Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 11 - Part 11 of 24

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Australian 
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VX 38483 Cpl M. Billings
District Accounts office
New Guinea 21.11.42

Darling Kay,
You will be pleased to
hear the drought has broken at last
the past two days bringing your letters
of the 8th, 12th, 13th & 15th so 'twas a
goodly haul, particularly as regards
Master Richard & you, sweet.  It was
fine though to read that the little
chap's cold was on the way out and
taking to the rest of the pot pourri
by and large you would seem to
be in fine fettle too.  So that is a
good thing.  The many newsy items
were excellent reading and I shall cudgel
my addlepate in order that a fitting
commentary may flow from my clerkly
hand.  Before beginning, I'll give you
the good guts from our 'appy home
from somewhere in the Equatorial

2/

regions shall we say.  It feels like that
too for summer is definitely here and
is it hot?  Carries on night and day
to the accompaniment of profuse sweating
tinea, prickly heat and other types
of body rot aggravated by a water
shortage at present.  Still I'm still
very much alive and kicking and then
the conclusion of each week brings the
end of my sentence closer.  In addition
to your letters I had one from A Dorcas
and one from John.  You can tell
Mum if you are near a phone that
she should see John inside a fortnight.
Lucky Lad.  Poor Doris marriage
idyll didn't last long as Tom has
been moved quite a sizeable distance
too from what she says.  So the flat
they had secured will have to be
given up.  None of us seem to be
lucky that way of late.  Tom had

3/

been able to get down to Sydney and
look her up one week end.  Your pride
& joy must certainly be one out of the
box for she paid him an unusual
compliment.  I've read pages stating glowing
opinions of him but her simple sentence
'I wish he were mine' told me more 
of his excellence than anything else had.
Patronised the fights last
evening and a good show it was too.
Good clean dinkum scraps they are,
no messing about and some of these
fellows can use their fists too.  The
Yankee coons are great favorites and
first class sportsmen too.
Now lets tear into your letters;
the lairy pyjamas drew forth much
badinage from the envious throng
but they giving great Service.  I'm none
too flattered by the size around the
paunch though.  You cheeky wretch 

4/

Did I tell you two more bundles of papers
came along as well and today being
Sunday I spent some time on the
spine pouring over them.  While we
are on the subject of parcels, thanks so
much for the one now on its way.
The contents are well chosen and will
be gratefully received.  For future guidance
I think you can drop Figsens,
Shaving soap, Envelopes and Sweets
for when your parcel arrives I shall be
well catered for in those lines and I
don't want you to be whittling away your
pittances unless the things are essential.
I hope this reaches you before you buy
that stuff for bald patches as the
iodine I got on to is doing the job now
and they are starting to come good again.
You know I merely tell you of those
[[A]] ailments because I think you like to
know, its not a gentle hint for you

5/

to cough up and produce a cure pronto.
You see I've taken heed of your remarks
on money and shall take you to task
on every penny you blue particularly on
me.
Very pleased your last visit to
Essendon found Mother more composed,
that was jolly good news and the cheering
effect upon you is apparent.  I think
you can take it as authentic that John
was decently interred, there is a 
special unit that takes care of burial
matters and it is all done in proper
form and style.  What usually happens
when a chap falls in action is his
remains are committed to the earth
promptly and the exact spot noted. Then
when the situation is eased, the special
unit recover the remains and it is they are
reinterred in an official war cemetery
with appropriate ceremony.  The grave

6/

site is registered and photographed and
a copy of the print forwarded later on
to the next of kin.  I am trying to
get a copy myself and if I succeed.
will send it to you for Mother but it
may take a while.  I have only
attended one military funeral but the
arrangements there were adequate and
very impressive.  So I think you may rest
content that your brother's departure
from among us was appropriate.  I must
say I'm not a great stickler for the
ceremony and ritual associated with death.
in John's case I feel that the gallant way
way he gave up his life is a memory
that no work in marble & brass could
ever equal.  Quite apart from the methods
of officialdom and the demands of hygiene
it is a point of honor in a unit to
properly bury and honor your dead so your
doubts should be set at rest.

7/

I haven't progressed far with your letters
but I suppose there will be a gap until
some more come along and I will therefore
catch up during the week.
Your svelte figure is going to 
your head chiding me for my measly 
33 inches of solid muscle.  What do you 
think I am - a gigolo?  If youre you
aren't satisfied you had better send me 
your special corsets.  You get a great
thrill about getting into racing trim
again, you'll need it all, my Juliet when
I get you in my villainous clutches.
Your physical charms impel me to 
reserve further illustration until my
next G.E Screen soon coming up.
I'll go to town in that, precious.
Must toddle now so cheerio and 
give my love to Ada, Jill & Rud (or 
should it be Alfred).  Kiss the bairn and
please accept a huge wad of love from Dad

T M Hill 

Air Mail
21.11.43

Mrs. M. Billings
548 Barker's Road
East Hawthorn
Victoria

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21.11.43

PRO 0610
Australian
War Memorial