Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 1 - Part 2 of 14

2/ 
One can but hope for the best. If the worst 
happens I shall ring home Saturday, of course 
provided that can be done. 
Your latest epistle sounds as 
though you were a trifle distrait, probably caused 
by lying in bed in lazy indolence of mornings 
during your vacation and reading those morbid 
volumes you fancy. Fie upon you. 
According to the Melb. Press, a shower
of rain fell there last night. Terrible for the 
poor things wasn't it. Well, your 
Ladyship, the well of inspiration seems to be 
drying up for now so I shall betake myself
off now to see a man. See you Sunday 
and murmur a prayer that duty will pass me 
by. I forgot to tell you we were taken off
kitchen last Tuesday hence my perturbation
re Sunday.   
A. Jew.[adieu?] fayre Ladye 
Mick

16.1.41  
DEPARMENT OF THE ARMY 
CONCESSION POSTAL RATE 

Miss. K. A. J Clarke 
548 Barkins Road 
East Hawthorn  
Victoria

Puckapunyal
18.1.41 
  
PR00610 
Australian 
War Memorial

Military camp at Pucka 
[W]Battalion or Unit 2.A.A. 
27.1.1941 
  
Sweetheart
Just a few lines penned during lunch recess. 
Writing early as I am due for guard on the 
Compound tonight at six. I hope you are 
well and not feeling too much the end of your 
holidays and the consequent return to toil. We 
got here about midnight and after our nocturnal 
wanderings on Friday & Saturday I feel like a 
long sleep today but cows are having 
parades today which are very tedious. 
So with 24 hours guard in prospect & with 
'Knuckle' in charge things look mighty 
black.  
Have no further news of any sort 
to tell you, Puss and I'll have to 
shove off for parade now. Will write 
you tomorrow night when I finish 
my spell looking after the bad boys.   
So Long, My Love
Mick

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY 
CONCESSION POSTAL RATE 
  
Miss. K. Clarke. 
c/o China Dept,   21.1.41
Mutual Store Ltd.
Flinders St 
Melbourne C.1

CHURCH OF ENGLAND 
SOLDIERS' HALL
PUCKAPUNYAL 
28.1.41 

Darling, 
In reply to yours to 
hand this day. I beg to advise 
that I am quite well and settling 
down to the humdrum of the
army tod again. Your good health 
and spirits are my earnest wish
Stop. Today was spent bludging 
by this humble party. Nine a.m
dentist for new lower plate with 
a haircut sneaked in the firms 
time. Back at 11 AM to E11 
thence at 11.30 for some equipment 
moving at the Q.M. Store. This 
sortie ended disastrously for 
me, an oven falling fell from a 
truck and knocked a piece out 
of my finger, said digit bleeding

2/
copiously. Thus to R.A.P for a  
dressing. A hearty stew potage  
followed, Gunner M.B proceeding  
back to billets. As everyone  
in the hut was on duty but  
me, they forgot about me  
this afternoon so I retired back  
to the hut to lick my wounds. 
Which will cost you taxpayers  
5/- and cheap at half the price.  
Regarding our departure  
there is nothing fresh to report  
except that thert there is feverish  
activity in the offices and stores  
so and everything else is being  
hurried up. Whether I can  
sneak down one night is uncertain  
as no news about buses has come  
through and on the other hands 
pretty sound punishment is being  
meted out to those caught AWL.  

3/ 
The difficulty about getting down is that  
rolls calls at 10 p.m from embarkation  
rolls are likely so if that happens  
while a bloke was away, he would  
cop it properly in the neck. So puss 
 if I can't make it, its too bad. 
The Battery Office told us we were  
pretty certain to be still here Sunday. 
So if I can't come down, at least you  
can come up. Still, don't be shocked  
if I pop in one night. The fellers  
who did not come back Sunday got  
fined and 7 days C.B. C.B here  
means reporting every half hour to  
Guardroom and an hours Defaulters  
Drill at 4.30 in the afternoon which  
I confess I would rather avoid as  
you are lucky if you can even write  
letters while that C.B lasts. 

4/
I was relieved from VD Guard  
yesterday afternoon and poor Syd  
appointed in my stead. He came in  
tonight and was quite done up  
after patrolling out in the plains. 
Quite a turn you meeting  
the Old Boy at Spencer St_ I'm  
glad he was consoling to you  
gals after your ordeal. He's not a  
bad old cove and I shall  
put him up one rung on my  
popularity ladder for his  
gallantry. 
Well, now comes the time  
to ring down the curtain, you  
lazy cow and we shall go on  
with the performance tomorrow  
evening. So, Puss, imagine I'm  
beside you when you hit the hay  
tonight. Chin Chin, pet, and  
the usual oodles of love.  
Mick 
PR00610 
Australian War Memorial

28.1.41 
Miss. K. Clarke, 
C/o China Department  
Mutual Store Ltd. 
Flinders St. 
Melbourne C.1

CHURCH OF ENGLAND 
SOLDIERS' HALL 
PUCKAPUNYAL 
  
PR00610 
Australian 
War Memorial