Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 13 - Part 9 of 11

VX38483 Sgt. M. Billings
Dist. Accounts Office,
New Guinea 8.4.44.

Darling Kay.
Getting service now from our postal friends with a capital
S for yesterday I received yours undated, would be about the 2nd I guess
and at tea tonight, I was handed that written on the fifth. Well, I can take
it ,extra nice when they arrive hot off the press. I perceive the latter
prefaces your move to new quarters out in the sticks , quite an eventful
screed, the last of some hundred penned at Barkers Road. I8m not regretful
though, for we have expanded beyond the restricted limits of the old place
and although it will be a wrench to part from the Suggies , and 'twill be a
bit lonely for a while , I'm fully in accord with your sentiments that the
time was overdue for us to be getting a spot of our own and heigh presto!
we now have it. I'm as keen as mustard to get along now we can be alone and
have plenty of room and for the many reasons you point out in your letter.
Don't worry over missing out on the letters for a day or two during the
first hectic days but on the other hand, don't spin it out too long either
In case ,you have forgotten this large, egotistical male is still number
one in your life and will only consent to be relegated behind such things
as houses , babies etc., for very extenuating reasons. Savvy? 
Glad to see the improvement in the mail is a two-way 
arrangement and yours must be well up to date too.Ah, I see you did not 
appreciatex my references to your intentions regarding your sore leg. I'm 
glad that the trouble has abated, permanently ,I hope ,for if I'm about the 
place and it recurs,off you go to have it fixed and no damn nonsense either.
In some things, you are none too clearsighted and need a bit of the stand
over. Mostly, though, you're a pretty snug bundle for which many thanks, and 
I've never been so certain that our next meeting will be a corker turnout.
You see ,you occupy in my mind the same place I accord myself in yours and 
I think it is a good way to be too. By this you may conclude, that I wil

2.
use you up to some large extent but there lurks xx a hunch at the back of my
mind that you will take a kindly view of P.M. and his many woes and be a
good spouse and a host of other things at which you excel. Yep, sweet, I will
admire to take you in hand and attempt prodigies of perfection in coaxing
the life and lustre back into your lank locks and even hazard a boast,
that a few nice soothing rubs up and athwart the body beautiful will see
you sitting up and taking nourishment. But, do your utmost in the short time 
intervening to ensure that you provide the highest grade material possible,
having regard, of course, to war time difficulties. Just knocked off to view
your latest picture and refresh myself with the many delights that lovely
girl has in store for me, I would just love to kiss those nice lips that
have just the hint of a pout in them. Incidentally, it is a mighty long time
since I have been favored by any osculatory favors, that young Richard must
have garnered in a lot I should have got. However, its all in a good cause. 
Next, your report on that young gentleman. Very glad
to know he seems to have got back a lot of his old verve but with another
tooth or two loomingnear, I suppose another bout of illtemper and crankiness
is likely. Hope it won't be for long as when you take up your new quarters,
you will lokk forward to a fair crack of the whip. Good sign ,his added
interest in his cot, quite a novelty to read of him cracking it both morning
and afternoon ,it will be very handy when you move.Bit of a job, all right
trying to keep a bandage on his scabby knee, from your accounts, I imagine
him as a proper young squirmer.His aversion to cowjuice seems to have been 
inherited from you,maybe when it sinks into the young napper that Mothers
special brand has gone for good, he will compromise and hoe into Strawberry's
best bottled. You can lay in plenty of it, though, for I'm very partial to it
and have not tasted anything better than powdered for a year. In fact, I jolly
well need the stuff. Do you trick him by dobbing in some with his grub or

3. 
can he smell it? I suppose time will overcome his objections, generally
he seems to be doing pretty well so keep on with the good work and it will 
all work out O.K. 
I was greatly interested in your comments on the house
and I conclude that it will be a vast improvement on our previous arrangements, 
the privacy and independence appeal to me vastly and even though, it
is only a makeshift until we are in axposition to gominto a project permanently , 
I think we will enjoy our first place immensely. Yeah,the rent is a
bit steep but necessity knows no laws xx, as it were, and I don't think it
will entirely impoverish us, even with our genteel poverty. Don't feel a bit
upsplit about wanting a few more bob, it will be well worth it if it brings
a smile to your pretty puss and really , pet, you had no option.Anyway, it xx
covers a few extras beside the furniture so we will pay up and look pleasant.
So you wish I could get there a bit sooner, eh? I bet you don't wish it any
more than I for l've come to look upon this joint as a half way house to
Hades and o step out of it into, a house in which dwell my lovely young
wife and my corker son with no intermediate stages of misery ,well I ask
you. Mmm, it will be super. Your anticipation of the next being the greatest 
sounds enticing, I'm with you there and naturally, not the least source
of our joy will be Master Richard himself. Still, he's not the only pebble,
I've very vivid recollections of another party, Mistress Kathleen, to be sure
who was mighty sweet to come home to and very hard to part from, maybe she
will figure promonently in the celebrations too.Don't give me any guff
about being too old or tired,it won't wash for if its the last think I do,
I'll rejuvenate you . 
Went to the flicks last night out in the bush to see
Jas.Cagney in Johnny Come Lately.Very good show too, the acting by all hands
a pleasure to watch. Am back on night duty again for three nights hencethe 
typewriter .Gives a chap good surroundings for writing.Hard by,there's a
a pianoforte recital by Isidore Goodman ,rather a pity to miss it though.

4.
Went over to the kirk yesterday afternoon and ran into your brother Pat
and had a yarn after the service.He was very well and expecting to go home
in a month or two. We agreed that if our visits synchronise to dump our
wives one day and have,a couple of pony beers.You need'nt go crook for I
must keep on good terms with both sides of the family. While on that subject,
glad Mother will put in a few days with you while you settle down.Good 
company.Please give her my love and best wishes. By the way,Pat told me
he had located the site of John's grave,place called Soputa.If you followed
your New Guinea war news,you will have a fair idea where it is.Ask John
when he turns up,he'll give you the low down.The photo should be available
by now,I would think. I have been close to it in my travels long ago but
never at the exact spot. I am returning a few of the older snaps as you
request .I suppose you will pop them into the family album. I have
succeeded in getting one of those plaited reed fans and will post it
shortly,rather nice affair.The boy whose Mary makes them promised me
another shortly so I will send it to Ada direct. Glad you like the toy
boats,the boys are pretty good at their arts and crafts .The rigging is
quite simple, just raise the sails ,put the points where the nothches are
and hook the threads fore and aft.
That brings this to a close,dearest,so ta-ta and once
again Daddy's big kiss to the little bloke. Thanks for loving me so much,
precious, its looks and sounds lovely and experiencing it will be even
better for it's a game for two and as well as playing a fair hand,I just
happen to think that way about you,sweet bundle.
Micky

tmHill

8 8 44 

PR00610 
Australian 
War Memorial 

VX38483 Sgt. M. Billings,
Dist. Accounts Office,
New Guinea. 1Oth April 44.

Darlin g Kay,
This is going to be a pretty brief affair for it is one of
those born of my rather stagnant inspiration and after a year of this hole,
you have to be good to churn out page after page of words contrived from
the brainbox and not constantly fed on other folks promptings. Anyhow, it
will let you know I'm thinking of you and the boy too and want you to know
it too. By now, you will have gathered thatno further letters from you have
arrived since that of the 5th but that was extra fast getting here and now
the weather is bad again,there may be a bit of a delay.Hope not for your next
will be chock full of your early experiences in the new place,and I am sure
looking forward to your first impressions as head cook and bottle washer
or do you prefer chatelaine of the manor house.
Ive just finished making a frame for the picture of Richard
and you and it looks just heavenly standing up on the table facing me.I
bought a mirror just a bit bigger than the picture ,took the back of it
and ruling a square for the correct size, shaved off that amount of the
silvering with a razor blade. Popped the picture in the square now transarent , 
screwed the back on it and there you have quite a creditable effect.
I sent you back a few of the older photos last letter and will put a few
more with this.Can't spare any of the newer ones yet ,they are too fresh
and won't go back until some xxxx later ones turn up,see. I hope the star
turn of said pictures is feeling fit and cheerful and settling down to his
new residence like a veteran. I suppose his walking ventures are very
advanced now, like the skite on a bike,no hands nor nuthin'. I bet he
thinks he's a budding hero performing his varied feats.
I've just been casting my eyes back on your recent letters
to see if I had overlooked anything important and had a whimsical smile

2. 
at your delicious vision of us taking our ease in front of the fire when
the day's labors are done for the day.Very attractive it sounds and you
will see your bludging husband relishing that part no end. The place won't
lack for much, you know, mum and dad very happy and much in love accompanied
by frequent sounds of childish glee as a background.Glad your radio is
going again,strangely enough I don't hear it often.We had a beaut.set but
some ape got to tinkering with it and mucked it up properly.Its very hard
to get them mended but it looks like coming good soon,about when I leave
I suppose.I detest dial twiddlers,I can tell you. Well, I hope it won't be
long before I'm around [[?]] luxuriate in the houses delights ,for, while I
think you're drawing [[a longbow]] a bit about being seared on your own, I
don't want your life [[?]] drawn out process of loneliness hence my
anxiety to share it as quickly as possible.
Yes, your bill for twenty odd smackers is solid but what
alternative, is there, If you were in the jungle,you would have to improvise
but in respectable Melbourne,one must have the bare amenities and utensils.
Anyhow,nearly all of it is capital expenditure so it would have to be
bought sooner or later and its high time we accumulated a few sticks.We
are'nt quite on the rocks so,let her go,Gallagher. Thanks for enquiring abou 
my insurance, can't go slipping on renewing my funk money now I'm blessed 
with a buxom spouse and lusty youth.
Nothing fresh from here, honey chile, very wet and coal black.
Pretty busy at work which is one thing I like as it makes the weeks dash
by. Got a grip on April now and the foist week in May completes my 12
months,a big day .A big month too for beside that event, another one you
may remember comes around. So for a brace of days, I depart now to my four 
poster sending Master Richard his Daddy's biggest kiss. To you, pet, I send 
all my love and look forward to demonstrating it in our own spot soon.
Micky

tmHill

Air Mail 

Mrs. M. Billings
536 Whitehorse Road
Surrey Hills Victoria 

AUSTRALIAN 
MILITARY 
PASSED BY CENSOR 
2543

LEAGUE OF SOLDIERS
TAKE CARE OF HIM
CHURCH OF ENGLAND

Military Camp at VX38483 Sgt 
BATTALION
OR UNIT M.Billings
Dist. Accounts Officer 19
New Guinea 13. 4. 44 

Darling Kay,
Blimey, what a night, 
as black as the innards of a cow 
and rain coming down in torrents. 
None of your wishy washy Victn. 
rainfalls but the honest to goodness 
tropical walls of water. 
All the same, its been a 
good day for it has brought me 
three letters, two from you and 
one from Mum. Nice work kids. 
Yours were those of the 5th 
& 8th so they have not been to 
long. Very glad to get them as 
they are the beginning of another 
epoch. Mistress Kathie now 
commanding her own unit and 
if spit and polish have anything 
to do with it, twill be a crack 
show. Naturally, I was all agog 
to find out how you were