Letters between Malcolm William Keshan and Dorothy Williams, January-June 1944 - Part 1 of 14

Dearest Dot, 
1st Jan 1944. 
Well darling here goes for the first letter of the new year, lets hope it a better one than 
the last, the year I mean, I dont think you will find much difference in the letters, sorry if 
Im disappointing you, but as a matter of fact the way I feel now I think its going to be full 
of these crazy sayings, you see that old complaint of mine is worse than ever lately, lack 
of you that is, Id give anything to be with you right now sweet, I cant find words to tell you 
how much I really miss you and love you, and when I say no one has ever meant as much to 
me as you do, well you just have to take my word for it. Am I boring you Dot sorry but thats 
the way I am feeling these days, and I find it hard to write about anything else, besides there is 
no news about this place, it's too cold and wet for sport, nothing ever happens every days the same 
just waiting, and I wont waste space telling you about the weather, so you see it does not leave 
me much to write about, well anyhow that my excuse for all my crazy talk as you call it 
Dot. I had to laugh at the part in your last letter where you said "Dont think I'm a sticky beak" you 
know what I think you are, or have you forgotten, maybe Id better tell you again, in a way your 
lucky Im not near you at present, cause if I got my arms around you Id squeeze all the breath out 
of you. While I remember Dot don't forget to put both numbers on my mail will you, I believe 
the Red X are not readdressing them in future and that saves time, same as you put on the 
top of your letters only two numbers ok. Strange as it may seem Ill be glad when this week 
is over, this and the last have been the worst Ive experienced, everything seemed so dead 
and the time dragged worse than ever, still the next one will be ours, thats Xmas I'm talking about 
and then we will make up for most of what we have missed. Once again best wishes to all 
and dont forget I still want to marry you darling I havent changed in the least you see. I'm not 
being very fair to you am I sweet, but Im only trying to worry you into saying yes. For the present 
its "Cheerio". Dot, its just as well for you I cant write a long letter, Id drive you crazy. All my love Mac 

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Kriegsgefangenenpost

Luftpost
par avion

Stalag 383
19
Geprüft

2
PASSED
BY
CENSOR
1681
13.1.44-11

An Miss D. Williams.
Empfangsort: 37 Byrnes Street
Strasse: Bexley
Kreis: N.S.W.
Land: AUSTRALIA
Gebührenfreil Landesteil (Provinz usw.)

OPENED BY CENSOR
Absender:
Vor- und Zuname: Malcolm William Kesham. 
Gefangenennummer: 3768 (1747)
Lager-Bezeichunug: M.Stammlager 383. 
Deutschland (Allemagne) 

AIR MAIL Stalag 383 15 Geprüft 
KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST 
NX 11067, 
SGT. KESHAM, M.W., 
AUSTRALIAN PRISONER OF WAR 3768, 
STALAG 383, 
GERMANY 

MISS D. WILLIAMS, 
37 BYRNES STREET, 
BEXLEY. N.S.W. 
AUSTRALIA 
'44 
2nd January, 1943 

Dearest Mac, 
Hello darling - Happy New Year! Here it 
is - 1944 - another year of wonderings and "ifs" and 
"whens". This will be the year though Mac sweet. 
How have you been? Lots of mail, huh ? I hope 
its arriving regularly dear. Gosh honey, waiting this 
this is a pretty tough job - you see Ive' been 
swimming at Cronulla all day to-day (Sunday) 
and that ole man sun has left his mark on 
me somewhat. Yep - I'm sunburnt - again! But 
I don't mind much, 'cause by about Wednesday 
next I'll be a beaut. tan. How's your tan these days? 
Mac you should see my horse "Andy"! He's made of 
red felt and I keep him on the bookcase. 
His legs are the stretchiest kind + he soughta bends in the middle. Young Pluto + Donald 
(remember them?) just stand and gaze at him in 
wonderment. Certainly looks as if Im' entering my 
second childhood pretty early, don't you reckon? 
Works going on much the same as ever Mac. I had 
to work half a day yesterday (New Year's Day) &

although to-morrow too, is a holiday, nevertheless 
I have to work again. No it doesn't worry me 
any, darling. What's a day! We had quite a bit 
of excitement during the week, when the film star 
American John Wayne called in. (Probably you 
won't remember him.) Anyhow - he's every bit 
as nice as he appears on the films - and a tremendously 
big chap. Of course all the feminine 
hearts went a flutter. No - I reckon Id' rather 
have my Aussie P.O.W. just the same + Don't go for 
these fellows who marry just on every six 
months or so. Oh Mac, sometimes it becomes so 
hard to write to you without filling every 
line telling you I wished you were on your 
way home, how much I miss you + all the 
[[dogen?]] and, one little things that it seems I 
repeat letter after letter. But there is one thing 
I can tell you again + again. I love you Mac - 
you and all the wonderful things you 
stand for. With each day, remember Im' 
thinking of you Mac, and wishing you were 
here with me. Once again - love from all the 
family and from your own [[birlliaint?]] gal - all 
My Love, Dorothy 

3 Opened by Censor 

PRISONER OF WAR POST 
KRIEGSGEFANGEN EN POST. 
Air Mail 

PASSED BY CENSOR 301 

SYDNEY 
4-PM 
7 JAN 
1944 
9 9 
N.S.W. AUST 

Stalag 383 
15 
Geprüft 

Rank & Name. NX 11067, SGT. KESHAM. M 
AUSTRALIAN PRISONER OF WAR No. 3768 
198[[8 or 7?]] 
Camp STALAG 383, 
Country of Internment GERMANY 

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

3 Opened by Censor 

AIR MAIL Stalag 383 16 Geprüft 
KRIEGSGEFANGENEN POST 
NX 11067, 
SGT. KESHAM M.W., 
AUSTRALIAN PRISONER OF WAR 3768, 
STALAG 383, 
GERMANY 

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

9th January, 1944 

My Darling, 
Some extra nice things have been happening 
to me to-day. Gee Mac, I hope you have some 
bright spots in your monotonous life over there. 
You are always thinking up something to brighten 
my days - those flowers for instance. They arrived 
yesterday afternoon while I was at work - gosh 
how I wished you could have seen them Mac. There 
was a little [[spnay?]], especially which I loved - tiny 
red roses with creamy frangipani. Then there were 
all colours of hydrange - dahlias in pinks + reds 
and delphiniums. Of course the rosebuds were lovely 
too. You can see it was quite a box of flowers! Thank 
you darling - for such a very sweet thought. Pop 
was in here last night + as he always gives me your 
letters, I had to wait until this morning - luckily 
I was unaware of the existence of that letter, on I 
fear I would have spent a very restless night. 
Your letter is dated 17th October 1943. No, I haven't 
by any means forgotten what you asked me, Mac. 
I think about it an awful lot. But I'm afraid

[[?]] must think me rather a queer person dearest. 
[?] that I mind, actually So long as you keep on 
loving me I won't mind at all. I guess by this 
winter is just about on the wan now? Right now 
darling I'm getting in as much swimming as I 
can. Last Friday after work, six of us went 
down to Coogee Aquarium + had a gorgeous swim, 
until half past eight. Last night we went again; 
and, trust me, I dived in too deep and took a 
bit off my elbow. I am the clumsiest person! But 
nevertheless I get an awful lot of fun. Haven't been 
skating for months nor dancing. Looks 
as if we'll have to learn all over again to-gether. 
Of course I'll be an expert at writing and sewing 
and such. However you, no doubt, are quite handy 
at even sewing, huh? Were' all very well dearest; 
Mac, I'm just as fit as a fiddle, so don't ever worry 
about me. Just look after yourself darling - for me. 
Look forward to our day which is fast drawing 
near and don't let anything get you down. 
Always remember - I love you darling + that's 
how I'll always be. Hurry time for me Mac 
and hurry home. Cheerio for now and all my Love. 
Dorothy

KRIEGSGEFANGENENTPOST 
AIR MAIL 

SYDNEY
11-AQM 
13 JAN
1944 
8 8 
NSW AUST 

NX11067, 
Sgt. Kesham, M. W. 
Australian Prisoner of War 3768, 
Stalag 383. Germany 
PASSED BY CENSOR 44 

Stalag 383 
16 
Geprüft 

9th January 
198 

PRISONER OF WAR POST

Miss D. Williams. 
37 Byrnes St, 
BEXLEY 
NSW 
AUSTRALIA. 

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