Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 2 - Part 11 of 14

A.FW5078.(M.E.) (Crown Copyright Reserved) 
AIR MAIL 27 
ACTIVE SERVICE 
PASSED BY CENSOR 
No.3164 

This envelope must not be used for  
coin or valuables. It cannot be accepted  
for registration.  

NOTE:- 
Correspondence in this envelope need  
not be censored Regimentally. The 
contents are liable to examination at the  
Base. 
The following Certificate must be  
signed by the writer:- 
I certify on my honour that the con- 
tents of this envelope refer to nothing  
but private and family matters  
Signature } 
Name only} 
Michael Billings

[Up to three letters may be forwarded in
this Cover, but these must be all from the
same writer. The cover should be addressed
in such case to the Base Censor.] 
27
Address:-
Miss K. Clarke,
548 Barkers Road
EAST HAWTHORN
VICTORIA. 
AUSTRALIA.

Written 1.8.41 
Received 16.8.41 
No 27 

No 27 VX38483 Gnr. M. Billings. 
C Section. 5th Aust. Hy. A.A. Battery 
2. Aust. A.A. Regt. A.I.F. Abroad 
7.8.41 

My Darling Kay, 
At last a wee while free from
arduous labors permits me to put down on paper
my weekly message to the sweet little lady back
home. At the moment I am an unlovely sight,
covered in honest sweat, clad in a boots and
a ragged pair of shirts and to cap it all,
liberally sprinkled with sand. I am feeling pretty
fit all the same although the long months
of heat and flies etc., make hard work for
long periods pretty difficult. Quite a fewof the 
lads have gone down with the fever lately although
its fairly mild and passes off in a few days. Still,
as Sept. approaches, a change for the cooler should
soon come about so thats something to look forward
to. Sorry can’t tell where I am at present but
putting two and two from recent letters, you should
make a fair guess. And here is the news - yesterday
was a good day

2/ 
3 2 letters from you (pardon) Nos. 49 & 50, one from Syd
one from Ada & one from Con. McMahon. Whoopee!
Awfully pleased you are going well, you beaut and
holding at bay the spectre of winter with its gloomy
thoughts. Soon be Spring again and thats when our
thoughts lightly turn and so on. Last week, I wrote
you the G. E long promised so lets hope it gets to
you soon. I have 5 letters from you before me so lets 
have a screw and see what calls for comment. First all
your letters have arrived O.K and Papa Censor has
not opened a single one. Tell you what you can
send me - a few cakes of soap, its getting a bit scarce
around here. Silver Sutton is back again and
thanks you for and reciprocates your good wishes. Sorry,
the handwriting on the envelope of this letter got you in
but he was leaving and flew in to my wigwam post
haste and asked me to post it along with mine. As
I couldn't curtail mine I had to send it separately.
You see, mug, we can't always do things quite as we
would like. By Jove, I'm nearly always hungry
as the Army menu is a bit meagre at present
but an occasional hour or two serves of leave is a
chance to dine well. The canteen however continues
to function and wonder of wonders, Aussie beer
is still available at 1/6 per bottle.

3/ 
As you can see, the fountain pen has turned up once
more, found it under "Young 'Arry's" bed if you can
call a ground sheet a bed. When I sleep in a bed
again, you'll have to hold me tightly as I'll fall
out on my bume. Whilst in Beirut, I ran into
Bom Bob Somers, Tommy's brother and had a jaw
over a jug. I was pleased when there to be able to
get to Mass. Went to the Church of the Capucin
Monks, a French Order something like the Franciscans.
Among the congregation was Gen De Gaulle. Gee,
I'd like to see you just now with your natty short hair
cut just as I used to love and muss up although in
the snaps it looked very lovely. The morsel of
wedding cake must have slipped out of the envelope
as a search revealed no cake therein. Too bad.
Glad you had a goodly night with the Ridges. Syd
told me that it was a good show and hoped you'd
drop in often. If I get to Beirut again and have
some shekels I'll get you something. I have in
mind some sports shoe affairs I saw, French Riviera
idea, that you might like. If my memory serves me
correctly, you take size five or am I wrong?
Here, lay off plonking your big bottom down hard on
that armchair as I want to squat there many

4/ 
times 'apris la guerre fini'. If you want to write a
long letter forget the canteen orders and I don't
think you need put all that address rigmarole on
the top and finish of your letters. Nobody else does
and gets away with it so thats a bit more space for
the meaty part. Give my love to your mother and
am glad you've been hearing from John once more. So you've
been hooked into another go at bridesmaid. The terms
this time are financially more attractive at any rate.
Talking of dancing, my stiff old joints will need
some coaxing before I'll be able to tread a graceful
measure again. Fancy, the moths haven't chewed
the old footie sweater to bits yet and that rank
old pipe must be pretty nutty by now. What relics
to find in a glory box. You needt need not tell me
you're looking after your appearance, sweetheart, it will
be the day when you become drab and lazy. 
Damn, I'll have to clear off now
as the whistle has just gone calling me to the
colors for a nice baking hot afternoon of carpentering.
So toodle-oo, my darling sweetheart and I
send all my love to you as ever. All the best
to the Sugdens, Grasshopper Taylor and the rest. 
I kiss your hand. 
Mick 
MBehrens

BY AIR MAIL 
PAR AVION 

27 

Mrs. K. Clarke, 
548 Barkers Road, 
East Hawthorn. 
Victoria. 
Australia. 

MBehrens 
PASSED BY CENSOR 
No.3100

Written 7.8.41 
Received 27.8.41 
Syria 

No 29 VX38483 Gnr. M. Billings
(I think) C. Section. 5th Aust. Hy. A.A. Battery 
2. Aust. A.A. Regt. A.I.F. Abroad. 
16. 8. 41 

Kay Darling, 
Off I go again on the opening chapters of this
weeks story of our hero in furrin parts. To kick off, yesterday
brought your happy contributions Nos. 51 & 52 and needless to say,
am tickled pink to know you are so well and bursting with
much patriotic fervor. Your affectionate swain is likewise
bodily fit and getting no thinner damn quick. Very pleased
and relieved too, because with the prolonged heat & its attendant
flies, fleas & what have you, a few of the lads are laid up.
Before I forget, three more bundles of papers (two from you)
blew in earlier and as usual, the tidings from the home
front aroused great interest if not total satisfaction.
In the past week, have had a news diet of Truths, Smiths
Weekly, Bulletin and Melb. dailies not to mention a
rueful glance at the divine creatures so well portrayed in
Pix. I got 2 Smiths Weekly & some razor blades from
Brother Charles so adding up the letters, parcels & papers,
the postie did quite a good job. Just as well too for things
have been pretty tedious lately, have not been about
much and the same old drill & general routine has
long since lost any kick if it ever had any.

2/ 
Yesterday, Assumption Day, and fortunately managed to
get off to Mass with our Capuchin brethren. Am always
pleased to attend Mass & since leaving Aust. have heard
it offered in some weird places. Everything from grandeur
to simplicity. Lets now have a screw at your letters and
yarn about matters provocative of discussion. Glad a few
more letters from this dump have reached you and I am
vain enough to hope that they assisted by a perhaps
improvement in the weather warmed the cockles of your heart
if not the soles of your feet. The latest Suns we have had
are liberally supplied with casualty lists and there were
lots of blokes I knew appearing therein. Con. McMahon in
his letter told me he heard that Lennie & Kevin Silvey got
out of Greece in one piece. It would take more than the
Luftwaffe to catch up with Lennie although I'm inclined
to think he'll be a new man when he gets home. It's been
no picnic being in the 6th Divvy. The toughest scrappers
our country has ever produced and do they have "whoopee" on
leave. Had a hunk of fruit cake t' other day and am now
greedily awaiting your fruity effort. One thing I enjoyed
lately was a ride in a tram. Hardly up to M&M.T.B
standard, as slow as a tortoise but quite reminiscent of
old times. The men? in the M.E. are not strong on
manners, when the trams & buses stop, they shove the
women aside and grab the seats pronto.