Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 11 - Part 12 of 24

VX38483 Cpl M. Billings 
District Accounts Office 
New Guinea 
23.11.43 

Darling Kay, 
This is not really a  
fresh letter but a resumption of my 
reply to the letters I spoke of receiving 
in my last screed. Nothing further  
from you since then, in fact, the  
mail service to here has deteriorated  
of late, the deliveries take longer and  
are less frequent than previously. 
I am keeping pretty fit except for the  
few irritations familiar to the  
inhabitants of this dump. Ample  
work still occupies my office hours  
so time does not hang too heavily.
I went out to the hospital last  
Sunday to see Jack Campbell but to  
my chagrin he had gone home the day 
before. Don’t know his complaint some

2/
skin disease I have an idea. Do 
you remember Len Coates who used to 
run the canteen in the old 5th? 
He popped in to see me the other day 
on his way back home to the unit 
after a dose of scrub typhus. He was 
saying he had heard that they had 
started giving the chaps home leave  
so maybe I slipped in transferring  
but I don't think it will work out 
that way. On the usual basis it 
will take a terrific time for the whole 
mob and if the old roster still applies 
it would be many months before 
it got around to me. So all things 
considered I think I will fare as well 
or better as I am placed at present. 
Those percentage ideas are O.K if you  
come out near the top and I can  
imagine the groans of the unfortunates 
well down the list.

3/
Thats about all the dope from these parts. 
for the present The trials and  
tribulations of poor Mummy when she  
wants to take Richard around are 
cruel hard, like you I  often compare  
the public statements of our leaders with 
the actions displayed towards the little 
ones. It's fine to read how fit you 
both are, pet, keep it up, P.M  
will soon be home to give you both 
the once over and vice versa. Gee, 
what a time we shall have. It's great 
isnt it, how readily he seems to be  
taking to the solids. I'm glad to read 
that because it all helps relieve the  
strain on you. I often gaze intently 
at the snaps of him and he is a very 
solidly built lad, well proportioned  
and a babe any one would be proud 
to call their own and as his mental 
alertness is so apparent it looks a good

4/
bet that he will be well endowed for the 
battle of life and a constant source of 
satisfaction to his doting parents. Do 
not worry about his many claims causing 
your letters to be put together in fragments 
but now and again darling ignore the  
young rascal and write me pages 
vis-a-vis my G.E. letters. Your letters 
mean a tremendous lot to me now as 
ever. Sorry to know your cigarette 
wants are hard to satisfy these days. 
Thats one thing we do get sufficient 
quantity of although Capstans taste  
these days, like cow poop. Pardon 
duchess! Cigarette tobacco I go for when 
its on for tragedy has befallen me 
in that the pipe you gave you has got 
lost. Fell out of my pocket and I didn't 
notice it unt until too late. Was I 
furious because it was a good pipe 
and I did enjoy puffing it. Will you

5/
have a fossick among my junk and see 
if I left any pipes there. If not I have 
a vague recollection that there is one 
among my stuff over at Martin Road. 
So if you dig up one up will you post 
it to me, it should not cost so  
much airmail. Now you can see how 
aptly I am known as Poor Micky. I 
certainly pray that we come together soon 
for I too clearly realise my literary 
shortcomings and wish I could be in  
that lovely atmosphere when the things 
I want to say to you come easily through 
your presence. I hope you are successful in 
your quest for a film for some recent 
snaps of you and Richard will be 
right up my alley I can tell you. I 
loved that bit in your letter about Richard 
acquiring some of those 'nutty' stunts 
that I am sure helped me to capture 
your hand and heart.

6/
I  see you have traced the donor of the  
cushion. Did I tell you it was lavender 
color so with the pyjamas my rickety 
cot looks like the sumptuous couch  
of an Eastern potentate. When next you  
talk to Dot Ridge please ask her to  
thank Mary Stannus. Jolly nice 
gesture on her part. See you are off 
to chew the fat with the Grasshopper,  
dutiful spouse of the rotund Casey. Hope 
you enjoyed yourself with your old 
china plate from the Mutual. If the  
absence of the folks begets that frame of mind 
that produces several letters perhaps you had  
better pack them off to the pictures once 
a week. Do I remember the Friday nights  
when  y  we teamed up at Camberwell 
Station and off we set on the way 
to the love nest pausing for a salute 
outside Stan Savigis dog infested 
residence.

7/
Them's were the days, beautiful one. 
I mind well those lovely nights. Yep, 
we've had our ups and downs alright 
but I reckon we are still on the credit 
side of the lovers ledger. I love you lots 
when you get 'involved' as you call it 
because then you shed all your matronly 
reserve and revert back to the delicious 
frisky bundle you were when first we 
met. You then blurt out the nicest  
things Sweet when you are just yourself. 
Well I still have lots of things 
to talk about but the lights go out 
mighty soon so will have to pause 
a day or two and in to it again. 
So ta ta, my precious, kiss the  
champ for me and make it a good  
one. I would give every thing to 
be able to feel your eager lips against 
mine, darling 'cos I love you like 
[[fire?.]] Yours always,. Micky 

tmHill

23.11.43

VX38483 Cpl M. Billings 
District Accounts Office 
New Guinea 
25.11.43 
Darling Kay, 
Here’s the old boy to take 
up the reins once more, sweetheart to  
the accompaniment of heavy rain on the 
shanty roof. Quite a nice sound if 
you are under cover but the onset of  
wet weather means mud and more 
mud I suppose to the boys up top. 
No further correspondence from 
you, todays bag being a note from Tom 
who is at Tenterfield in the footsloggers. 
His none too happy about it all the  
time his been in the [[carty?]] being thrown 
down the drain. Still I suppose he 
will just have to soldier on but I  
can well appreciate his point. I do 
hope this mail situation is not a two 
way affair and that you are getting

2/
your whack in reasonable time. There 
must have been some moans about 
it seeing Mr Curtin had to take 
it on himself to proclaim that he was 
satisfied about it. He might be but 
just where does he float into the picture. 
Things with me are much the same 
Just a routine of eat, work & sleep. 
I hope Richard & you are maintaining 
your excellent form at least, possibly 
improving upon it. That particular 
item sends a pleasing glow through 
me and no doubt about it you are 
working wonders both for the little chap 
and yourself. I'm glad you have not  
excluded yourself from attention as I 
long for you and hope I shall find 
you little changed. Maybe a fool's hope 
seeing all the stress you have been 
subjected to since I last saw you. 
Still you're a lovely girl and I'll