Wallet 1 of 1 - Bissaker, Frank Sherral (Lieutenant, b.1914 - d.1942), Part 1

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Part of Quest:
Lieutenant Frank Sherral Bissaker
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2020.7.152
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 5

then NX. 57592 At. Sea Li . Suneso Letter No. 1t for 151 Sr Deaperemn & 2/13t n R.I.P. Kbroad My ow Danling Nife, Senie, XX88 Saknay 10 Nor. 4 10 How are you Soday, M S. Steme Cnedd que te well I hope, dear I suppose that by the Lime you receive this leted hat 1st Decmbe and H Decenber with have passed so Ito to to this opportuonly to wish a Has (as Haff as ponbt, darlng Siaday and Besr Wishes He my lave on and Weading Hanwersian Hs we have bst agaed time marcher on it never shaps, even for Word Was vo.2. So you sn dear. It wond be long before Il &be with you again, and where are we theading for: Kngs ford Stek, just you jun and I I just be- read all you geter tat you fave me before I lpt they helped brighten he ag Luck I toh kit, beiong you are so appiniste. The newn let you down yet sid, and I don't in send to disappoint you his hine, wher I say - togeter again soon. We haven't received any mait yet, so it sums as Hugh will bene its out askt as reach one sestiration Don t have aay womies about me bbehaving hyself sean
Run cos I valu your lave and susk in me fos higly So ean let you sow. In buryall day and my everings takend oft an sy are Spen fer her having a for of hew with the boys at he piemuss one a wak couest once a wak on else esty to bed. and lkt Sucs of Cast. Dark, Swan, near Janty cisist Jory and Or Connor. In Lack dear, to put it att aboupty. In fiving you a 100/ deat, word of honans. And, Young lady, I miss you tenity and lave you more hanene I'm glad you liked has nighties ther I gave you for your beshday dus you cenfanly flsk wondersut in them. I op her lap in bed and mensally ficture the nights when we used to lay or the bed, and Id kk your unresicking bady in my ams and tiss your warn lips. Enew Hilter cant descasy my houdh I sacred remories of you. And Ill be hove soo to dear old Sonata, to kiss Now apids ups one again for kups Aid Il also hand a kiy bande to nune, if you'ts show we how to hold Junw. Ie bet yut be a frond, danting lettle mother, and Losh. In be a goldamed. pand old Soppa ds Jou Stk favand Nendy Lave and Seend Sind
Berner 3 I game Deneng hade about 1le kes to fors you at various times dear, so I hop they help Ho chas you up Leters provide and only sour of communication and they artainly help. In eagerly intiasaking receiving your mard in her I amine at whereve we ar heading for?? I dont hint the anso allaws anyone to fak Seter No as enuelsfe Eg. Leker No1 So In working it on he notifepe instead and sup hamnt bew farsuncaaty in denerting as e all we se is sea Ise and more six te nimes of he fook of caune cannat we anco werl be mentioned, & anyway ant from hend & over In ten in the disbened youll neve believe it deas, but pers who I med this moning? Norn Carod remembn the Loam fuard? When I sold her w wea wameds t all about funior he paobed my hand a cean Twamly cong nsutated as. It a sasd world usnt it. There is very lifle chara of me bung Peasick or the remainded of the dang. In quite a sailor new, dear. This ship is peripe is sye, and I cht get lock naw a ker. Sward is out of bed agains, lasking very fats a weak. I've lost Mirkrge thon a few Ws. in weight
you B and funid danting, & ean cos natenln goud are in my thanger all the time is senall at night In amph waiking for and renniord and rememt dear it was's be long Nawd we said So long it was just a case of Ill be seung you soon, yes and very Loon at that Con Senned Sunday 11 so and. Have just retumned from Chuka Sand & prayed a alens payer which I know God with answo, disting Last right I spenk the evening with I appains and a Major playing cards. Loday it is very warm with a clandlers blue sty gopher lost aver te Ships side a watch the wanes as we fight our way across the occar at a seady, Fireless Spek it occurs to me that it doesnt take very longe for is to reech am desknaso 1000 of wites from you, So that it theredoe with be only he same quiet ais as the retur gourney a ten deating Ill be able to tel you all the kings that the censor fower to me Afrai retaking at present. I wish its ssrers once again dear. I out believe any runauss he ond ship being Lund or wrecked it as we are well proceeded I dont know wheter you have received my maits regularly, but I know you' underrkint haw hippench it is for the andoutes to repulak th 100 pleters that are posted.
Dis 15 He fand to excelent dead, as you will know how the means Ive porked on mess is bean sipully appointed wit $1000 of eleck Lans to made easing a cost foo. Ne hs t Capten of H Thif ea to his neats with us Sevan a the rest of aur officers sit at aur table. of aune easly in the evening, shirk Bluhant is sbeerred untit the plownaday which means that noone is allowed or deet, nearly all porshales a wer damy in closed. Ie naul is that te wlal Thip becames wery warn, & even the eleck fans only spread the save an tah We are echating. Iring the day its teniaty that ambered wit a Sticky humdidy. I realiss, that his isst a ppuasure cauise, homene, ao we hand Hough consitions ahead of us but we can at take it, wke her it be desert ar know. Shan hie my love to makes Stuts, dead, I Kam Keye wish five gou man atendad. losk i Yousself dear, don't wory unnecessanty about me as Ill be careput, I fromise. until Telrassy I hape you don't supter any faysicat fair wit fuli - you have a tough jot, but I kngt youl take it as he din and bbaby with be te best sid in he block. In sure you ave lst of duusy clokes created by you clve, indusdans hends for finio Hl my Lave disteng, I lave you mave thir end Your very own Srenk XXXX

At. Sea.    NX. 57392.

Lieut F. Bissaker

Letter No. 14 (or 15?)  8th Reinforcements 2/13th Bn.

A. I. F.  Abroad.

My own Darling Wife, Sherrie, XXXX    Saturday 15 Nov. 41

How are you today Mrs.

N. Sherrie Bissaker? - quite well I hope, dear.

I suppose that by the time 

you receive this letter that 1st December and 

6th December will have passed so I'll take 

this opportunity to wish you a Happy (as Happy as

possible, darling) Birthday and Best Wishes &

All my love on our Wedding Anniversary.

As we have both agreed time marches on,

it never stops, even for World War No. 2.  So

you see dear, it won't be long before I'll

be with you again, and where are we

heading for? - Kingsford State, just 

you, Junior and I. I just re-read all your

letters that you gave me before I left &

they helped to brighten me up such a lot,

kid, because you are so optimistic. I've

never let you down yet kid, and I don't

intend to disappoint you this time, when

I say -"together again soon!  We haven't 

received any mail yet, so it seems as 

though we'll have to wait until we

reach our destination.

Don't have any

worries about me behaving myself dear

[*F.Bissaker*]

                                                                  (2)

(2)
'cos I value your love and trust in me too highly

to ever let you down.  I'm busy all day 

and my evenings (when off duty) are spent 

either having a pot of beer with the boys;

at the pictures once a week; concert once a

week or else early to bed. Our little Bucks 

party consists of Capt. Dark, Bevan, Meba

Jory and O'Connor.  In fact dear, to put it all

briefly, I'm giving you a 100% deal, word

of honour. And, young lady, I miss you

terribly and love you more than ever XXXX.

I'm glad you liked those nighties that

I gave you for your birthday dear - you certainly

looked wonderful in them.  I often lay in bed

and mentally picture the nights when we

used to lay on the bed and I'd take

your unresisting body in my arms and 

kiss your warm lips. Even Hitler can't 

destroy my thoughts & sacred memories

of you. And I'll be home soon to dear

old "Sonata", to kiss those cupid's lips

once again for keeps.  And I'll also have

a tiny bundle to nurse, if you'll show

me how to hold Junior.  I'll bet you'll be

a proud, darling little mother, and Gosh!

I'll be a goddamed, proud old Poppa!  Do

you still favour Wendy [[?Sherrie]] and General Frank?
 [*Signature*]

 

 

(3)

I gave Darling Mater about 12 letters to post to

you at various times dear, so I hope they help

to cheer you up. Letters provide our only source 

of communication and they certainly help. I'm

eagerly anticipating receiving your mail when

I arrive at wherever we are heading for??  

I don't think the censor allows anyone to put

Letter No's on envelopes E.g. "Letter No. 15". So I'm

writing it on the notepaper instead. Our 

trip hasn't been particularly interesting 

as we all we see is sea - see? and more sea;

the names of the ports of course cannot 

be mentioned, & anyway we anchor well 

out from them s & only see them in the distance.

You'll never believe it dear, but guess who

I met this morning? - Norm Carmody,

remember the tram guard?  When I told him

we were married & all about Junior he

grabbed my hand & very warmly congratulated
us.  It's a small world isn't it?
There is very little chance of me being 

seasick on the remainder of the trip.  I'm

quite a Sailor now, dear.  This ship is

 terrific in size and I still get lost

now and then.  Bevan is out of bed 

again, looking very pale and weak.  I've lost 

a few lbs in weight, thinking about
[*Signature*]

 

(4)

[*you*] and Junior darling, & natuara 'cos naturally you

are in my thoughts all the time, especially at

night. I'm simply waiting for our reunion and

remember dear it won't be long. When we said

"So long" it was just a case of "I'll be seeing  

you" soon, yes! and very soon at that.

Continued Sunday. 11.30 a.m.  Have just returned

from Church Parade & prayed a silent prayer,

which I know God will answer, darling. xxxx. 

Last night I spent the evening with 2 captains

and a Major playing cards.

Today it is very warm with a cloudless blue sky.

I often look over the ship's side & watch the waves

as we fight our way across the ocean at a

steady, tireless speed & and it occurs to me that it

doesn't take very long for us to reach

our destination 1000's of miles from you, so

that it therefore will be only the same quiet

trip on the return journey & then darling I'll 

be able to tell you all the things that the censor 

prevents me from relating at present. I 

wish to stress once again dear. DON'T believe

any rumours re our ship being sunk or 

wrecked etc. as we are well protected. I don't 

know whether you have received my mail

regularly, but I know you'll understand how

difficult it is for the authorities to regulate

the 1000's of letters that are posted.

[*F.Bissaker*]

 

 

(5)

The food is excellent dear, as you will know from the

menus I've posted.  Our mess is beautifully appointed

with 100's of elect. fans to make eating a cool

process. Now and then the Captain of the Ship eats his

meals with us. Bevan and the rest of our officers sit 

at our table. Of course early in the evening, strict 

Blackout is observed until the following day,

which means that noone is allowed on deck, &

nearly all the portholes & windows are closed. The result 

is that the whole ship becomes very warm, &

even the elect. fans only spread the same air that

we are exhaling.  During the day its terribly 

hot combined with a sticky humidity.  I realised,

that this isn't a pleasure cruise, however, as we have

tough conditions ahead of us, but we can all take 

it, whether it be desert or snow.

Please give my love to Mater and 'Skuta', dear, I

know they will give you every attention.  Look after 

yourself dear, don't worry unnecessarily about me,

as I'll be careful, I promise.  until February, 

I hope you don't suffer any physical pain

with Junior - you have a tough job, but I

know you'll take it on the chin.  Our baby will

be 'the best kid in the block'.  I'm sure you 

have lots of dainty clothes created by your

clever, industrious hands for Junior.

All my Love darling, I love you more than

ever.  Your very own. Frank xxxx.

[*F.Bissaker*]

                              

 

                                        

                                                                                             

 

                                                                                                                       

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