Papers relating to the military service of Reginald Walter ‘Reg’ Saunders, 1943-1975
VX12843.
Sgt. SAUNDERS.RW.
C. Coy. 2/7th Btn.
17th Bge. AIF. Australia
14th May, 1943.
Dear Dorothy.
I received your letter
today. I was very surprised to hear
from you, as I did not know
that Harry had any particular
girl friend, although he spoke
of one, he never ever mentioned
any names. I had not seen
him for over 2½ years, and
received only one letter from
him just before he was killed
So he had very little chance
of telling me he was going to
be married. His death was a
great shock to me and the rest
of the family, and it upset Dad
very much indeed, because has
you know we are the only two
boys in the family.
.2.
Harry was the younger of course.
Even now it is very hard for
me to realise that he is gone
and it all seems like a very
bad dream, but we have got
to realise it is the truth.
Knowing the "Kid" as only a
brother can know him, I can
assure ^you, that if he could have
his way he would certainly
not have us or any fretting
over him. He is buried in
a small military cemetary
very close to where he fell in
battle, someday I hope to make
a pilgrimage to his grave.
I am some where in New
Guinea, and I have been
over here for some time now.
.3.
I have been in action against
the Japanese a couple of times
and was able to avenge, Harry
a couple or more times.
At present I am on having a
rest after spending a week or
more in hospital with a couple
of very common complaints,
I have quite recovered now
though and expect to be back
at work before another week
has gone by. I hope you will
excuse this note paper letter
but real writing material is
very scarce over here. and
we have to use what ever is
the best or we can procure.
I will welcome any letters
from you, as all letters are
4.
very welcome in this place.
If I have the chance when I am
in Melbourne again, I will come
out and see you, but I don't
know when that will be, it won't
be for a good many weeks yet.
I will let you know at a later
date when I will be coming.
It is raining here today and it is
fairly cold. it rains nearly every
day or night, and our boots and
clothes are nearly always wet.
At present I would like nothing
better than to get into some nice
sunshine and relax.
Well Dorothy I must say cheerio
for the present hoping to hear from
you in the near future. I Remain
Respectfully Yours.
[[?]]
Reg. Saunders.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
POSTMASTER-
GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT
TELEGRAM
Melbne 50/1 3 40 pm
Postal Acknowledgment & Delivery
Personal. Mrs D. M. Saunders
14 Glebe Ave Ca
Lieut R W Saunders wounded
in action I Regret to
inform you that VX13843
Lieut Saunders R W. Has been
wounded in action
BA Date not given the
Minister for the army
extends he sincere sympathy.
Minister for the
Army
[*4.3/e*]
Capt R Saunders
C Coy 3 Bn
25.6.51
My Darling
Just a note
containing some money
that I won playing poker
I'm sending it on to you
I hope you can find some
use for it.
Our C O is leaving us
today we are all very
sorry to see him go but
we don't mind, because
we have a very good
C O coming
I am sending ₤19.10.0 I
suppose you'll pay most
2
of it into the bank. I sent
you ₤5 yesterday.
Well darling cheerio
for now. I hope you like
the writing paper its
made of wood.
Cheerio for now dear
give my regards to my
3 little sweethearts.
I still love you. your
loving husband
Reginald
xxxx
xxxx
3/400 228. LT. REG SAUNDERS
A.Coy. 3 BN. R.A.R.
17th Jan '50.
My Darling Wife
I received two of your letters today and one
from Mum. I'm sorry I wrote you such a nasty old
letter, but sweet heart [[?]] I still love you with all
my heart and soul, Now about Nick Lovells wife and
he writing to you and inviting you up to their place
in Castlemaine, write and tell them you'll be up
there in about 5 weeks from now, because, today
I sent you ₤30 which you should receive in that
time, It will be enough to buy you some things
and pay for your holiday. don't worry about the Kids
and me, take care of your self, because both
me and the children need you such a lot, and
remember dear to us you are the most important
person in the whole world, also don't worry about
money, I'll send you another ₤20 or so when ever
you want it, Also dear if you can't manage on the
allotment, write and let me know and I'll allot
you more, also, don't buy anything on time payment
if you can't pay cash, write and let me know
PTO
xx
and I'll send you over what you want in the way
of money, I will need some to buy a new uniform
and a few other things when I leave here, but ₤30
should be enough for that. I really would like
you to have a holiday and stop worrying about
me, I'm just off, and [[?]] if I don't write to you
for long periods at a time, its only because
I'm too busy or something else, its not because
I've stopped loving you, because I'll never do
that, and besides when you worry you get run
down and get in bad health, so you see I don't
want you in bad health, I want you to be
happy and gay, for me when I come home, and
please don't take any notice of my sour letters
because, I can't help it if I get lonely and
home sick now and again in this land of
eternal snow and ice and cold winds
Believe me dear I love and I trust you in
spite of what I say, I know that inside my
heart I love as God meant man to love
woman, and I trust you as much as I
could, well you have my heart over there.
xxx
with you, keep it warm dear and always carry
it with you, because you are the only one I could
ever trust with it. Yes dear you, most, precious you,
are the guardian of my heart, and the guardian
of my children, so you see dear you have the
[[?]] [[?]] of me, you have their [[?]] with you, where
ever you may be, everything that is me, even
though I'm here in Korea thousands of miles
away, You hold me as though I'm tied with
heavy chains to the front door, because you
have my everything, my love, my children and
my spirit, its only my silly old body over here
and that will come home some day and then
you'll have all of me, so you see dear I'm
really not very far away at all, its only that
I'm working late and have to leave in the
mornings before you wake up, you don't ever
see me but, I sleep beside you every night and
I kiss you good night every night and I kiss
you good morning every morning, but you sleepy
head is always asleep, when I come home
and when I leave. Sometimes the I see the
xxxx
children and they see me, but think they
are dreaming, so forget it in the morning.
Yes dear I’m with you all the time even now
while you are reading this, I know I am, and
why you ask, because you are with me, and
you are very brave [[?]]
every night and in the cold hours before the
dawn when I’m awake, waiting and
standing too, you keep me warm and you
speak to me and tell me that you love me
and we plan together you and ^I all the lovely
things for our future, And you assure me that
I’m safe and will return to our home, and you
keep me safe, yes dear you have been with me all
the time and you are going to stay with me forever.
Well I’m going to bed now and sleep and
you are going to watch over time ^me so to you
that is so far away I’ll say Goodnight
sleep tight, my love God bless and keep
you safe and well until I return. I
Remain your loving Husband. Reg xxxx
FOR MY BABES:-
ALL MY KISSES and PATERNAL LOVE
FOR YOU ! - MY ALL
PR06266
Thursday Dec 51
My Darling
I love you very much
I have your photo in front of me now
and also our babies’ photo’s, they are
always in front of me, and you to
Mrs Saunders. Gee honey I love you, its
hurts me so much to love you, because
if you were not my only darling I
could do anything. Please dear
give my special love to Barby as
I lie here in bed I can’t help think
off the day she hid under the
bushes from you in 14. Glebe Avenue
and the day she ate the snails,
the intense joy she gave us both when
she was our first born, all the pain
and your hair cuts and false alarms.
My first sight of her ½ and hour old
but darling she was lovely to me
and you sitting up in bed, looking
more lovelier than ever.
Excuse my poor writing, but tonight
I miss you and if I am in-articulate,
its because I love you so and my
eyes are so much in love with
you that they are dimm to all
else.
xx
Excuse me for being so silly, but
darling I feel so very lonely tonight
I miss you my darling and our
3 little darlings so very much
that it makes me want to cry.
But I’m hoping that I’m home with
you all very soon.
Darling give Glen a big hug
for me because she is extra
special to, I wonder does her eyes
flash the same and does she still
sweat, and is she as wild as
ever, her hair singed like it was
at Tait St. on the gas stove.
And last but not least is my own
precious baby, I’ll bet she is spoiled by
every one including the 2 big sisters
is her hair still curly and does she
still call for her daddy when she is
in trouble, Gee honey I love you all
so much it hurts, and I’m doing my
best to get home to you all again
Cheerio for now sweetheart.
With my fondest love only to you
and our precious babies.
lovingly alway. Yours.
Reginald
xxxx
To my darling wife
For. You.
Though the hills
and dales separate us
And I am miles from you
My love is always honest
And for ever will remains true.I dream of you my darling
I leave the warring nations.
And drift gently of to sleep
And then I see your, sweet, tender, face
Out of sleeps shadows creep.
I dream of you my darling.
When soft night shadows fall
I see again your wistfull smile
And hear your soft sweet call.
Then we are together
In loves sweet, tender glow
With your soft arms around me
All my troubles fade and go.
And then I am awakened
And life is very real
But dreams are only fancy
Whilst our love is very real ^
some thing we both feel.
Goodnight my little darling
I am drifting off to sleep
Goodnight my only sweetheart
Our love will always keep. xxxxxx
RWS.
I am thinking of you that is why
I wrote this little poem to you, it is
dedicated to our love, and it is only
meant for you. So darling when ever
you are feeling lonely and blue read it
because it will always remind you
that no matter what happens there is
one person that still loves you
goodnight darling
RWS.
84. Walker Crescent.
Narrabundah. A.C.T.
2604.
Dear David
Congratulations on making
^it into the army
I am pleased to know
that the Saunders tradition
is in such worthy hands.
The army is what you make it, it is a
great character builder and if you can be a
successful soldier, you can be a successful man.
When I first went into the army over 35 years
ago, my father told me it was just another job
and success meant promotion. He also said that
I would meet real men and mates and that my
whole world would change. It was all so very
true.
You have a long history of military men
in your family, Apart from myself and Uncle Harry
killed in New Guinea, you have had. Pte Reginald
Rawlings MM. your great grand uncle. Killed in
France in 1917. Then Joe and Kenny Crowe more
grand uncles in the 14-18 war. Then in the
Boer war you had great grandfather Arden my
mothers father. In world war II many of your
blood cousins served as pilots in the R.A.A.F. and
as sailors on the Australian warships. I was the
only one to return to Australia, and finally your
own grandfather Saunders who served in the light
horse and as a machine gunner in world war I
They did not all bear the Saunders name but they are
all of the same blood and skin as you.
Wear your uniform with pride and good
luck.
love Dad.
AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES
3rd Bn The Royal Aust Regt
HEALTH CERTIFICATE
I certify that the
above named personnel have been
medically examined
within the last 24 hours, are fit to travel by
air and are free from
all communicable diseases, VD, pediculi
pubis etc and that their
inoculations and vaccinations are up to
date.
DATE: 4/11/51
R BARNES Capt
RMO 3rd Bn Royal Aust Regt
AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES
3rd Bn The Royal Aust Regt
HEALTH CERTIFICATE
I certify that the above
named personnel have been
medically examined
within the last 24 hrs, are fit to travel by
air and are free from
all communicable diseases, VD, pediculi
pubis etc and that their
inoculations and vaccinations are up to
date.
DATE: 4/11/51
R Barnes Capt
RMO 3rd Bn Royal Aust Regt
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