Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 5 - Part 4 of 12

Brisbane. 2.6.42

Darling Wife,
Very pleased to tell you
we've arrived and I am as good as 
gold and hope you are also are in
the pink. After so narrowly missing
you. I was pretty low at first on the
trip but the hunger cold and dirt
soon drove that temporarily from my mind
but having now arrived I must admit
a sense of of having been cheated often
passes through me. How are you, poor
darling? Wasn’t it rotten luck after
having a everything arranged. I thought
of you often after driving all day
and I know how you must have felt.
We are in temporary quarters just
now at Doomben Racecourse but expect
to move to stations tomorrow. So will
hop on to a decent letter as soon as
tomorrow comes.

2/
Just one other thing, on the f trip
some of my clothes got lost and
I can't get any replacements. So can
you help me out.  I suppose it will
be hard in view of the quota but
if you can get me the following:
2 pairs short underpants size 34, 2 pairs
short woollen s sox size 8 ill love you
more and more.
From information I've just
heard, it looks as though will be
stationed here for a while so perhaps
we can get you up here when I see
how the land lies. Gee I hope
it could be fixed but after a the
last fiasco I am very sceptical.
However depend on it, if it can
be done it will be. You have some
friends up here I seem to remember
maybe that's a way out. 

3/
Anyhow lets hear from you.
I tried to ring you the night before
you I left but you must have
been out as the exchange could
raise you so I sent a wire which
I devoutly hope reached you in
time.  Couldn't take a trick at
any stage of the game, I can tell 
you.
But I've now reached
a more cheerful philosophy as
one must.  I guess to keep on at
this game.  So as the chap
who's taking this letter for me
is ready, what else.  Every
atom of my love, precious and
keep smilin'.  Maybe things will
come good yet.  The biggest of
kisses to ye.  Micky. 

BY AIR MAIL
PAR AVION
 
2.6.42
Mrs. Michael Billings
Flat 1,  The Gordon
117 Macleay St
Potts Point. Sydney
N.S.W. 

PR00610
Australian
War Memorial

East Brisbane 3.6.42

Darling Kay,
Herewith a further chapter in my crazy
meanderings oer the continent and like its predecessors
I trust it finds you fine and dandy and brimming
with love & chimes for your entry into the northern
capital. First let me tell you that your letters
No's 12 & 13 are to hand and contents gobbled up
with, shall we say, and curiosity. You may discern
that I'm feeling a trifle more composed tonight
than I have for a few days, the cause of my
despondency you know well. Still for a number of reasons
I may look upon the world with a less jaundiced
eye. Mebbe you’d care to listen to them, little
woman. The news about Fean is like a break
in a grey leaden sky, not that the news he’s a
prisoner is anything to go crazy about but after
the praying fear me lil sister has been haunted
with for a long time now, tidings that her light
of love is at least in one piece and with a fair
chance of staying that way is kills that suspense
at least. Gee, I must drop her a line tonight
I bet she feels as though a lump of dough has
been lifted from round her heart.

2/
Thanks my luscious apple pie for shouting the
story up so smartly. You know, you’re an awful
sweet kid and how I await thee. Got any bright
ideas in that curly mop yet bou about doing a flit up
here. Of course, you can understand that as we’ve
just got here theres a hell of a lot of work to be done
and leave is off just until we get finished. Then
I should think local leave should be fairly good
and a spot of leave with you, I venture to say, would
be sum rather wonderful. I’m dwelling on your
letter in reply to mine of yesterday about it all.
You see then I can’t get about and investigate
possible spots for you to camp if we get our break.
Anyhow I guess you could put up at a pub and
scout around yourself if need be or then perhaps
your acquaintances could offer hospitality for a
short time. We have a good set-up here, believe
me, living in empty houses with electric light
and other amenities I’ve almost forgotten about.
If you were here, I reckon life would be swell.
The only thing that is giving me
brain exercise is a little matter of finance
but I think that should be in order.

3/
Your airy dismissal of the Dairy Board’s problem
is not quite so simple as you imagine, my little
one. That bob a day happens to be 2/5 and
goes back from the time I joined up nearly two
years, totalling nearly £70 which fairly kicks the
pants off my accumulated funds. So They have
not paid any in to my account for some time so
will have to do things cheaper in future and I
fear me you look like rejoining the world’s workers
that is unless a great blessing comes among us. You
recall our compact of no secrets so I lay before you
my financial statement. I’ve roughly ₤100 in the
bank after deducting all our wedding expenses
and if we should be blessed with a child before
the war’s over, I want a fair wad to spend on
attention for you. Get me, Steve. I've a few Wad
Savings Certificates locked up at the bank
but will have to ignore them on that account.
So you see, will have to live rather humbly
but not too much so. I'll be glad to hear that
you've started getting your allotment money so
you have that to count on no matter where 
I may go later.

4/
But don't get the idea that shortage of cash
need stand in your way of coming up here. There's
another lad, Ray Wale whose thoughts have
turned like mine to getting his wife up here too
and if that could be arranged, it we reckon
the two of you could grab a flat which from
the point of view of company and finance 
wouldn't be a bad wheeze. It would be preferable
for your to have a self contained joint where your
husband could stay far into the night. Sinful
ain't it? However as long as you get here details
can be fixed up later. I've given you a free
hand in this so go to town, Sweetheart
Well from the foregoing, you 
may surmise that a visit from you would be
somewhat inticing so until tomorrow I'll lay
off now and try and think up something 
more. Sweetest of dreams, satin clad style
and pray hard. All my love and a bit
more. Your most affectionate husband.
PS If you come up here don't forget to fix up
allotment requirement at D.F.O. 
and tell me quickly. 
Kisses
Micky
 

PR00610
Australian
War Memorial

A.C.F.
 
3.6.42
Mrs Michael Billings
Flat 1, The Gordon
117 Macleay St.
Potts Point
Sydney   N.S.Wales