Letters between Malcolm William Keshan and Dorothy Williams, July-December 1943 - Part 11

KRIEGSGEFANGENEN POST. 
NX 11067, 
SGT. KESHAN, M.W., 
AUSTRALIAN PRISONER OF WAR 3768 
GERMANY. 

STALAG 383, 
AIR MAIL. 

MISS D. WILLIAMS, 
37 BYRNES STREET, 
BEXLEY. N.S.W. 
AUSTRALIA 
24 October, 1943 

My Dearest Mac, 
I have three more excuses for feeling good in the form 
of three letters from you.They are dated 23rd July, 19 July, 
and the 12th July. I love the way you write in such a small 
hand in order to get in more. The mail is coming fairly regularly 
now Mac; if there is a lapse of a month or so, then the 
batch is pretty big when it does arrive. I'm writing this out 
in the back lawn - trying to catch some of the sun, with a 
sun top on, and doing a shiver every time a cloud comes between 
the sun and I. Here it is, almost November, and no warm weather 
as yet. I haven't broken the ice yet and as you can imagine, I'm 
getting terribly impatient. Well darling, I suppose by rights I should 
be feeling happy 'cause of receiving your mail, but although they 
did make me feel good - the way they always do - and tho' 
I've read and re-read them, I guess I'm still miserable. 
Mac - you remember meeting a cousin of mine, the last Saturday 
afternoon you were out? A tall fair boy - Jack was his name. 
Last Tuesday we received word that he is missing. And it's 
kinda knocked all the happiness from everything. We were all 
terribly fond of that boy - he was more like a brother to me & 
I couldn't have loved him anymore had he been my brother. 
While he was working in Sydney (his people lived in the Valley) 
he stayed at our place and we had some grand fun together. 
I can't imagine what it will be like if he doesn't turn up, Mac. 
There I go moaning all my troubles to you! Sorry sweet, but 
I just seem to want to tell you when something upsets me - or

makes me feel happy. I'm sure you'll excuse me this time if 
my letter isn't very cheerful this time - next week I hope to 
have some better news. In health I'm fine Mac, so quit worrying 
on that score. You have no idea how much your letters mean 
to me (or maybe you have, too) just to know you are well & 
keeping the old chin up- well, I can take a deep breath again, 
so to speak. Really I'd love to start you telling me how you feel 
about me, 'cause I could listen again & again. So you can tell 
me some more, eh? Wish I could see you, getting your tan up. We 
did have fun in the old days, didn't we? First you'd arrive at 
work all peeling beautifully and sure enough, next week-end, 
there I'd be, exactly the same. Correcting something further back on 
second thoughts you'd better save it up and tell me when you get 
home - we'll have loads of time then and you haven't much paper 
right now. Mac, I'm sending along a photograph with this letter - hope 
you like it- it was taken in the park opposite where I work- you should 
remember it darling. I fear there's going to be insufficient room to 
tell you all I want in this letter, so I'll have to continue it into 
next week's letter. I was out at your home last Wednesday & had 
a lovely evening. Saw Norm- he's not changed one bit - nice 
kid. He and May, Fay and myself went along and had our 
fortunes told. Don't laugh honey - when I tell you next week 
all she said you'll open your eyes! I too always said Phooey 
to that sort of thing - now I'm not so sure. Anyhow according to 
her, you'll be home in February - how's that? If only I could bank 
on that, dearest. No more for now Mac sweet. All my 
love and an extra big hug on account of 'cause I love you 
so. Dorothy

Prisoner of War Post 
AIR MAIL 
NX11067 
Sgt. Keshan M.W., 
Australian Prisoner of War 3768, 
Stalag 383., Germany 
[*3 Opened by Censor*] 
3 PASSED BY CENSOR 261 
[[signature?]] 
24th Oct 43

Miss D. Williams, 
37 Byrnes Street, 
BEXLEY. N.S.W. 
AUSTRALIA 
[*Opened by Censor*]

My Dearest Dot, 28th Oct 1943 
Well darling another week has gone by, so thats just one less to go before we are 
back together, so keep the old fingers crossed Dot it wont be long now. You had better read 
this through quick Dot, because I haven't heard from you for almost six weeks darling 
so naturally I'm not feeling so hot. If there is anything that can get the best of me Dot thats it 
I don't know what to do with myself lately, I can't concentrate on anything its even got to be 
an exceptionally good book before I even think of reading it and then if I don't I probably 
throw it aside before I get halfway. Well darling I'm still in the best of health, and I have 
not changed yet. Dot, don't worry I never will. I love you more than ever, remember that "sweet" 
Gosh I can remember the day when I wasn't game to say that and it wasn't that I didn't want 
to. Do you reckon I've changed much from the Mac that used to bail you up in the lift 
darling. Lord help you the next time I get you bailed up Dot, I'll never you go, but 
thats just another one of my problems, how Im going to drag myself away from you after 
we meet. I can just imaging you saying "But its only for a few hours you can see me again 
tonight". it will take some doing sweet, even if only for a few hours. Still we can sort that problem 
out when we come to it, and in the mean time we just have to hang on to our memories for 
a while longer, we haven't very many unfortunately darling, but you would be surprised 
at the little things I remember Dot: you know sweet I almost told you that I felt how I felt several 
times during our week, but just when I though you were serious you would laugh at me 
and so I just kept it all to myself even more. You would probably laugh again if I told you 
the memory which is most prominent in my mind Dot, its just something you did darling 
maybe its because its the first and only time you did it that it sticks in my mind so much Dot 
its no good trying to guess what it was is so simple you would never think of it, however I do 
sweet, after.Well darling once again I must finish "Cherie" All my love to you Mac.

Kriegsgefangenenpost 
An Miss D Williams 
37 Byrnes Street, 
BEXLEY. N.S.W. 
Empfangsort: AUSTRALIA 
StraBe: 6/0 Australia House 
Kreis: London W.62 
Land: ENGLAND 
Landesteil (Provincz usw.) 
{*Gebuhrenfreil}

Absender 
Vor- und Zuname: Malcolm William Keshan 
Gefangenennummer: 3768 ( 1747 ) 
Lager-Bezeichnung: M-Stammlager 383 
Deutschland (Allemagne) 

KRIEGSGEFANFENENPOST.  
NX11067,   
SGT.KESHAN, M.W,  
AUSTRALIAN PRISONER OF WAR 3768.  
STALAG 383, 
GERMANY 

AIR MAIL

MISS D. WILLIAMS, 
37 BYRNES STREET, 
BEXLEY. N.S.W. 
AUSTRALIA 

31st October, 1943. 
Hello there darling, 
There's been letters and cards simply rolling in this 
week Mac. First of all here are the dates. The cards are 
29th July and 5th Aug. (I didn't actually turn up 
my nose at them sweet, but letters, of course are my 
favourite - cards are so short, aren't they?) The letters are 
21st June, 27th July and 31 July. And boy were they 
grand to receive? Just you ask me! No Mac honey, I 
won't pop any more serious talks into my letters. I 
guess I am a queer sorta girl, or you must think so 
anyhow. Sometimes I get so damn blue darling; and things 
do tend to become confused. But let's save all that for 
later shall we. In the meantime - yes I do know how you 
feel Mac and if you're proud of me because of something 
(can't think what) I seem to have done, then that's all 
that matters. There - are you happier now, my Mac? 
'Cause I do so much want you to be as happy as you can 
be. There's not much I can do, while youre over there, 'cept 
waite and keep loving you - that isn't hard and you 
can depend upon it, that's what I'll be doing right along 
Listen Mac - about this study business. I realise how 
difficult it must be to concentrate on such a thing as study 
but take my advice and don't wait a minute longer.! 
get in and get as much advantage as you can from 
studying. Time won't be wasted if you're learning Mac 
Of course, you might think I have rather a cheek, but

I'm thinking of the time after this war is over. So don't 
misunderstand me sweet. You're such a silly, darling. 
I never get mad with your letters. Whatever put such an 
idea into your head? Imagine it to-morrow will be 
November. Yet is seems only yesterday that I was writing 
to you about Christmas 1942. What's more, I'll soon be 
twenty - one. I wish it would never come, because I can't 
have those I want to help me celebrate! Gee I'm forgetting 
- I was going to tell you about the fortune - teller. 
She described you perfectly Mac - even mentioned how you 
went round a corner on one wheel of your bike, years ago, 
and nearly smashed up. Your mother collaborated that 
story. Young Norman came in with me , and we were 
agog with interest at the things’ she told us, most of the things’ 
She said I'll have to save up for you. Believe me, I'll 
never again laugh at these fortune-tellers Mac. We haven’t
heard anymore news of Jack - things’ do look black. His
poor mother - I feel so sorry for her. Luckily, they have a
baby in the house. I believe it keeps her mind occupied,
but for that wee babe, she’d have collapsed altogether.
Work is still as good as ever, but Mr. [[Ppo]]
and Jane looking forward to the day when the war is ended 
And I can go back again. Received a letter from my brother 
to-day , he’s very well Mac. Once again the end appears all to 
soon. Kindest regards Mac mum & Pop said to say a cheery 
Hello for them. As for me what can I say? Just “cheerio “, and 
I do love you darling.
Dorothy 

KRIEGSGEFANGENE POST 
(PRISONER OF WAR POST) 

SYDNEY. Stalag 383 
4:15 AM. 15 
10 3 Nov. Gepraft 
1943 
N.S.W. AUST 

NX 11067, 
Sgt. KESHAN, M.W., 
Australian Prisoner of War 3768, 
Stalag 383, 
Germany. 
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3 [[?PASSED]] [[BY]] [[?CENSOR]] 172 

198 
31st Oct ‘43 

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

3 opened by censor