Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 12 - Part 4 of 16

4/
Just as well you feel so robust, my next
sojourn will tax your strength and
stamina to the limit.  It will be war
on the home front,  the army versus
you smug civvies.  However weary as
I am from my many campaigns
(my fighting motto now is Remember
East Brisbane or is it Pearl Harbor?)
and racked by tropical fevers, here's
your chance to clean me up. I won't
mind as you will overpower me by
methods more  subtle than forceful
if past experience is any guide. Don't
go getting the idea I will be a
pushover though as the old man
is still very much alive and after
a monastic existence of a year and
more, I aim to make a strong
comeback as a lovin' man. So while
my condition holds out I will be no
mean adversary, my bundle of charms.
It will be one of those dream
struggles, the lot of the vanquished
won't be so harsh.

5/
Seriously though, darling, the need for
a personal demonstration of your
wonderful love for me is very real
for its rotten being away from you
believe me, life is so empty, nothing
to inspire a chap and nothing to
fill that void. So my feelings for
you are a confused mixture, I sort
of want to protect you, yet be utterly
submissive to you, in short, all those
yearnings that arise in a man toward
the one he loves.
To go from sublime to the
Gorblime, those text books havent been
posted yet. I'm waiting on a bloke
for a hunk of calico to sew the
parcel in but they'll be off soon
but you wont get them yet awhile.
I have sent to the Kit Store to get
my kit bag sent home but I don't
think it will get further than
Camberwell Station. You might start
enquiring there after the end of
February say when you are out

6/
shopping. I suggest you dump my
dunnage over with Mum as your nook
must be fully crowded out.
I'm not sure that I would
not have been wiser to have been a
competitor at the Sports rather than an
official for they certainly used me
up. What with raising bars, raking
sand and taking results to the
Press Box I was fair tuckered out when
they sounded the 'All Clear'. Just one
of those occasions when the officials
should have adjourned to the groggery
and indulged in a weekend of mutual
congratulation and beer.
I see you are still rather
sceptical about our Service & civility
but when you quoted Sydney as your
example you descend to base tactics
to prove a case by the principle of the
exception proving the rule. There's
little about that dump that is any
good except the harbor and God
put that there not Capt Cook as

7/
the inhabitants fondly imagine. As
far as we're concerned, that Kidney are
not much in evidence here, like
their politicians, miners, & jockeys and
dashing punters they evince little
interest in real or potential battle
grounds outside Sydney Stadium and
feel well content to rest on their 
laurels after roundly defeating hordes
of soldiers wives (de jure & de facto)
and other doughty opponents in bloody
combat. It's different up here with
us with bombs bursting all around
us and bullets whistling past passed past
your ears (right the third time), life
is real life in earnest & Mum must
get her allotment come hell or high
water. Forgive the zeal with which
I defend our corps but you may
depend upon it we shan't lay down
our forms until the last shot
is fired and the last zack is
paid to you struggling mothers.
We're really stopping fellows under our

8/
official gruffness.
Talking about Richards 3/6
socks (what a racket), I have something 
sartorial to report. I got a new
pair of pants last week, the old
green ones just gave up the ghost 
and fell to bits and I got a new pair
of socks from the Salvation Army
to match. I now have a yen for
a new shirt but you have to be
persistent to click. I still have the
old pants & shirts I came up in
and talk about a sight, The Green
has faded and the ensemble is now
a bilious looking motley of patches.
Here's a surprise for you, at last I
have a snap of Poor Micky for you &
it's enclosed. Rather a gentle,
wistful expression I would say, the
product of intellect, beans and
Spine-bashing. As Mum used to
say, he looks a bit long-jawed but
you cast your wifely scrutiny over it
and tell me what you think.

9/
And talking of photos reminds me that
I can anticipate some more from you
soon. I hope those of you are posed
on to the specifications I sent you some
time ago.
If the purchase of some new
duds has elevated your spirits then its
money well spent and just between us
I hope you can get a few rags always as
I do like my wife to look well
groomed and you know, my dear, how
archaic one feels in last years gowns.
Don't let your orgy of spending depress you
as I know you well enough to know
that you wouldn't spend a trey you
couldn't get value for and as I said
earlier don't sacrifice yourself entirely
for others. We're not broke yet for
although you have never told me, I
know I'm pretty lousy and keep
my eye to the main chance.
In the G.E. letter about to be put to
paper, love housing and some
financial facts will get pride of.

10/
pride of place. Which reminds me
that I'll make this a parcel if
I don't stop soon.
One thing I omitted to
tell you about. I now sport a
moustache and she's coming along
fine. Makes me look so military
dammit, the chaps reckon I look like
Gen Montgomery.
Well, my darling bundle,
I hope this helps 'chase dose blues
away' a trifle. Carry on and I'll
be coming along to look Richard
& you over.  Shake hands with him
for me, he's too big & masculine
now for this kissing business now.
Youre not though so I'll give you
one that will make you tingle
'cos there's a powerful packet of
love concentrated in it.
Yours always.
Dad

12-1.44
AIR. MAIL
Mrs. M. Billings
548 Barkers Road
East Hawthorn
Victoria

[[Paderwski?]]

PR00610
Australian
War Memorial

VX38483. Cpl. M. Billings
Dist. Accounts Office New Guinea
15. 1. 44.

Darling Kay
Naughty girl, not sending any more letters to
your poor spouse for five days day. Oh Oh, what can the
matter be? Everybody is heaping imprecations on the
Postal Corps this week for its sins of omission. Hope
you faring better after your period of neglect, one moaner
is plenty in the one family. Any how Sunday is usually a
lucky day so I look forward to what tomorrow may bring.
I trust you on and Master Richard are both radiating
good health and still finding each other lots of fun. Shall
be pleased to hear of the appearance of a molar or two to
make his toothless grins shine a bit more. Dear. Dear.
no letters does cut down on the material to yap about.
This place is hardly a fountain of news
as you know. The weather has been very wild and woolly
the last few days, fierce rain squalls and gales. It appears
that Jan & Feb are the worst two months up here and it
sure looks like it. Plenty of mud, nice oozy stuff too.
I don't mind for its much cooler while its on. The pictures
last night were a trial for the wet weather candidates but
after a while the rain stopped. Had a funny last night
Jack Benny & Ann Sheridan in 'Geo Washington slept here'.
Extra good show - gee, I cackled. Unfortunately the fights
have been cut out and that leaves us with only one show a
week. Shamefully treated, aren't we?
Got a few letters away this week very
belatedly I confess, to Ada & Katie Rowling to thank them
for good wishes etc. Got rather lazy I admit.