Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 8 - Part 9 of 11

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992
 
AUST UNIT POST STN 361
 
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11.6 43
 
Mrs. M. Billings,
548 Barker's Road
East Hawthorn
Victoria
 
WS.Rumth. 

VX38483 Gr. M. Billings
C. Company, 2/1 Aust
Corps Reception Camp
Australia

Darling Kay,
Once again it gives me pleasure
to converse with the better half and wish
her buoyant health and high spirits. In
English.  I hope Richard and you are all
that could be desired although I crave
a letter or two from one who is on the
spot to tell me that such is the case.
Yes, the mail has played dog on me
properly nothing  from you since that of
the 15th but from others, I hear that
a lot of us are in the same boat. All
the same its a rotten cow but I guess
I had just play Micawber a while longer.
Marooned here a few letters from you
would act like magic, as after these
weeks I'm sick and tired of being a
forgotten man, not that the adjective
applies to you in the least.  The people

responsible for fixing things up are like
the House by God but I suppose I'll get
pushed off to the new show one of these
days. It can't be too soon for me, baby.
My hours of idleness have been severely
curtailed these last few days as I
have been on working parties and the
work has been pretty solid. Not that
has me mad as a [[?]] boy Its too
lazy loafing around and not this
[[tired]] Today I had eight hours
flat out and won't count many sheep
tonight I was going out to the boxing
tonight but when I returned here, couldn't
be bothered and remembered it was my
day to write you and better if you could
use this feeble thing [[one]]. But with
censorship, there's not much of this place
I can tell you about and lack of letters
from you further decreases the available
material [[?en]] Envelopes are

2/ 3/
unprocurable so I hardly feel like getting
on to something of an intimate nature
If this state of affairs keeps up, I'll take
to discussing the war. I just had a screw
at our daily sheet and we seem to be
slowly plugging along to victory but what
interests you and I is when. It always
amuses me to listen into arguments about
the probable duration, the range is from
6 months to as many years and no one
except God knows who's right. Even the
big shots who publish their weighty opinions
all differ so where are you. Just pray for
an end to it all is the best and only
effective way I know of.
To change to matters more
personal, I hope you will be successful
in getting some snaps of Richard and
his darling Mummy. I'm just dying to
have a recent picture of you and to see
just how my two partners look after

4/
their stormy days. I bet you look very frisky
now your shapely contours are or have
returned to pre-motherhood days. (This
ink is foul, I hope you can read it)
Dont worry, I know you to will take good
care to preserve good appearance despite
the wraths of the imp, you wouldn't
be the woman I love otherwise and in
any case you always took a pride in your
appearance like the good soldiers of tradition.
I was just reckoning up, I will want a
shoal of letters for me somewhere,
both from you and others with whom I
keep in touch, when I consider I've been
patient about the delay so my reward
should come soon. I only hope you
are not having a famine too as that
would be too cruel.
The canteen hasn't been
too bad of late, has milk and chocolate
fairly often to augment the beef and

 5/
beans. I suppose they are articles you find
hard to get nowadays. Ah well I s'pose
too if we get the tummy filled and can
find a place to snooze, things aren't too
hopeless. Why, I might be able to think
of going home on leave soon but not
too soon. It had better not be too
long as I want to see my wife and
brand new son so badly. Just been talking
to one of our chaps who's off to a course in
Sydney - lucky [[cur]] Why can't I do
those sort of things. My last few
screeds have been full of moans but pet,
my head is bloody but unbowed. I've
too much to look forward to now to be
tossed and after these weary years,
bad 6 or so months, remember those I refer to,
I've learned to expect anything. When I
get to my new job, you'll find a
more cheerful husband writing to
you or the game stinks.

6/
I've been very neglectful of late
in omitting to inquire about your mother,
Ada, Bill and Alfred. Give them all
my love and good wishes.
So with that fond thought
I had better betake myself to the
[[unf?ll?ting]] barracks as its nigh on to
lights out. Good morning, afternoon
and night to you, dear sweetheart
and I love you all deeply as ever.
A big kiss to Richard and
Mummy.
Yours always
Dad
 
Basil S [[Deliras]]
 
PR00610
Australian
War Memorial

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Mrs. M. Billings,
548 Barker's Road
East Hawthorn
Victoria
 
Basil [[S Debiras]]

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Gr. M. Billings
VX38483
C. Section 2/5 Aust Hy A A
Battery, 2/2        "      "    "
Regt A I F   15.6.43

Darling,
Its nice to be able to pen
another page or two for your
delectation and in all modesty
I trust my letters are still
a source of pleasure to you
as before.  I don't think this
will be a very lengthy chapter
of my adventures as the first
of your eagerly awaited letters
has not shown up and you
know how that restricts the
range of subjects for comment.
To rely on this dump as a
product of news just won't
work for obvious reasons and
I'm really not interested in
my tame antics.  I expect
to be on my way to my
former abode shortly and it
would be just my luck for
the letters to reach here in 

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2/

time to be too late. I suppose
I'll get them sometimes the
post office being like the mills
of God ' grinding slowly etc.
I shan't be sorry to get back to
the boys but will just have to
wait patiently until they
remember about me.
Well, I've regaled you
with enough of my pinpricks
which must amuse you with
a long job awaiting your attention.
I do so hope you have maintained
your tip top condition as now
the climat is right I think
of you such a lot and your
dear assurances would be easy
on the eyes although I know
you are OK. Not very long
now darling, June half gone,
July will be a historical month
for us for evermore. With
everything arranged, I suppose
you are on tenterhooks and
I don't blame you. These

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3/

big moments certainly rouse
you up. I would give a 
mighty big fortune to be
on my way home now in
time to participate in loud
and prolonged celebrations.
Life is cruel hard but
I'll be along one of these days
to take a hand in the games.
Keep that date in mind, honey.
I seem to be rambling 
about a lot so maybe I've
said enough. Cheerio pet 
for a day or two and
herewith all my love to
Richard and you
Yours always
Micky
 
PS/ Five letters from you
just arrived. - Thanks
heaps, so pleased youre good. ok.
Writing again soon.
 
[[SRalph]] 

ACF. 
In conjunction with
YMCA

AUSTRALIAN
IMPERIAL FORCES
PASSED BY CENSOR
992
 
Air Mail 15.6.43
 
Mrs M. Billings
548 Barkers Rd
East Hawthorn
Victoria
 
[[SRalph]]