Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 4 - Part 4 of 14

No. 53 VY38483 Gnl . M. Billings. C. Section, 
5th. Aust. Hy. A/A. Battery. 2 Aust. A/A. Regt, 
A.I.F. Abroad. 8.1.42 
Darling Kay,
I am beset by my usual problem when penning
a G.E. letter by the need for a suitable opening somewhat
lately. I shall start by thanking you once more for your
letters, not so much for their regularity or their generous
length although I am deeply sensible of the sacrifice of well
earned rest and peace so that you may maintain the steady
traffic. The warmth, sincerity and fidelity permeating the 
lines are the chief reason for my gratitude for in an
existence wherin hate, deceit, monotony and kindred
vices abound, the message of constant and dynamic love
that underlines your every letter acts as a stimulant and a
comforting thought to one. A small cog in a mammoth machine.
It removes that cloying feeling and a man can divorce himself
from that stigma of insignificance and expand his chest
and mutter to himself "In the eyes of some anyway I'm an
individual, a figure and an important one too". If for
no other reason, those letters would be more than
justified as it is a struggle to cling to the trappings of
self importance in a slight degree when one becomes
involved in the hurly.burly of active service life.

2/
However, enough of such doleful talk, suffice it to say that nigh
on a year has passed since I beheld you and though much
of pre-war life becomes remote, there's your darling face, your
sturdy figure so synonomous with your character, your likes
and dislikes and all those womanly complexities so delightful
for their complexity. It is always a thing precious beyond the
power of words, that when the dove of peace flies trumphantly
again, that waits for me, one who though suffering so much
remains unchanging in one thing, her feeling toward me. You
know, sweetheart that as more and more of your letters
reach me, new phases of you are revealed to me. Please never
refrain from telling me your own thoughts, after all, we are
two lost mortals each in a like predicament but in different
settings and when you tell me of those awful moments of
emptiness and lonliness, you but mirror my own feelings.
It's awful judged from the present but at least we know that
there will come a day, when a few seconds will sweep them
away and a month banish them to the limbo of the forgotten.
I suppose you sometimes think as I do. these are only hopes
and I've been hoping for so long but at all costs, Kay, let us
have faith and cling to those hopes, without them we are
lost. And thought we are imaginative people, I consider that
and imagini imaginations will not transcend the actual
joy and happiness that will attend that coming day.

3/
Let us then allow our imaginations a little play and try to
visualise just how wonderful life will be when we come home
again. In one of your recent letters, you gave what I call the
headlines but much better in our present mood if we try to 
confuse the news underlying the caption. Remember those 
marvellous times we had ?Silly question but now multiply 
your happiness and elation and we have a basis for our 
story. Of course. your sketch of the mooring of the ship will become 
a fact but when we first see one another, our kisses of 
joy, that tentative squeezing of one another just to reassure 
ourselves that we are flesh and blood. Of course, the journey to 
my maternal home but in our cunning. we shall continue 
to sandwich many superstitious but nonetheless fragrant 
tokens of our love between drinks and handshakes. But the 
essence of the reunion is yet to come and the coming of 
night shall be the beckoning finger to the lovers. To a 
transfer to my home of love and romance is indicated, 
that tiny room remains a shrine and there we must fly 
and take up the threads rudely torn from our hands long ago. 
At last, I shall come home to you. It will be 
such a night that would take a pact to describe and 
I break down here, firstly because the thought is 
too wonderful and precious to think about and secondly

4/
because I simply haven't the words. Be content then, with the 
conviction that it will not disappoint either of us Oh hang, 
I'm hr dashed if can write you a decent letter but just 
now, I feel close to you, your photo standing in front of 
me and all I can say that if I could exchange the 
substance for the celluloid, we would steal into the past 
and love one another as never before. 
But as the mail closes tomorrow and 
I must send you a letter, grant me your indulgence at such 
a poor letter. I know you will understand, you always do, 
but sometimes in this stealthy life, our thoughts simply will 
not rise above the confused. Before, I've patiently waited 
until the words would pour forth somewhere near the 
trend desired, this time it just didnt happen. Know that 
the sincerity if badly phrased is none the less potent 
and maybe you will finish reading this without its flatness 
depressing you. Au - revoir then, my darling and keep 
praying for our Speedy return. I love you so much 
that I can can't tell you how much. I won't worry 
though, you know how much. I kiss your picture, 
See if your lips feel as though mine had pressed them. 
Mick

BY AIR MAIL 
PAR AVION 

53   8.1.42

Miss K Clarke 
548 Barkers Road 
East Hawthorn 
Victoria Australia

Written 
8.1.42 
Received 
4.3.42

BY AIR MAIL. AIR MAIL LETTER CARD
If anything is enclosed in this card 
It will be sent ordinary mail 

Miss K.Clarke 
548 Barkers Road 
East Hawthorne 
Australia 
Victoria 

WHEN FOLDED THE LETTER CARD MUST CONFORM IN SIZE AND SHAPE WITH 
THE BLUE BORDER WITHIN WHICH THE ADDRESS ONLY MAY BE WRITTEN

No 54 
VX38483. Gnr M.Billings. C .Section 
5th Aust. Hy. A/A. Battery. 2. Aust. 
A/A. Regt. A. I. F Abroad 19.1.42 

Darling Kay, 
Hope the size of this does not
disappoint you but having to write lying
down is a bit hard on the old back and
tummy. Here's a spot of news that should
rock you. Was hastily bundled into my
my old favorite, the hospital last
Monday and in a trice my appendix
was whipped out. As usual, however,
i'm beginning to come good and should
be forsaking the cot soon. Of course that's
about all the news I have for you
as a goodly sized aperture rather hinders
one's movements. Wait a jiff, very silly
of me, your Xmas parcel has arrived and
at a appropriate time in the future
the contents will be invaluable.

2/ 
Thanks once again, sweetheart. Had a letter
from you yesterday. No.96 and was glad to
hear how things were going for you also the
current news. Your 92 has gone west I fear
but all the others from you have turned up. Haven't
had a letter from home since that of 14.12.41
so there seems to have been foul play there,
worse luck. Weather hasn't appeared too bad 
seen from the bed but the Khamseen gave a
blow the other day and it was wicked.
Wilmots outfit is not like to drop in on us I
reckon, we are the out casts of the A. I. F
Your letter no. 97 just arrived and tickled
that all and every one are O.K. Also letters
to hand from Mum, Dorcas & Syd. Well,
muggins, will write longer letter as soon
as my bingy is stronger. Keep smiling and
don't overwork yourself. All my love 
PS Your spelling is still lousy Mick

BY AIR MAIL AIR MAIL
LETTER CARD
IF ANYTHING IS ENCLOSED THIS CARD 
WILL BE SENT BY ORDINARY MAIL 

55 Miss. K. Clarke 
548 Barker's Road 
East Hawthorn. Victoria 
AUSTRALIA 

WHEN FOLDED THE LETTER MUST CONFORM IN SIZE AND SHAPE WITH
THE BLUE BORDER WITHIN WHICH THE ADDRESS ONLY MAY BE WRITTEN