Letters of David Francis Smith, July 1941- February 1942 - Part 3

4.

of the bright lights as yet, we'll see

if I can get a few snaps to send to

you; there is certainly quite a lot

to see, but if you see one town 

here, you see the lot, they are all

just about the same.

Received your cable on Tuesday

many thanks Love, I'll send that

cash back to you very shortly

maybe youll reckon that I have gone

to the pack, but I promise you that

that is not the case.

Well Darling I cant find

any news to tell you for the present

so I'd better clue up.

Cheerio Darling.

With all my Love & Kisses

Frank xxxxxxx

[*DMatthews*]

Regards to all at home.

Front of Envelope

BY AIR MAIL

PAR AVION

ON ACTIVE SERVICE

POSTAGE PAID 

25 CENTS

MALAYA

A.I.F. [[?]] P.O

183E41

No 19

 

Mrs. D.J. Smith

C/o Mrs H. Watts.

Symonds St

Queenscliff

Victoria

Aust

 

PASSED BY CENSOR

NO. 2780

 

DMatthews.

Back of Envelope

VX 25593

W/O Smith D.F.

Unit, H.Q.

Signals 8 Aus Div

A.I.F.

Malaya

 

MADE IN BRITISH EMPIRE

Australian War Memorial

NO 51.    VX 25593.

W O." D.J. Smith

8th Divisional Signals

A.I.F.

Malaya.

24.9.41

 

My Darling Rene,

Just a few lines to

let you know that I am O.K, & still

in the land of the living, hope

this finds you & all at home in

the best of health etc, & that you

are managing to fill your time in.

Since I last wrote we

have shifted to our new camp, &

cant say that I'm very pleased

with it, its pretty hard going

to canvas after the extra decent

quarters that we have been used

to since our arrival in this part

of the globe. The camp is in

a rubber plantation, & very seldom

get a breeze at all, have been

sweating consistently since I arrived

here. Had a decent shower this

4.

Am wondering what sort of

a job you made with Pam while

Cyril & Mary were away, would

be good experience for you.

What is the news over around

Bills part of the globe, thing seem

to have quietened down there

a fair bit, how long of a stretch

did he have in hospital.

Very sorry to hear that M. Carrick

isn't so good, maybe its just as

you say, maybe I'd better take

heed.

Sad to relate I broke that hoop

of mine again, thats happened quite

a few times, its been around a long

time & had a fair bit of knocking

about. The watch is going pretty

strong, so dont say that I never

mention it.

Well Sweetheart I cant find

any news for the present, hope I get

a letter or two tomorrow.

Cheerio

With all my Love & Kisses

Frank xxxxxxx

Regards to all at home.

Front of Envelope

BY AIR MAIL

PAR AVION

[MALAYA 25C POSTAGE STAMP]

No [[?]]

18 MAR [[?]]

 

Mrs. D.F. Smith

C/O Mrs. H. Watts

Symonds St

Queenscliff

Victoria

AUSTRALIA

 

PASSED BY CENSOR

NO. 2780

[FEStalie?]

Back of envelope

INDIAN SECTION BASE OFFICE

18 MAR 41

 

Australian

War Memorial

[*P.S. Have just

received your cable

Love promise I'll never

need any more like that,

have had a 

big fright.*]

 

NO. 56.

 

VX25593

W.O."  D.F.Smith

8th Divisions Signals

A.I.F.

Malaya

14.10.41

 

My Darling Rene

Just a few lines in answer to your

two very nice letters which I received on Sunday,

was pleased to hear that you & all at home

are in the best of health etc, and that you

are still managing to knock out a fair sort

of a time.

As usual I'm afraid there is not

much in the way of news to tell you from this

part of the globe other than Im getting along

pretty well & up to date dodging the various

complaints like prickly heat & Dhobies Itch etc,

guess that I've been rather lucky, as I have

very little of it up to the present.

Had a game of football on Sunday

played on a ground with mud & water up

to our ankles but enjoyed the run. Am very

keen on a hockey match that they have arranged

for tomorrow, have only had one decent game

2.

since we arrived, so maybe I'll be pretty useless

as per usual.

Ron Watts got a fair write up on that cutting

you sent me, think that is the first photo that 

I have seen of him, was bad luck getting

smashed up before the big events came off, he

is having quite a long spell in hospital. I

thought that other cutting rather good the one

you crossed of the chap saying that it was good

to see anyone white again, think that he has

expressed the feelings of all of us over here, & me

in particular, it will certainly be a wonderful 

day when I'll be able to say that, Malaya

would be interesting I would appeal to a visitor,

but when you have to spend any length of

time here, you can get well & truly fed up with

it.

Yes Love, I do realize that it is the mail

service that is at fault & not you, dont think

that you have missed out on your twice a week

as yet.

Havent had a chance to get that ring fixed

yet. I was wearing it, even when it had the break

5.

hard work. Why have a dig at me over

that "Blonde" (Edments) that lot wasnt my

fault.

Pa would miss his arguments re

Politics Conscription etc, now that you have 

given them up.

You didnt enlighten me much about

the contents of Kath's letter.

Maybe you have found out my opinion

of those snaps, & I wasnt piling it on either

Tell Mabel that Im looking forward

to her letter.

Well Sweetheart, I cant find any news

to tell you for the present, so I'd better close

up

Cheerio

With all my Love & Kisses

Frank xxxxxxxxxx

Regards to all at home.

[*J?Hardaine*]