Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 9 - Part 6 of 12

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Part of Quest:
Love letters - Michael Billings
Subject:
  • Love Letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
AWM2021.7.32
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

C t 7.42 cers Ro an 0
00 343 Gang JMCh Vor. C. Dection, a/s. Auat Hy. A.A. gattirg. Deranun Marcans A S.F. Da0 16 7 43 nn Darting Kay . I have an inneaty feeling that thas gaving to be a shart letter bucaune no more from you as anyone have turned uep Since I murate you east. I hape you are faring O.H with man as Ii beeen able to keep mo the good work It will be swere whim a few mane of yours dbeent and as my news of R.chan and youn as sparbly state at in tume whent hap to the minute dapt would provide fine mading Anyhaw Si taken sleps to have my littess maddord have so mayhe in a few days it warl hi shree at the same gaint and have hear it may even her weeks before we move along. What a prospect as this plea leavd a lat to be desived f antremtanly aptd heavy rain of esterdang. the ground i ar glaagumat and ather do andackd sust to shap it off. L ky ane of the boys is with me and noe manag to get along then I heard it was prssbly me mught be shick here for wreks I invertigation the chances of 9attg a goll an another sunt and had what losks habe appointment afferid me. It something more iy amny line and if I can make it, the prospects. of more dought are excunt. The mag is to get a mease from the dck Ack but I made out a good case and inailed ut to the Cohief. Ihs nunbery hand to get a Ar anefet but I me hapeful and wre let your know I how at favd. What woth the expente of R. cha and the pittance you got for the sukep of bath of you, I need to make more many to that you can live decently and if that cames off wall be able to get square again finearly WVOR LETTER DO NOTRETER TO. Dasieaton The name of your transport, of other transports in your convoy. dates of sailing 2 ports of call descriptions of troops, or other information which, it intercepted, will be of value to the enemy.
R NCh Vait Mne Saran Oate Its are in the meeting fit and I may have to go back paost and puah at personally. are I can pay is that I an hope. The laddie and you are khowing mightily and you have got hame and sattled down to goud matronly all withant frorthe reptet. I have letters ware sune have som great reading in Atrem and ispare me to wnke you a desent lathed suned these conditiont and wath no letters. I m unequar to anything bether Sha It know youal arin pood letter as long as you hread ffrom me regularly I me just absut shmpld now for some unknson eason I clept baden cant night and the aid terann is a let Sluggest ot not bast the p for wtule this afternoon to catd up Otacoms I ful very well bent bond sliff opp nant my Seveet and do but leetted next sime Bye By and Sond of love to you and genl Amy hage Yours wit Mcky aon en nenen e n eone en e e D 16 .. 8 te ne e is W TAK IEITER DO NOTRETER TO. The name of Your transpert, or other transports in your convoy. dates of eating 8071 of call A descriptions of koope, or other information which, it intercepted, will be of value to the enemy
2 29.46 4 Ben Dely 12 Mail 16.7.4 Hod. H. Billing 348 Barkers Road East Hawthoon Pictoria 2525
PROO610 Rustratan Mar Memerial
V&38483 G H Gulings to Section 215 Auxt. 44 a. a. gasteng 20.7.43. A J. Dailing Ba Greeturg to you and may this find you are Rich as sound as a bell yours truly I evera gud but how fid up Im still at this camp muching a asoine sport back to the T be 2 l partime like me longs for ya amant but faid
4 gos a 2 a hawyou not wld stast DS he ty backs I upect inloege back and a beer 1 not
14 the hundle a expect 5 tly do a lot bethed than I sly scoudsI thap themai e faithfury o w sat and Spee when to B pid taked us to lass of pines which spats Theresa i show at sg goue wsnd go
PRodw Fitrebot Par Memorial tha sant tatte 5 on acken X wn nt butthe Ad. Rinou SB ye th t 19
AIR AMERICAN RED CROSS Bt th 20.74 22 gu 16 arkess Roa F Hawthon Aona

Y.M.C.A.  
Air Mail 11.7.43 

Mrs M Billings 
548 Barkers Road 
East Hawthorn 
Victoria 

AUSTRALIAN
MILITARY FORCES
PASSED BY CENSOR
136

 

THE SALVATION ARMY     ACF AUSTRALIAN COMFORTS FUND   YMCA 
From: No VX38483 Name: Gr M Billings 
Unit: C Section, 2/5 Aust Hy A.A. Battery 
A.I.F.  Date: 16.7.43 
  
Darling Kay, 
I have a sneaky feeling that this is  
going to be a short letter because no more letters  
from you or anyone have turned up since I wrote  
you last.  I hope you are faring O.K with mail as I've  
been able to keep up the good work.  It will be  
swell when a few more of yours blow in as my news of  
Richard and you is pretty stale at a time when it  
up to the minute dope would provide fine reading.  
Anyhow I've taken steps to have my letters readdressed  
here so maybe in a few days it will turn up.  I'm  
still at the same joint and have heard it may even  
be weeks before we move along.  What a prospect  
as this place leaves a lot to be desired.  particularly   
after heavy rain yesterday, the ground is a quagmire  
and other drawbacks exist to top it off. Lucky one  
of the boys is with me and we manage to get along. 
When I heard it was possible we might be stuck  
here for weeks, I investigated the chances of getting a job  
in another unit and had what looks like a good  
appointment offered me. Its something more in my  
civvy line and if I can make it, the prospects of  
more dough are excellent. The snag is to get a release  
from the Ack Ack but I made out a good case and  
mailed it to the Chief. Its usually hard to  
get a transfer but I'm hopeful and will let you know  
how it fares. What with the expense of having  
Richard and the pittance you have get for the upkeep  
of both of you, I need to make more money so that  
you can live decently and if this comes off, we  
will be able to get square again financially. 
  
IN YOUR LETTER DO NOT REFER TO: 
The name of your transport, or other transports in your convoy. . . dates of sailing. . . ports of call. . . destination description of troops, or other information which, if intercepted, will be of value to the enemy.

 

2/
  
Its all in the melting pot and I may have to go back 
first and push it personally. 
All I can say is that I 
hope the laddie and you are thriving mightily 
and you have got home and settled down to your 
matronly role without further upset. Those letters 
will sure have some great reading in them and 
inspire me to write you a decent letter. Under  
these conditions and with no letters, I'm unequal 
to anything better. Still I know you'll pardon a  
poor letter as long as you hear from me regularly. 
I'm just about stumped now, for some unknown 
reason. I slept badly last night and the old brain 
is a bit sluggish. Must bash the spine for a 
while this afternoon to catch up. Otherwise I  
feel very well but bored stiff. 
So I'll leave off now, my 
sweet and do a bit better next time, Bye Bye 
and tons of love to you and your tiny charge. 
Yours ever 
Micky 
  
[R E Ward] 

 

Y.M.C.A. 
Air Mail 
AUSTRALIAN  
MILITARY FORCES 
PASSED BY CENSOR 
136 
16.7.43 

Mrs. M. Billings 
548 Barkers Road 
East Hawthorn 
Victoria 

 

PR00610 
Australian 
War Memorial

 

VX38483 Gr M Billings 
C Section 
2/5 Aust Hy. A. A. Battery 
A.I.F.  20.7.43 

Darling Kay 
Greetings to you, Mum  
and may this find you and Richard  
as sound as a bell.  Yours truly is  
[[werra good]] but how fed up. I'm still  
marooned at this camp, mucking about  
waiting for transport back to the unit  
but after 9 days of utter boredom, I'm  
beginning to think I'll be stranded  
for the duration.  Can't find out when  
we might be released except that it  
might be weeks - Ouch!  The life  
would be utopia for a real bludger  
as work is neglib negligible but after  
so long even an adept at the pastime 
like me longs for the cares of duty. I  
told you of my attempt to transfer to  
another show but even if it does come  
off, it will take a fair time.  The people

 

2 
I am to go to are around here and if  
it comes off, I could start right away  
and avoid the trip back. I expect  
however to have to go back and fight  
it out in person. 
Still no letters from you  
but the steps I took to have any mail  
sent here will not show fruit for a  
few days so I hope to get some news  
from you soon.  I'll gobble up the  
good guts to some [[?]] as its 20  
days since your last and I do want  
to hear all about you and our boy. 
Absence of mail is a cruel blow up  
here, particularly when one expects it  
to contain lots of interesting dope. 
As well as being a pest not to know  
how you are faring, lack of letters make  
it so hard to send a decent reply  
as the many items appearing in your letters  
give me food for thought for reply.

 

3/ 
When the bundle I expect soon comes along  
I'll certainly do a lot better than these  
[[paisty]] scruds. I hope the mail is serving  
you faithfully and I get one away every couple  
of days and they should be reaching you  
pretty speedily. 
To save us from going troppo  
Fred and I have taken to ep exploring  
the locality helped by the army bus  
service which takes us to lots of funny  
spots. There's a picture show at one camp  
or another every night and we amuse  
ourselves by chasing them up nearly  
every night.  The grub here is a bit on  
the nose so we usually ride to town  
for the evening meal, which is a lot  
better and then look for the amusement 
offering. Some of the flicks we've seen 
were good but twice we've journeyed  
miles and have run into horse operas 
and I just love them.  One show last 

 

4  
week was particularly good and very  
funny, My Sister Eileen but the others  
are just fair. We saw Moonlight  
Serenade and Forever [[Renowned]] last  
night.  Both were tolerable. Its quite  
pleasant sitting out in the bush watching  
the shows much better than indoors. 
Being Sunday, we went to  
the Aust Hospital in the afternoon and  
found a half dozen of our chaps there  
with various complaints so had a  
pleasant time [jaunting?]. This morn  
I tackled the laundry and now  
have a line full of garments of  
different hues. 
Well, Sweetheart, that  
exhausts my fund of topics so will  
beetle along now. I might say I am  
missing you terribly and am counting  
the days to pass until I can come home  
and tell you how much I love you. Micky 

 

AIR. MAIL 
AMERICAN RED CROSS 
20.7.43 
  
AUSTRALIAN 
MILITARY FORCES 
PASSED BY CENSOR 
136 
  
Mrs. M. Billings 
548 Barkers Road 
East Hawthorn 
Victoria 

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Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
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