Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 13 - Part 10 of 11

LEAGUE OF SOLDIERS FRIENDS TAKE CARE OF HIM 
CHURCH OF ENGLAND   
Military Camp At 
BATTALION 
OR UNIT
.....19....

2/ 
making out in the new shanty. 
Your opening sentences were anything
but cheerful and if the move
has resulted in nothing but fatigue
& loneliness, it doesn't seem to have
been much of an idea. Still, it
must be a bit strange and will
be for a while until you become
attuned to the solitary state.
However Mother and you appear
to have transformed the place
into something very cosy and right
now I wish a magic carpet would
alight outside the door and whisk
me off and plump me down into
that capacious bed you tell of.
Gee, two mattresses, it sounds
positively regal, and what fun to
bounce on. Moving means a
multitude of tasks, all right. I’m 
dizzy, going from line to line keeping

3/ 
track of them.  Forgot your tea, eh?
Well, that’s you all over, once you
at become absorbed in something,
you are consumed by a fever of
impatience until its done. Glad
your star boarder behaved himself
while you hoed in to the chores.
Striking personality, it seems, when
everyone misses him within a few
hours of his departure.  Your report
of him in the last screed was the 
best for a longtime even unto the
quaffing of the hated milk.  I do
hope it keeps on that way, it
should too for the changeover would
entail quite a bit of readjustment
with the young mortal.  I was
wondering how he would take
to the new place and its bonzer
to read that he's settling down
like a veteran. 

4/ 
So you have six pussie cats on
your menage, they should know
you are just a temporary old maid
and have your marriage lines to
prove it too. I think the pangs  
of  hunger will cause them to seek
other quarters. If they are there  
I’ll get rid of them by effective  
if brutal methods.  I hope though  
that no other flaws come to
light to mar your composure. 
I don't think your friends will  
desert you even though the place is  
a bit hard to get to, particularly 
with such an attraction as the
lad to reward them. All the
same, don't get to thinking its him
that’s the magnet, you’re not so bad
yourself, bundle dear. While
talking about you, what’s the source  
of this panic about being on your 

5.
own and oh! so scary.  I do think
just what you reckon, you’re putting
on an act with you as the breast
clutching heroine.  That’s your
trouble, you wonder too much,
scenting desperate scenes that spring
from within your unrestrained 
imagination. In the first place,
I haven’t heard of the wholesale
looting of suburban shops, not
even in notorious Surrey Hills. 
Also, have you stopped to realise
that theres a deuce of a lot of
people fixed just the same as
you. The loneliness will be
enough for your shoulders, lass,
so don't go looking for any other
burdens to bear.
Mother certainly was a
tower of strength.  She’s a wizard  
all right to whack into such  

PR00610
Australian 
War Memorial

AUSTRALIAN MILITARY  
PASSED BY CENSOR 
2543

AIR. MAIL
13.4.44 
Mrs. M. Billings
536 Whitehorse Road.
Surrey Hills. 
Victoria 
  
tmHill 

VX38483 Sgt.M. Billings
Dist.Accounts Office,
New Guinea         15.4.44 
  
Darling Kay,
Greetings, fair maid and thanks for yours of the 11th just in
this morn. What a tale of woe to report though, the discovery of a nest of
chats in your new won house. What a rotten shame after all your searching
and scrubbing to have it all spoiled by blasted vermin. A few of the smaller
order would not have been so bad but those others are such loathsome things
to be within a milevof. I only hope there is just a small gathering and your
swift onslaught has scotched it completely. I remember when I lived in
Caulfield I was literally chased out of bed one night from a sleepout we had
there by the same parties and thirsting for vengeance the following day I
narrowed down their possible nests to a wooden bed of ancient vintage and it
was swarming with them. After burning the bed had no further visits from them.
So see If you can localise their habitat, that is, if you have'nt already and
if its something moveable, out with it. All in all, the joint does'nt seem to
appeal to you so its 0.K with me if you look around for another place. You
don't sound at all optimistic though so I trust the present place will
improve with acquaintance. Glad a letter from me reached you when you felt it
needed but I'm afraid a bit of loneliness is inevitable until I get shot of
here .If you are still at Surrey Hills, I can soon get rid of wild creepers 
and do a few other chores to help make it liveable. As you are eager to
to obtain other quarters, I shall discreetly ask my people when I'm writing
to spend as much of their time as possible at your place in order that you
may  xxxx be relieved for a spot of house hunting unencumbered by 20 odd
pound of hefty boyhood. I'm very sorry that the place has not turned out
so marvellous for it is really on my account that taking the place became  
necessary.  From the reluctance shown by your former mates since you've left  
to lose sight of you and Richard, all this bother could have been saved but

2.
for the
/impossibility of wedging one large husband into adequately filled quarters.
There is one angle to it, if the place becomes unbearable and you wish to
return to Ada but I submit it with very little force on my part and I 'm
sure it would hardly meet with your approval. I could easily elect to stay
here another six months and thus enable you to chuckmit up but I assure you
it would only be as the very last resource. The main point though is the
welfare of Richard and you and if your happiness is going by the board through
this house difficulty , its 0.K. by me and after spending half a lifetime of
waiting , a few more months may not matter. Anyhow, think it over and please
reason along the lines of the greatest good for the greatest number.Don’'t
allow your conclusions to be colored by sympathy for me , deprived of this
and that because except for you and Richard,a chap while he's in the Army may
thx as well be here as in Queensland or the West maybe. That's all I'm coming
home for, to be perfectly frank, and it will be debatable whether that would
be any good if I'm to find you a mess of nerves and fears when by sticking on
a bit longer that can be avoided. You see, sweetheart, you are of an intense
and imaginative temperament and naturally people so gifted or plagued, have a
mixture of ups and downs,more downs in times like this with consequent wear
and tear on delicate mechanisms called nerves. I guess there's more in the
offing too and it is possible that you might weather them better if you had
some people close at hand to offer advice and consolation. In any case, the
above will give you food for thought and you can tell me your angle.
One person, anyway, seems to be finding the change
beneficial, Master Richard. Jolly good now he's eating plenty and putting in
his quota of hours in the cot. Probably find his weight maintaining a steady
tendency to rise now. Is he still as lively and animated as ever.
That letter with the cheque should have reached you by
now, keep me posted. It was a crossed one payable to you so there is little

3 
of it going up a lane. From your uninspiring reports concerning your
appearance, there appears to be some point to my diagnosis of you above.
Hard work never gave anyone lines and grey hair but the occupation of the
mind with an overdose of worry is an unfailing recipe for such blemishes.
I had a letter from Syd. too this morning back again on his
wheezy tub. Sounded very chirpy but like the rest of us hankering for a
return to dear old Mum. Like me, he's finding life pretty slow but that’s
how it is. At least, its safe. Not much news from here.Went all lairy last
week and saw two picture shows. The adventures of Mark Twain was a good
turn,Frederic March putting over a masterly act and then a show about a
British officer masquerading as a Roumanian patriot called Tatu doing the
Basties in the eye was also good if a bit far fetched. Robery Donat pleased
us in that.There's horse racing many miles out today but I'm working so had
to pass it by.Dunno what sort of hosses they have dug up but anything is good
enough for the lads to have a punt on. Regarding my insurance, I've paid my
premiums through the Army so thats fixed for a while.Unfortunately the price
just about cleaned the balance out of my paybook but you don't need much up
here.However , if we are to run around a bit when I grace the state, the bank
will have to be tapped for a fiver. Has another bundle of papers from you as
well so we are doing O.K. Weather muggy but the sun is hidden mercifully or
it would be roasting.
Having opened with greetings and meandered through a
variety of subjects to that thrilling topic, the weather, I think I've said
my piece .Cheerio for a day or two and I pray your house makes a rosier
impression on you by the time I receive your next. Its disheartening to think
that what seemed to be a great turn of the wheel has been a bit of a flop.
Give xxx young Buster his daddy's bestest kiss for being such a good lad.
To you, sweet, all my love.
Micky 
  
tmHill 

AUSTRALIAN 
MILITARY FORCES 
PASSED BY CENSOR
2543
  
AIR. MAIL 15-4-44
  
Mrs. M. Billings
536 Whitehorse Road
Surrey. Hills Victoria 
  
tmHill