Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 12 - Part 2 of 16

VX38483 Cpl. M. Billings 
Dist. Accounts Office 
New Guinea.  6.1.43 

Darling Kay. 
Greetings, honey chick to  
you and our small boy from  
Poor Micky and with them thanks  
for your letter of 29th to hand  
since I last wrote. Glad you are 
both in good shape as I am at 
the moment. I see too that you 
are not being entirely neglected 
for letters too. This week I have 
also had letters from Katie Rawling 
& Ada and telegrams from 
Mum & the Sugden family. Will 
you thank the Suggies for me &  
tell Ada I shall send her a 
note shortly. We are off to a  
good start for another year and I 
devoutly hope that it won't get too far 
advanced before I gaze upon your fair 
face once more. A few more months 
and I shall be sniffing the air

2/ 
and that I might add is my design for  
a living just now. The slight indisposition 
I referred to passed away speedily, I  
believe the water was the trouble 
and at the festive board I performed 
very capably. Very pleased to learn the 
diary duly arrived from my Melbourne 
agents thus clearing up the doubts 
of my letter going astray. Aren't I a good 
boy and so clever to think of such 
an apt phrase for the card. So my 
reproach to you about it in my last 
letter can pass but just you don't 
forget that then a few dates in the 
calendar I keep tab on. Don't panic, 
woman! Glad to learn the studio  
portraits of Richard & you have 
turned out trumps. The copy for me 
will be something good to look 
forward to say next month. 
Funny your running across 
Arthur Adams like that. Yeah, I 
suppose he must be something like

3/ 
judging by the hundreds of times our 
respective mothers used to stand us 
up and discuss us in the manner 
of judges of stud cattle. How I used to 
squirm and curse them for that 
frightful habit. Well, it should be 
nice for you girls to go and munch a 
scone at this joint and spill out a few 
thousand words or so. So Gladys had 
a few words about the poor civvies 
scrambling for a trip on the iron 
trail. Theres a lot worse than that 
going on down their there but I 
suppose those who have earned a  
holiday get cold shouldered as 
usual and the bludgers get the 
cup. Your conclusion about parcels is  
right on the mark just mark time 
and you can try for something's I can't 
wangle here. Which reminds me, 
will you post me another jar of Iodex 
not airmail as I've some left and 
it lasts a good while. Ta.

4/ 
The parcel and papers mail has been 
kind lately, two cakes, one from you 
and one from Mum are in and 
will augment the grub valuably. 
Most of the papers come from you 
too so I think you're the beautest 
girl there is. I heard a whisper 
that some of the old crowd have  
capped it for leave, so Owd Bob had 
the good guts. I believe they have 
changed their residence up here too 
but the game is just about sewn  
up now so one place is as good as  
another I suppose. 
Not much in the way of 
news, life is a very humdrum  
affair. It is a crime to be spending  
it up here when there's so much  
we could be doing. I don't envy 
Young John having to start another 
year in the dump. I hope I can 
stay put for a while so I can 
live like a human being. 

5/ 
I am writing to the Kit Store at 
which my kitbag was left in Qld 
to see if they will forward it on 
to Melbourne. I shall have it 
addressed to you and perhaps it 
will be sent to Camberwell 
Station. I'll let you know of further 
developments. I don't think there's a 
great deal in it, so if it gets to 
Camberwell you could get someone 
to collect it. I've lost the key but 
the lock is a cheap one you could 
pick easily so if it turns up, will 
you empty it and toss out anything 
thats gone bad or is useless. 
Well, Sweetheart, I'm 
afraid thats all so I'll get off 
to bed, one place that's alright 
in any land. A big kiss to you 
both and I love you such 
a lot. 
Micky 

tmHill

6.1 44 
AIR.MAIL. 
Mrs. M. Billings, 
548 Barkers Road 
East Hawthorn 
Victoria. 

PASSED CENSOR 
2543 
tmHill

PR00610 
Australian  
War Memorial

VX38483 Cpl. M. Billings 
Dist. Accounts Office 
New Guinea.  9.1.44 

Darling Kay. 
Howdy, Mum, how are you 
going down there with Junior. 
any sign of a few ivory castles 
inside young Richards gummy gash? 
Gee, the mail has come good with  
a vengeance the last two days  
and I beheld with pleasure the 
news that you had had a couple  
from me to end the drought. 
Here's a list of mine, two from you 
the 31st Dec & 3rd Jan, and one each  
from Mum, Dad, Tom, Syd and  
Kath Skinner (the folks I lived  
with in Adelaide). That was the 
bad news one for it was to tell 
me that her only brother, a F/O 
in the R.A.F had been shot down  
over the Atlantic chasing Jerry  
subs.  All his folks idolised him  
so I can imagine the sadness it has

2/ 
spread among those good people and 
you even more so. 
So t'was a bumper mail day. 
Syd was in hospital again having 
strained his knee doing a P.T 
this time but very cheerful despite 
all. He sent Richard & you his love. 
His brother Les who was repatriated 
from Germany crook is home but  
the illness he suffered has left 
him deaf, poor chap. Some more  
of the flotsam of this great  
pastime. 
Mum & Dad were O.K 
but were feeling the departure of  
John very keenly. I reckon that  
old rule where the  youngest son  
should be  exempted should still  
apply for the sake of the parents. 
Not much fun for them struggling  
all their lives to raise a family  
to have not one of them about  
whom the presence of one would

3/ 
mean such a lot. I was pleased  
to learn that the governor was  
O.K again and able to go back  
to work. 
The quota of news from  
here is less than usual if that  
is possible. The weather is not 
as bad as it has been, a breath 
of wind is on tap sometime 
during the day and night, but it's  
only when you can strip off and  
get under the net, that it's any 
good for inside shirts, long pants  
and gaiters, its stifling by day.  
Probably saves a lot of malaria  
and typhus but that's offset by a  
host of skin troubles. Life is  
so hard really, oh yeah. In  
fact, compared to the fighters,  
we're on velvet 'cos such as it is, 
we eat regular and find a dry  
place to sleep. Proceedings were  
enlivened on Friday by the flicks