Letters between Malcolm William Keshan and Dorothy Williams, January-June 1943 - Part 9

SERVICE DES PRISONNIERS DE GUERRE.
KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST 
PAR AVION 
Aust. - U.S.A.-Portugal 
198  

SERGEANT M. W. KESHAM                                                                     
Australian Prisoner of War in Germany No. 3768
STALAG 383 (FRUEHER OFLAG III C)
GERMANY      
1747 
  
4th April 1943

From Miss D. Williams. 37 Byrnes St. Bexley. N.S.W.  
AUSTRALIA
3 Opened by Censor 
3 PASSED BY CENSOR 371

Kriegsgefangenenlager     Datum: 5th April 1943. 
Dearest Dot, Hows the old mail question these days, improved a little by this I  
hope. How are the cooking lessons coming on any burnt offerings about Dot. Its a
miserable sort of day to-day its been snowing again so I guess its back on the old bunk
to read Dots letters once more, I only wish I had more to read, I always was greedy.
I guess I always will be as far as your concerned sweet. I cant write much on these cards
Dot but you should get at least 2 letters & cards a month now. Well darling I hope you
get them all ok once more its Cheerio until next week All my love Mac.

[*Received July 18 17  '43*]
Kriegsgefangenenpost
Über Nord Amerika 
Postkarte
  
An Miss. D. Williams.
Gebührenfrei!
Absender:                
Vor- und Zuname:
Malcolm William Keshan.                     
Gefangenennummer: 1747
Lager-Bezeichnung:
Kriegsgef-Offizierlager 111 C              
Stalag 383 (Früher Oflag
Deutschland (Allemagne) IIIC)
 
Empfangsort: 37 Byrnes St. Bexley.
Straße: N.S.W.
Land: Australia.
Landesteil (Provinz usw.)

KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST.                              
NX 11067,                                                 
SGT. KESHAM M.W.,                                               
AUSTRALIAN PRISONER OF WAR 1747,            
OFLAG IIIC.,                                           
GERMANY.      

AIR MAIL. 3768  

MISS D. WILLIAMS, 
37 Byrnes Street, 
BEXLEY. N.S.W.     
AUSTRALIA.                     
9th April, 1943. 

Dearest Mac,
Do you know, there's the nicest new moon
outside, making the evening just perfect - too perfect
when you're on your own. 'Cause it hurts - such a
waste. Now if you were here, maybe you'd have some
ideas of how to use up such an evening. I think
we'd go for a walk sweet, strolling leisurely along &
talking of all sorts of things. Of course it is a bit cool,
would you rather stay home on the lounge? I guess
this once you can have your own way. Anyhow, how
are you darling? Is it anywhere near 24th June as
you are reading this Mac? If it is then here's my
wishes for a Happy Birthday darling and all my
Love. Last year we said "next year" and once again
we have to say "next year". Anyhow think of the
time we're going to have on your next birthday!
We'll save up all our fun 'til then eh? I got out an
old Diary of two years back and turned to 24th
June. You were still missing then Mac and I
couldn't write a letter to you, so instead, I wrote
a letter in my Diary. You can have it when you
come home Mac. It's a sad sort of a letter, written when
I was feeling pretty blue. When I wrote last week Mac,
I forgot to tell you about the babies. Apparently my

letter of explanation didn't ever reach you. They are two
little girls sweet, one about 2 1/2 years and one 6 years old.
Cousins of mine whose Mother has been ill on and off  & who
stay with us during such times. They're the cutest kiddies
& we always have lots of fun while they are with us.
They are back again just now and as full of mischief
as ever. I hope you're not puzzled any longer. How is
the time passing for you sweet - have you plenty to do
now it is summer again over there? It's funny, but days
and weeks simply fly over here, excepting when I look
back and wonder how much longer before I see you
again. 'Cause I do miss you so much Mac, noone could
ever know how much. Sometimes it is easier than others
and I'll be telling myself maybe Im' learning to be
patient and then I'll turn a corner and see a pair
of eyes under a brown slouch hat that turns my
heart over and makes me laugh at myself for kidding
myself along. When someone loves another as I love you
Mac it isn't easy to forget and little things suddenly
have the power to catch your breath or bring a lump
to your throat. Well darling you, if my letter is on
the blue side you'll have to forgive me - it's that
moon I was telling you about at the beginning of
this letter. No more for now Mac, look after yourself
won't you? Here's hoping you're getting mail aplenty
and are still keeping up the old chin. Kindest wishes
from all here at home & from me. All my Love,
Dorothy.  

SERVICE DES PRISONNIERS DE GUERRE.
KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST 
PAR AVION 
Aust. - U.S.A. - Portugal 
  
Sgt. M.W. Kesham,
Australian Prisoner of War No. 3768 in Germany,
STALAG 383. (Frueher Oflag 111C). 

9th APRIL 1943 
1747 
5/198

Miss D. Williams, 37 Byrnes St., Bexley, N.S.W.
Australia. 
3 Opened by Censor  

KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST.                              
NX 11067,                                                 
SGT. KESHAM M.W.,                                               
AUSTRALIAN PRISONER OF WAR 1747,            
OFLAG IIIC.,                                           
GERMANY.      

AIR MAIL. 3768  

MISS D. WILLIAMS, 
37 Byrnes Street, 
BEXLEY. N.S.W.     
AUSTRALIA.               
17th April, 1943.

Mac dear,
Once again I take up my pen to say 'Hello' and
to find out what you've been doing lately, and most
important - how you are. Well, what's news, darling?
The weather would be warming up somewhat over there
as I write this and I'll bet you're glad to see more of
the sun. German winters must be terribly severe. I
think I'll stick to this "warm brown land" of ours.
I have a piece of news - that really is news - for you
in this letter; at least it's great news to us, in fact
we're all awfully thrilled Mac, I'm going to be an
Aunt - imagine that! Oh, not for ages and ages of course,
but still what's a mere few months. Pop's tickled pink
and gets around trying to look like a grandfather. I
tell him not to forget that he's still my father & not to
be trying to look too old. George was home on Sunday,
and every time I looked at him I had to laugh. Gosh
Mac, it seems so funny to think of George as a father -
only seems yesterday that we were fighting hammer
and tongs, kids the pair of us. From now on I guess I'll
be knitting white things. That's what Ive' been doing
these past three months. If its not one, its the other.
Shucks! But tell me how you've been sweet? Been
behaving yourself eh? How's the mail question? I
haven't received any more since I last wrote, but

I mustn't be too greedy. The nights are drawing in early
nowadays Mac, and I have begun to watch out for
signs of chilblains on my fingers. Fires are being lit
again in the grates and people are shutting the windows
in the train of a morning. Sydney is settling down to
winter once again. How many more winters before
I'll be able to dash home from work, in a hurry to
change, because you're coming out to tea and maybe
we'll go to the pictures afterwards. I often think of
those times and wonder about things as I come up
the hill after work. It helps brighten the hours,
but it also tends to make me lonely and loneliness
these days is my greatest trouble. However that's not
much to complain about I suppose; just as long as you
come home soon I reckon I can take it. Mac what
do you do in your spare time, weather permitting? Do you
work, or study - or what? Sometimes it becomes difficult
to picture you doing various things when I don't know
what it is you do. Things are much the same here,
rather quiet for me; haven't been to a dance in weeks.
Mum and I generally go to the pictures on Saturday night
and apart from Physi on Tuesday evenings I spend the
rest of the week at home, after tea. But I don't
mind darling so don't dare feeling sorry for me. And
no matter what I may be doing, all the time I'm
missing you so much & wishing you were home to
share in all the laughs & happy moments. Here's to our
day Mac darling & may it be soon. All Love Dorothy.