in the train and deciding what we would like to be 
doing when we arrived home. Norma said she'd probably curl up 
in bed with a book. But, she said, George might be home when 
she got there- it was quite on the cards. Bess said [[Murve?]], that's 
her husband, was coming home in the afternoon, so she wasn't 
worrying. They'd probably listen to the wireless and talk, or read.

I couldn't say anyone would be at home so I just said 'Well 
I wish I was going home to Mac'. I felt so darn lonely, sweet. 
They had somebody, but my special pal was in Germany- so I 
went home and curled up in front of the fire and read a book. 
It was a bonza afternoon for the fire, but you were needed Mac. 
You see, its you that I love and no one else would do. Please 
God, it won't be very long now before you come home. Your mother 
rang me last week Mac, and during the conversation she asked 
me to write to Norm. Of course I said at once that I would. 
It'll be so strange writing to your brother, and goodness only 
knows what I'll find to tell him at first. More than likely 
you will be the main topic, darlin'. My letters will have to be 
a bit more sensible and less rambling, or he will think his 
brother has a pretty stupid girl-friend. We had a lovely evening 
on Thursday last Mac. Five girls, there was Bess, Norma, Betty, 
Eileen and I, had dinner at the Toby Tavern and then went to a 
show in town. In between eating and the pictures, we killed 
time by visiting a place, I don't know what to call it, but it 
was full of punching balls, shooting galleries and bikes to 
see how fast you can go, and all that sort of thing. We laughed
until we ached. Little Bess packed a terrific punch and 
beat all the rest of us on the punching ball. Fun like that 
does one good. I wrote to Gloria a few days back and hope to be 
seeing her again. Everybody is pretty busy these days you know. 
Well my dearest, there is one more week gone. Keep smiling 
remember & chin up. Kindest regards from Mum & Dad and all the 
crowd and look after yourself for me Mac. Until next week 
here's a big Cheerio, and Lots &Lots of Love sweet. Sincerely Yours, Dorothy.

SERVICE DES PRISONNIERS DE GUERRE. 
KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST 
PAR AVION 
Aust.-U.S.A.-Portugal 

4 AUG 42 
NX110067 Sgt. M.W. Kesham 
Australian Prisoner of War No. 3768 in Germany 
STALAG XVIII D/ 489 L. 
GERMANY. 

AUSTRALIAN 
RED CROSS

M Stammlager XVIII-D
Marken und Streifen zwecke
Prufung entfernt

Miss D. Williams, 37 Byrnes St., Bexley, 
N.S.Wales. Australia. 

3 Opened by Censor
PASSED BY CENSOR V 103 _________

KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST. 
NX11067, 
SGT. KESHAM M.W. 
AUSTRALIAN PRISONER OF WAR 3768. 
STALAG XV111D/489L,
GERMANY.

AIRMAIL

MISS D. WILLIAMS 
37 Byrnes Street, 
BEXLEY. N.S.W. 
AUSTRALIA.,  

18th August, 1942. 
My Dearest Mac, 
It's me, once again to bother you. How are you Mac, 
well and happy? I do hope so. There should be some more 
mail in from you soon I think, for it is weeks since your 
last letter reached me. Still working on the farm are you? 
It must be getting colder over there now. You be sure and 
keep yourself warm darling. Wrap up in all those mufflers 
and woolies. To think that probably when you receive this 
letter it will be almost Christmas! Maybe right on Christmas. 
I would like to think that you received a whole pile of 
mail for Christmas sweet - it does mean such a lot to 
you, I know. Anyhow Mac, here's a wish for a very very 
bright Christmas and a much brighter New Year. If I 
should be early then just tuck away that wish for a 
few weeks. Last night I wrote to Norm, and golly Mac, 
you wouldn't believe the hard job it was, trying to think 
up what to write about. When I read it through it sounded 
pretty stiff, but perhaps Norm will overlook that. What 
is he like Mac? He couldn't be other than a grand person 
I know that. What I mean is - does he resemble you in 
looks and manner? If you would darling, send me a 
message that I can pass on to him - he'd like that, don't 
you think? How the time is flying past Mac. Here it is 
almost the ninth month of another year - do you realise 
my sweet that it is exactly two whole years yesterday, 
since I saw you last. What couldn't we have done with

those two years. Oh Mac I do want you back home again. 
trouble is, it gets worse as each week goes past. Perhaps 
I never ever realised how much I have wanted you. And the 
the subject better be changed or you'll be getting blue 
too. Did you find a photo with this letter Mac? Just 
another one - Mum prefers it to the previous one I sent 
you, so I thought you'd better have the two. Which of the 
two do you prefer? We still have the babies with us, 
little tigers that they are. Really that wee babe scares 
me at times. It's not right that anyone so small should 
eat so much. Of course she thrives on it, but nevertheless, 
I'm quite prepared for anything to happen. I took some snaps 
of them which I'll send you Mac. Getting tired of hearing 
me talk about myself all the time sweet? I find it rather 
hard digging up any fresh news for you. To date there has 
been now news of Greg. Kelly. I see his father every day and 
the poor man is very worried. George was home to-day; 
the two of us went to have our photos taken after work. 
It is certainly an ordeal sitting just so in front of a camera. 
He is very well Mac - George I mean - and sends his best 
wishes. Mum & Dad asked me to give their regards & to 
tell you hurry home. Look after yourself my dear. I'll 
be writing again next week. It won't be long now my 
sweet, we'll soon be back to-gether and teasing one another 
as we always did. Probably be out of practice but don't 
worry about that! Until next week then Mac, a Big 
Cheerio darling and all my Love to you. Dorothy.