Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 9 - Part 10 of 12

WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF 
SAILORS & SOLDIERS' CHURCH OF ENGLAND HELP SOCIETY.  
  
THE SAILORS and SOLDIERS' CHURCH 
OF ENGLAND HELP SOCIETY 
Founded 1915 
  
2/ 
  
You can see how it is and you can rest  
assured that when your letters slip a  
bit it's absolutely unavoidable. Feel  
very tired but healthy and must grab  
a few hours before I start for a nap. 
Pleased you are getting a few from me  
to help along a fraction, my pet. 
While I remember, the [[?]] has  
also turned up: thanks lots. As soon  
as the storm abates, I'll write you a  
fine big letter covering all the things  
contained in your letters.  I'm  
awfully sorry this has to be so rushed  
but it won't be long now. I had a  
snappy letter from Syd. Ridge who was  
mighty pleased about Richard. 
So for a little while, tentative  
cheerio and I'm very thrilled about  
you and Richard who are both  
so deserving of the torrent of love I  
feel for them. Yours always 
Micky  
                                                                                                                                    
tmHill
PLEASE USE OTHER SIDE  

PER AIR MAIL 
PAR AVION 
  
10  8  43 
  
Mrs. M. Billings 
548 Barkers Road 
East Hawthorn 
Victoria 
  
E2  

VX38483 Pte. M. Billings 
District Accounts Office 
New Guinea 
  
Darling Kay, 
Here's the old man again sending you  
a cheerio and a comment or two for good measure. 
I trust this finds the babe and you in prime  
condition maintaining the steady progress reported in  
your last letter. Haven't had any more since but now  
I have a home again, I'm confident the outstanding  
letters will be along any day now. It will be very  
satisfactory too as my postal history for the last  
two months has not been the best although it was  
unavoidable. That damn mosquito has a lot to answer 
for to me when I think back and delayed letters from  
you was not the least of them. The last dozen or so  
from you read like the chapters in a book wherein  
the heroine fought on bravely and finally triumphed.  
You have no idea of the pleasure I get from reading  
of Richards progress, development, whims and ever so  
many things. Of course its only second best but we  
can't help that and one should thank God for  
small mercies. However badly one thinks he is  
placed, there's thousands far worse off and all going  
well, the time draws ever closer to another reunion  
which I reckon will be the daddy of them all. When  
you get involved in a war, waiting and hoping 

2/ 
  
are two things over which you spend a lot of time. 
To get back to the baby and  
you, your earlier fears of your ability to perform the  
many duties as laid down in the mothercraft manual  
have been properly squashed and I can visualise  
you going through your hoops as to the manner born. 
Take a bow, pet.  I know full well that when I  
cross the threshold of your apartment, mother and son  
will be a sight for sore eyes. Am itching to get the  
snaps of the two of you, first, to see how you look  
and then to see if this fellow of ours is like his  
dad. It must be terrible for him to be saddled  
with a mug like that, it would have been far  
better for had he resembled you but I confess I like  
it the way it is.  A baby certainly creates a sensation  
among one's circle of friends and their opinions about  
the centre of attraction are very interesting. It was  
a great relief to know the financial outlay in  
connection with Richard was not so substantial as  
it promised at first but 'twas a pretty penny all the  
same. Still he'll be worth all that and a lot more  
from whatever angle you view it and after all you've  
managed very well so far with your allotment, you  
old fox. You know you rate pretty high as a wife,  
you've done big things in a short time and I see no  
indication of the future dimming your lustre. 

3/ 

I've now completed my second day of service  
with the Pay Corps and although I haven't been entrusted  
with the management of the place, am settling down fine  
and, in all modesty, think I shall do quite well when  
I get the hang of the procedure. One aspect that pleases  
is having sufficient to do to keep going steadily whereas  
in the old show a chap was either flat out or  
doing nothing little to say nothing of climbing out of bed at  
all hours of the night on a series of wild goose chases. 
I'm too ancient and nervy now to relish that kind  
of thing and this type of work will serve well to  
enable me to go back to Collins St when they sound  
the last 'All Clear'. I'm feeling very well and  
should too, as our living conditions approach home life  
to some degree as regards comfort. I'm anxious though  
to say my 'prentice hand at pay work with a field  
formation but one must learn to walk before trying  
to run. My mentor in the department is a splendid  
chap, was in the M.E and knows Jim and Con  
McMahon who are both with Finance. Perhaps I shall  
run across them one day. So you may rest assured  
that I am in good hands and keep yourself free of  
worry on my account. 
That about completes the news  
and views for this episode, precious, so will say  
goodnight. Tons of love and kisses to you and  
bestow a hearty one on the little bloke from  
his doting Dad. All the best to Bill, Ada  
and Rea. 
Yours ever 
Micky 
  
AShort                                                         
PR00610                                                                                                                                                
Australian 
War Memorial 

Y.M.C.A.  
  
12.8.43. 
Air Mail 
  
Mrs. M. Billings 
548 Barkers Road 
East Hawthorn 
Victoria 
  
AUSTRALIAN  
MILITARY FORCES  
PASSED BY CENSOR 
943 
AShort 

VX38483 Pte. M. Billings 
District Accounts Office 
New Guinea Force 
14.8.43 
  
Darling Kay, 
After several days of shameful
neglect, the cares of office have relaxed 
sufficiently to permit me to return to the
old routine and 'tis glad I am for it. 
The job I was on was pretty solid with a
heck of a lot of night work thrown in 
so you can see how hard it was to write
letters very often. It's finished now though
so lets carry on. First the letters I've
had from you of late are those of  Nos.
11 to 20 with 17 still to come and as
the latest was that of  10th I feel
well satisfied. The most important of
course was the one with the three snaps
of the bonzer beaut boy of ours and I was
soon greedily devouring every detail of him
and I congratulate you, Mum, beneath
that mass of clothing I detect an infant 
 
PS Don't do anything about shorts just yet. 

2 
  
of prime quality. I confess the tender age of  
Richard coupled with the poor light made  
it hard for me to pass an opinion upon  
resemblances to either you or I but he's  
sure the finest kid I ever set eyes on  
bless his tiny heart. Very sturdy little  
chap he looks and under your expert  
tutelage I can expect great things of him. 
In his christening ensemble he made a  
pretty picture and as he was such a  
model at the ceremony I can realise  
it was a gala day for all present. Your  
sorrow for my absence is natural and  
does you credit, darling mine but grieve not, 
I have been given so much by you that  
I must not be too greedy, hard though it  
is to be far away when I want to be  
with you both so much. The snaps made  
me happy and I am so grateful for  
them now I've seen just what my dreams  
come true looks like.  

3/ 
  
There was so too little of you in the pictures for  
my liking but a glimpse was very welcome. 
You look a bit older but thats only natural  
so soon after all the worry you had and  
in your latest I see your girlish figure is  
returning again much to your delight I bet.  
I recall your groans of dismay at the havoc  
wrought on your curves and I'm as pleased  
as you are that all that is receding into  
the past. That complaint you speak of is  
far from being satisfactory and just can't  
be allowed to rest as it is. You will never  
feel your best while that persists, that  
particular curse is the root of a host of ills. 
I presume the doctor knows all about it  
and will be anxious to hear what he  
and you propose to do to alleviate the condition.  
It's not a thing to be treated lightly and  
I don't feel happy about its implications.  
Its very rough on you after all you went through  
to be so badly affected that way still 

4/ 
  
and I hope an early return to a normal  
functioning will materialise. Very sorry the  
cold germs got you, I hope you've been able  
to banish that pest by now. It was  
good to read that the damp of winter is  
slowly passing and it will let you  
and your charge off the chain a bit more  
for a perambulation around the garden  
city of Camberwell. In fact I don't know  
who will derive the more benefit, Richard  
or you. You cant fool me, puss, you need  
fresh air and other tonics as much as  
the nipper. Please don't think I'm  
having a pick at you, Kay, but I do so  
want you to get right back to your best  
again and news of those obstacles  
retarding your progress are distressing. 
A chap here I've got pretty pally with  
became a father a fortnight before me  
so we have a lot in common, see. I  
showed him the snaps and he was.