Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 2 - Part 8 of 14

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Its proving very beneficial your training me to do without
much sleep because I'm not getting much just now
and yet don't feel fatigued only bored stiff. The
Ack Ack show is run like a business with shifts and
suchlike except that a trade union would have
a baby over the working hours. My present lot is
rise at 4.30, man at 5, stay put then until 8.30 p.m
only 15 hours a day. The rest of the day is my own,
you understand. Another old cliche "Patience is a
virtue" can well be applied as the bulk of the
time consists of watching and waiting. Its plenty
hot here at the moment and the flies are
magnificent, they fight for your grub and when
they knock off (they work the same hours as us)
the skeeters take up the cudgels aided and
abetted by other cobbers, I've told you about. The best
lurk now is a day off once per week from noon until
9 p.m and you then go on leave. The break is
very welcome and is very timely after a week
While I'm on the subject. I bought you a gew. gaw
last leave consisting of a Persian Ivory Armlet
with hand painted panels to add to your collection
from the Innocent Abroad. Hope ya like it.
With it I'm sending for Sister Dorcas an olivewood
powder box and beg of you to mail it on to
her. Unfortunately its a bit expensive to

3 
airmail it and as the previous surface parcel
got home O.K. I'll risk it also. I bought a
packet of views of Tel Aviv which are also
enclosed. In case you are doubtful, I didnt take
them. Anyhow, darling I'm glad to have had the
chance to get you something be it ever so humble.
And now, I've got your letters 38 & 39 unexpurgated
and thank you (Really should say something more
profuse but the right phrase refuses to spring to
the (cracked) lips. Anyhow, you compree, don't you?
I told you, I hope, I got your cable followed some
time later by similar gestures from Dorcas and
Chas. Sorrowfully I say the parcel is no more
and silently respect the fallen. Am expecting more
mail any time and am smacking the chops in
anticipation. Since coming here, the delivery is
rather erratic but it gets here, the main thing.
Awfully pleased you got a swag of letters but sorry
for the fright over my indisposition, put it too
bluntly I guess. You See, when you get crook at all
over here, the hospital is the only place they can send you
too, your unit can't have you about the place if you're
not fit. Anyhow, the M & B 693's gave me a good cleaning
out and I've blossomed like a gorgeous sunflower ever
since. Gee, I wish you could see me writing this, you
would get a laugh. If you ever have occasion to

4
Send a cable over here, get the cable people to show
you the standard texts of phrases - that way you
can send more words for the same price, I hope
though your slender purse is not called upon very often.
By the prophet, if I get home before my next
birthday, there will be a celebration and all you
mob can fork out for it too. Still, if the Reds
can put a spoke in Adolfs wheel, we should have
a good show of getting back sooner. Keep praying
my love. I sometimes think that perhaps this
latest conflict is providential, the Lord Setting these
two Anti Christ nations at each others throats
for their mutual destruction and the deliverance
of persecuted Christians. Could hardly say that
here but you understand and appreciate such a
viewpoint so my hope can find a sympathetic outlet.
Glad the Taylor lads are O.K but can't enquire of
them until you tell me their unit. I will mind
the Income Tax menace, I'll have you know
my lady I'm mulcted at the office for 3/4 a
week - yes - wouldn't it? Glad to know the
old soaks at home are quite recovered again:
Dorcas in her letter was a bit annoyed at them
not telling her earlier about the erysipelas. I did
not know it but she says it can well be very
dangerous. She's keen as mustard to get home.

5
and so say all of us I guess is the verdict at Martin
Road too. She sent me a quids worth of canteen
orders and coming on top of your parcel kept me
in the lap of luxury for a while. No.39. Where
did you get the idea that you get no duties in the hospital
as soon as you get up, you act as a ward orderly
and earn that sheet and bed. No fleas on the
Army is there? I suppose the new 3' lettercard
system has been announced at home but I assure
you I wont use them for your letters unless I
have to. Talking about Menzies, it was funny
one night at the flicks. the PM was on his tour
of the Middle East and spoke giving out the usual
high falutin twaddle. The audience nearly all 6th
Divvy lads booed, hissed and roared with laughter
to an accompaniment of appropriate oaths. Sorry I
trod on your corns about "the social whirl", by all
means tell me all the news. I must have had
a bad day when I wrote that bit. As The job
I wanted is now a thing of the past and my
new contribution just a job to do. Tomorrow I get
my first command, a very small one true but for
the first time in the Army, I'm in charge of something.
And listen, longface, the gals over here can't
afford American check coats ( you weren't at your top

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on that page. I'll tell you a little story, a true one
The other day in Tel Aviv a little old lady about
Mum's age, of almost patrician countenance, dignifed,
obviously at one time a lady of consequence I came
up to me and spoke in refined tones very apologetically.
Do you know what the said to me? - Will you buy a
box of matches, Sir?
And now, I must stand down as
there's hardly any light left and I've got to buzz
off from here. So for a little while, my darling
I must leave you and until I resume, send you
a ton of love and wish you all the luck until
we meet again. Ta Ta, Puss. Love to your
mates, the Sugdens, Noel and t' others
Mick 

23
No. 3100
Miss. K Clarke,
548 Barkers Road,
East Hawthorn
"China Department
Victoria
Mutual Store
Flinders. St
Australia
Melbourne

written 7.7.41
Arrived 30. 7.41
No 23

PS Now
addressing your
letters to
Barkers Road

VX38483 Gnr. M. Billings
G. Section 5th Aust Heavy A. A. Btty
2 Aust. Heavy A A Regt AIF. Abroad
12 7. 41

My Darling Kay
Salaans to thee, gay sprite and with them
my sincere wishes of good health & buoyant spirits. I am feeling
quite passable despite an orgy of hot sun and a
rather flyblown appearance. You will be ashamed I hope,
to read that this letter is being penned at 5.30 am
that hour and about 7 p.m being the only time duties
and the flies permit a chap to put a few lines together.
You will be glad to know mail from you and the
folks continues to trickle in, last night I received one
from Mum along with your chirpy No 42. No gaps in
your letters and all spared the horror of the censor's
scissors. Of course, the start turn of the week had been
the news of young Tom's marriage, which I confess took me
by surprise and thats saying something as after this
time. I've ceased to exert myself mentally, the old
mind mouldering in a vacuum. The Army does your
thinking for you. Judging from Ma's letter, the lads
announcement caused some bewilderment but after your
recent experience, I suppose or weddings (other than your
own) are just an everyday occurrence.

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Anyhow, I had a letter from Tom & it was appropriate
that the first news I had of it came from the prime
mover in the plot. I certainly can't imagine that
marriage will do the young blade any harm although
from his statement of his enjoy intention to join up
he'll have to defer the enjoyment of its benefits for a while.
(I can hear you whisper that he hasn't got that on his own).
Managed to get a cable away and hope it arrived in time
as I feel that if our position's were reversed, a message
from a brother on the other side of the globe would give me
a great kick. Much as I would have like to dissuade
him from coming over here, such a decision springs
from the conscience and I surely I hope, said neither 'yea'
or 'nay' and contented myself with a brief picture of
what he may expect to find over here. Lets all join in
a prayer that this business will end soon and free
we poor devils from the necessity of going through these
unnatural partings and let us live in an atmosphere
if peace & happiness.
Thanks a million for the snaps and canteen
orders & snaps. The one in your famous check coat is
jolly good but sorry and all that. the other one far from
does you justice, lacking what I may term Spontaneity
- Its not you at all if you get what I mean.

3
I know you probably went broke getting the snaps
printed but sorry old maggot, I'm not cut out for
the role of flattering courtier so must give you thought
dope "impergn it who so list". You can cut the
orders down to 1  3/- turn a mail, that is if you get
this before the funds are exhausted. Pleased you
got the G.E. letter and liked the contents. Practically
all I send now are Active Service variety to the
majority should reach unscathed by the censor. The
Red Cross certainly like your gore, unfortunately the
only ones I give a transfusion to are the fleas &
skeeters. Thanks for the cake which on arrival will
meet a very speedy death. The parcel I told you of
in my last is on its way so in a coupla months, it
should near Aust shores. Have had another few
hours at Tel Aviv and just played around like a
gentleman of leisure. Had a Holstein Schnitzel for tea
and it cost 6/- (what a pig). Its composed of about
everything in the cookery book, thats about all I know
of what was in it. Yesterday the Bulletin of 23.4.41
reached me and you'll be glad to know that as I
was to get it.