Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 1 - Part 11 of 14

3/ 
The Red Cross is doing the right thing taking your  
blood. I know that its worth bottling and if some  
digger gets your corpuscles into his veins it should  
make his hair curl although it is the fashion over 
here to have it all cut off. 
Stop Press 3 more letters just handed to me. hooray!  
Bob Sutton sends his love to you and if you get a moment  
drop him a line, same address as mine except he is  
in G Section - I will send his number in my next  
epistle. While I'm thinking of it, the censor has  
not mutilated your letters one iota so keep going  
in the same strain.  Also green envelopes not yet  
available although I will write as I feel without such  
aids, darling. All my letters will be airmail as the  
surface mail is hopeless from a time point of view. 
No. 3. I'm delighted to see the Mutual is putting on more  
youthful garments - it might be more pleasing to work  
there now. Still, there are still one or two snags  
remaining, aren't there? Your references to Dot Ridge seem a  
bit grim in view of what I know and what you  
know - that is according to your letter. However, when  
you get this, Syd will no doubt have seen  
you and given you the story first hand.  
It would rotate you, eh?

4/
I shall look forward to those snaps you  
mention. As soon as I get my camera going
I'll send you a few. Well Sweetheart, that  
seems to be all for this letter as mail time 
draws nigh.
The last item - In walked Bill Wolstencroft  
yesterday and we were both tickled to death and  
yapped for hours. Con Mac is with him but was  
away at a school. Very sorry to have missed him.  
I was flat broke but Bill dragged me over to  
his canteen and stood me everything he could get  
there. Good Digger spirit, I'll say.  He's off
to the big show today and does not think he  
can write home for a while. Will you ring  
Renee Winter and tell her that the above  
news.
So ta ta for now, Kay and  
close for a day or two sending you all my  
love,
Mick

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE PASSED BY CENSOR 206
9.4.41
AIR.MAIL  
MISS. K. CLARKE.
CHINA. DEPARTMENT
MUTUAL. STORE. LTD.
FLINDERS. ST.
MELBOURNE. AUSTRALIA 

Middle East 
9.4 41

VX38483 Gnr M Billings            
2nd. A.A.A. Regiment 
5.4.41. 

Darling Kay.
No. 8
And so I sit me down to indite a further  
chapter of the life of a soldier of sorts and at the  
outset I am in trouble in search of news.  As we have  
spent this day doing a spot of marching at times over  
tough country,  I feel a trifle fatigued and weariness  
makes it difficult for my creative faculty to function.  
But as the mail closes in the morning and I realise  
that you would be disappointed if your regular  
screed did not materialise, I have perched my carcase  
on the divan and dipped the pen into the bottle once  
again. The method of writing letters over here reminds  
me of your Friday night system both our methods  
culminating in a dose of shut-eye. However there is a time  
limit in the Army and I must get done before the  
trumpeter sounds "lights out". I'm glad you met Old  
White and enjoyed his company at our place and  
anyway I hope to journey back to Australia aboard his
ship. Just at the moment, the first papers have come  
to hand but nothing for me eventuated. Better luck  
next time which I hope won't be long. Glad to know  
Syd. has been delivered safely and as you know I'm  
eager to hear from him.

2/
To resume I have knocked off to visit the canteen in quest  
of beer but it was a fruitless mission. Today was a gala  
day as for the first time since we arrived here Aussie beer  
was available and we dealt with it severely. Even the  
Wog stuff has been off the counter for a week so the  
resumption was greatly popular. Had made plans to  
pay John a visit tomorrow but news has just arrived that
I have drawn to stay in camp tomorrow. I'm very  
disappointed as I have been looking forward to having  
a good day in his amiable society. One thing I  
enjoyed  [CENSORED]  was a good dip in the blue sea
Although Arab urchins, malodorous camels got in  
the way. These kids are very bright but if you
encourage them at all, they become a damn pest.  
Their association over a period with the A. S. 7 has  
furnished them with a swell vocabulary of oaths which  
interspersed with the Arabic ones sounds very vivid. I  
was very pleased with your report about Mum and 
it made me feel better to know she is once more  
functioning on all cylinders - I am writing to her also  
this mail couched in a flippant vein so perhaps  
that will help to keep her chirpy

3/
This is a new pad, how do you like the color - rather  
dashing in my opinion. Supplies ran out at the canteen so  
had some trouble in getting a further supply.  I think I shall  
envy you your cold weather soon as it is beginning to  
warm up now here and summer has not started yet.  They
tell me she climbs to over 120 degrees in Midsummer so  
look out. A fellow will be as black as a nigger before  
very long. At nightfall we have to don long pants now  
as the Anopheles mosquito is known hereabouts and  
his bite means malaria. There is more insect life  
about here than at home and some have to be given a  
wide berth. You see, darling, a poor gunner has many
enemies to torment him.  Your fears regarding me  
bid fair not to be realised as you should know I'm  
not a boy like that and besides we never get enough  
leave to indulge in such diversions  It's alright, old gal,  
I was not annoyed at your homily, in fact, I grinned  
hugely at that bit when I think of the flattering  
opinion you must cherish about the local attractions.
All I've seen are frowsy and having enjoyed the  
society of one of Australia's best, I ^am very fastidious over here.  
Your references to the U.S and Australian Sailor about  
hit the nail on the head and the treatment of the latter  
about approximates that METED out to us here in the larger 

4/ 
towns except of course when we are in the money. The  
populace in the East will swallow all their scruples  
for commercial reasons. So far pet, none of your  
letters have been mutilated which information I know  
will please you. Tell me the fate of mine.  we just  
learned today of the evacuation of Benghazi and the  
hints have been conjecturing noisily the reason thereof . 
Well, darling, the sands of time are fast  
running out conjointly with my fund of information,
in fact, I think of I have written a lot without  
saying much but I am following out your own  
instructions. So little lady, I shall bid you  
adieu until next mail and enclose herewith all  
my love to only you and all the best to your  
mother, Ada, Bill, Alfred and the others of  
the clan Clarke. Sweet dreams and a  
thousand A\aves for our early reunion. 
Cheerio
Mick

AUSTRALIAN ARMED 
FORCE 
PASSED BY CENSOR 
206 

AIR MAIL 

8     5.4.41 

Miss. K. Clarke,
China Department
Mutual Store Ltd.
Flinders St.
Melbourne - Australia 

21.4.41
Middle East.