Letters between Malcolm William Keshan and Dorothy Williams, January-June 1944 - Part 12 of 14

Reg. NO. NX11067. Rank SGT 
Name KESHAM. M.W. 
Prison No 3768 (1747) Camp STALAG 383 
Country of Internment GERMANY 

AIRMAIL 

Name of Sender MISS.D. WILLIAMS 
Address 37 Byrnes Street
BEXLEY N.S.W
AUSTRALIA
14th May, 1944

Darling
There is "St Louis Blues" playing on the radio now. 
All I need is to hear "Star Dust" as I'm writing to you and 
I’ll be thoroughly blue. How are you darling? Any luck 
with the mail situation your way? It has been pretty 
slow over here, although this week two letters arrived 
from you. They were dated 2nd Dec and 2nd Feb. Funny they 
should arrive on the same day almost. Darling, darling - I 
wish you wouldn’t worry about me. Save it up for me, 
and when you come home. Listen Mac, I guess I’ll have to 
keep on telling you until it sinks in - no matter who should 
come along, it would make no difference whatsoever. I am waiting 
for your return and that's that. I make no bones about it 
to anyone and that's why I want to stop you from worrying. 
It couldn’t be any different, even if we were engaged. There, now 
will you believe me? I love you Mac - so much. So cheer up 
my sweet - will you? It was so interesting to read of your doings 
Mac - in a way reassuring, too. Little pieces of news like that 
makes a vast difference darling. I was surprised to learn that 
you had a theatre - certainly "of a kind". Do you have real-life 
shows or movies, Mac? Looks as if you'll be teaching me to play 
chess and bridge when you came home, so get in some good practise 
sweet, for I'm bound to beat you once I learn how. Gee,

we're going to have some fun Mac - aren't we? This will be a bit 
late, I'm afraid, but many Happy Returns for the 24th 
of June my darling. We keep on saying - "next time", - but at 
least it proves our faith in the belief that we shall be to-gether 
before very long. Imagine you being 25! It seems only yesterday 
that you were telling me of your 21st birthday. Remember how 
disappointed I was because you hadn't told me about it until 
afterwards? Mac - what do you think! There's a boy at work, 
strangely enough nicknamed Mac - short for McClintie, who, 
if given darker hair and a pair of dark brown eyes, could 
be your double. He even has a soft voice like yours. But 
what good is all that to me - he isn't you, and he only 
makes me feel lonelier for you each time he passes by. 
This past week has been a very quiet one - I went to a 
show at the Regent - starring Alice Faye and John Payne, Friday 
night last and again to the local show last night with Mum. 
(I caught a whopper cold into the bargain.) To-day being Sunday 
I slept in until 10:30am, washed my hair and had a busy day 
mending and cleaning my clothes. Sounds like hard work I 
know, but really I enjoyed it. Norm - your brother - 
should be home on leave by this, I must give him a ring 
to-morrow & say 'hello'. I haven't seen if him in months. 
Well darling, looks as if this is the end to another letter. Be 
sure and take good care of yourself Mac, xxxxx and don't 
forget I'll be seeing you some day soon. Mum and Dad said 
to say "Hello" for them and once again here's all my love, 
Dorothy.

PRISONER OF WAR POST 
KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST 

Rank & Name NX11067, Sgt. KESHAM, M.W., 
Australian Prisoner of War No. 3768 (1747) 
Camp Stalag 383 
Country of Internment Germany 
[*14th May 44*] 
3 Opened by Censor 

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

3 Opened by Censor 

Reg. NO. NX11067. Rank SGT 
Name KESHAM. M.W. 
Prison No 3768 (1747) Camp STALAG 383 
Country of Internment GERMANY 

AIRMAIL 

Name of Sender MISS.D. WILLIAMS 
Address 37 Byrnes Street
BEXLEY N.S.W
AUSTRALIA

21st May, 1944.
My Dearest Mac,
Hullo there darling - how goes it? Are you well Mac? 
I've had such a busy day to-day - especially for Sunday. So 
much so, that I find it hard to keep my eyes open. However, 
I want to write to you and so, open they will remain. But I 
was telling you about to-day; I've been making a pair of slacks 
and now they're all finished, pressed beautifully and hanging away. 
As a rule, if you remember dear, I always wear shorts but slacks
are handy to climb into these cold nights. You know, I’m a pretty 
busy gal these days. Apart from work, when I get home there 
is knitting, reading, sewing and such. There just aren’t enough 
nights in the week for me. Four girls from work, (including 
myself) had a night out last night. We went to the Prince 
Edward Theatre to see Bob Hope in a great show - “Let’s Face 
It”. It was really funny. Going into town isn't so bad, but 
gee Mac, I do get lonely on the homeward trip. Seeing everyone 
else with someone, makes me feel utterly blue. Then I 
think "Oh well - one day -" and life’s not so bad after all. 
Always when I feel bad, the thought of you comes along to 
brighten up the world. Sometimes I wonder where I would 
be without you. And you needn’t grin, darling. You’re so very 
near to me that it isn’t as ridiculous as it may sound. 
I wonder how Betty is enjoying her holiday - she’s staying

down in the Valley & although the weather has been pretty
miserable, I'll bet she's enjoying herself. Before I forget Mac-
Norma and George asked me to send their kindest regards.
After when they tell me, I fill up your letter without thinking 
& then have a guilty conscience. Work is still grand
Mac- I do like it. That's important, don't you think?
I'm rather excited too, - because I'm getting a raise in my
salary from the 1st of next month. I'm going to settle down +
get some money in the bank for, as you often tell your
mother, there's no telling when I might need it. Darling,
it sounds as if I might be getting some sense. But tell me
Mac, what have you been doing with yourself? There have
not been any more letters since I last wrote you - I miss
them my sweet - I wish I could hear from you, well, at
least every day. Boy, could I take that sort of treatment!
Oh, I wish I could receive a telegram say, to-morrow, saying
"Back Home, coming out - Mac". How I wish miracles like
that still happened. Of course, one day it will - of that I am
certain. And until then, - why I'll just keep right on loving
you, a little more with each passing day. What's more I'll
do everything my mother tells me - I'll keep out of the rain,
mind crossing the road - in general, I'll take care of myself.
And I'll never forget whose girl I am. So, once again, I
have to leave you, all too soon I know - but I'll be back 
next week. Cheerio my darling and remember to keep that
chin way up. For you - here's all my love, - Dorothy.

PRISONER OF WAR POST 
KRIEGSGEFANGENENPOST 

Rank & Name Sgt. KESHAM, M.W. (NX11067) 
Australian Prisoner of War No. 3768 (1747) 
Camp Stalag 383 
Country of Internment Germany 
21st May '44
198 

3 Opened by Censor 

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

3 Opened by Censor 

Reg. NO. NX11067. Rank SGT 
Name KESHAM. M.W. 
Prison No 3768 (1747) Camp STALAG 383 
Country of Internment GERMANY 

AIRMAIL 

Name of Sender MISS.D. WILLIAMS 
Address 37 Byrnes Street
BEXLEY N.S.W
AUSTRALIA
28th May, 1944

My darling Mac,
I have a piece of paper here beside me - with familiar
writing. Yep - you've guessed it; its a letter from you, dated
5th March. That's the latest I have yet received Mac. I was
beginning to wonder what had happened to you, until Friday
brought this letter. Believe me, I was happy to get it. For it
was helpful to know that, when you wrote it, you were "in the
pink" again, after your bout of the flue. Listen my sweet, lean
over while I give you a mental kick in the pants! Which girl
were you talking about when your said "maybe she's too good for
me" If it's the same girl I'm thinking about, well you should
not even ^ think such a ridiculous thing! Oh darling; don't let this
waiting get you down - you mustn't! Think how really lucky
we are, in comparison with so many others. I know you love
me Mac- and I love you too. Keep on smiling Mac; it won't be
very much longer now, and then we can make up for all
the good times we have missed. I'm so glad my letters are going
through O.K, together with the photos. Waiting for letters week
after week seems terrible until one turns up, and then all
the waiting becomes worth - while. Just awhile back, I was
standing out at the gate, looking down at the street, at nothing in
particular and wallowing in a lot of wishful thinking. It is
such a peaceful, sunny, Sunday afternoon and I was thinking

how wonderful it would be, to be waiting there at the gate
for you to turn the corner. Maybe you'd be coming over for the
afternoon- or maybe you'd be taking me out somewhere. Often
I think of things such as that; I suppose its because we
missed all these little things. Norma should be around [[ere?]]
long - Sunday night all the family gathers to-gether and listens
to the Lux Show. Will you join in one day darl? Oh you
should get a load of than sunshine- its glorious! Why don't you
ring my doorbell, right now? I wonder who'd hug the tightest
you or I? Sorry my dearest, I didn't mean to get onto that
wishful thinking business again. Its' been a very uneventful
week all told. Just work & pictures Monday night, & again last
night. Gee! I almost forgot to tell you. Yesterday, I voted for
the first time. Actually it was a very disappointing business
rather typical of growing up in general. Distance lends enchantment
sort of thing. That only applies to some things though;
for there is no enchantment in the distance between us, is there?
Remember once you saw me going skating with my cousin, Bess?
She was up here this morning with her baby girl [[Terry?]]. Of course
all work simply stopped and for three solid hours I sat in the
sun and nursed the baby. Yes, some people do have a hard
life, don't they? Blow it all there's the end again. Mac, here I
go on all the usual warnings, to take care of yourself and be
good. And until that day when we can laugh at all this
keep your chin way high. Remember I love you darling, and
I miss you terribly. Here's luck Mac dear, and all my love 
Dorothy.