Wallet 1 of 1 - Bissaker, Frank Sherral (Lieutenant, b.1914 - d.1942), Part 12

Letter No. 27

NX 57392 Hubby

A Coy. 2/13 Battalion

AIF (ME) Abroad

19 October 42

My Darling Sherrie & Terry xxxx x

Hullo,

family, how are you. This bright 

Sunny day? - very well I hope

and so am I too! I only wish

we three were sharing such a

lovely day together. xxxx x

I still have to answer a few of your

letters dear. So here goes. Incidently

young lady your spelling is not

improving, so in future I'm going

to send you a long list of all

mistakes & I'm going to spank

you, too, when I get home. Consider

yourself sentenced to 7 Days C.B. on

bread & water. I wonder if 'C.B.'

means caned & banged?? ahem!

xxxx

2.

If I could spell the word 'atrocius'

I'd say your spelling is atrocius. xxxx

5 minutes later :- Pardon my absence, but

there is a dog-fight proceeding nearby

& a Jerry plane just skimmed 

uncomfortably close to my dugout. He made

such a roar whilst diving that I

couldn't hear myself write. Our ack!

ack! guns gave him a few souvenirs

of lead. I've often seen 'planes

crash & watched the crew frantically

endeavouring to parachute.

Quite some time ago, Jerry infantry

attacked our position. Their artillery

shelled us for an hour & then the

infantry put in an attack. We settled

down to some rapid firing & just

before daylight Jerry withdrew. During

the attack 'Snowy' handed me a 

hand grenade, for which I thanked

3

him until I noticed that the pin

l was missing. "Hey ! Snowy there isn't

any pin in this B-B ! ! ? ! grenade."

" I know that Sir, I dropped it in 

the sand" was his answer. All I could

do was throwg throw the damned

thing out & it landed on our

latrine, blowing it to pieces -

wouldn't it? He re When daylight

came we collected a few prisoners

but not without a funny incident

occurring. Our Skipper wandered out

to see what weapons etc. that Jerry had

left & was returning returning to us when

I noticed a big blonde Jerry (about

6'2" high) following him back. Hi!

Skipper look behind you! " I yelled.

When he saw the Jerry, he nearly

collapsed. Actually he voluntarily

surrendered & was only too willing

to be taken prisoner by one of my lads.-

4

When this Jerry saw our Skipper returning

to our lines he merely followed

behind him - it was the funniest

thing I've seen for a long while.

Germans are very similar to us in

looks & build, but some of them are

very haughty & definitely, a pain

in the neck. Whilst out on patrols

I've been as close as 10 yards to them

& have heard them laughing & talking.

But I'm blowed if I was laughing

at the time. Actually, I was wondering 

how soon it would be before I was

either a prisoner or in about 100

pieces. However, all's well that ends

well & I was always lucky enough

to return safely to our lines. I'll

tell you all about patrols etc.

when I return darling, as censorship

regulations won't permit me to

write about such matters.

(5)

I don't remember either Beveridge or

the name of my ex-batman dear.

but if the latter has returned home

he's a lucky fella!

Sweetheart, I realise just how

difficult it is to buy suitable

items to pack in parcels for me. I've

enjoyed everything you've sent me

darling, but now with coupons

operating & everything so dear I don't

want you to send so many. Our

canteen supplies dozens of necessities

& I'm well fitted out at present.

Tobacco X is fairly plentiful, also

razor blades, so I'm doing very well

for myself. Another thing, please

remember that I am quite O.K.

financially (word of honour). If

ever I need any cash, darling, I'll 

let you know by cable xxxx.

Nevertheless, thanks for offering, Sweetheart.

xxxx

(6)

I have taken my platoon sergeant

in hand & convinced him that he

will marry his fiance immediately

he returns home. I told him all

about us & Terry & he now wants 

to catch the next boat home (so

do I incidentally) xxxx

I've digressed in all directions, as

usual, but I knew you would like

to hear some of the incidents which

I've experienced.

O-o-h! Sherrie! You mentioned

MORE children when I return. Do 

you realise young lady that I haven't

any even met our first born 

baby yet! x. Anyway, whilst on

the subject, I think we (or should

I say "you") will have a feminine

gender, next time - wow!!

Bang ! Bang! Bang! I just

6

heard a few rifle shots. Bang! Bang!

there goes a few more. xxxx

I wrote to Mother, Uncle Bert,

Ella & Lieut Osborne (the chap who

sent me those snaps) and also Keith

Cole last night. I can't keep

my correspondence up to date, although

of course I always write to you, at

every opportunity.  xxxx.

Attended Church followed by

Holy Communion yesterday and prayed

to God to keep you and Terry safe &

to send me home safely, SOON

Lots of Love Sherrie darling,

Ever your own loving hubby

Frank. xxxx

x Terry

FS Bissaker

PS. I miss you terribly, darling xxxx

No. 283
CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE
I, Oswald Sydney Fleck being
a Minister of the Church of England
do hereby Certify that I have this day at the Church of Saint
Luke at Concord, N.S.W, duly celebrated Marriage between
Frank Sherral Bissaker
Salesman & Clerk of 125 Cabarita Rd. Cabarita, Bachelor
and Norma Sherrie Bissell
Dressmaker's machinist of 34 Archer St Concord, Spinster
after declaration duly made before me as by law required.
DATED this sixth day of May 1941
O. Sydney Fleck {Signature of Minister
                                or Registrar.
Signature of Parties { F Bissaker (Bridegroom.
to Marriage.                { N.S. Bissell (Bride.)
Signature of                { N.J. Bissell.
Witnesses.                   {Horace Bissell