Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 14 - Part 3 of 13

PR00610 
Australian 
War Memorial

LEAGUE OF SOLDIERS FRIENDS 
TAKE CARE OF HIM 
CHURCH OF ENGLAND 
  
Military Camp at VX38483. 
Battalion  or Unit Sgt M. Billings 
Dist. Accounts 
Office New Guinea 
1.5.44 
  
Darling Kay, 
Good day to you, 
brighteyes for you are a very good 
girl to send me two beaut 
letters, those of the 24th & 26th 
and both were slashing efforts 
too.  It was nice to see,  also  
that you can trump my bag 
with two from me.  I judge the 
warmth of their reception by that 
I accord to yours.  I observe with  
the utmost satisfaction that you 
and your charge are both in very 
good shape.  Now that the little 
bloke has been weaned, I have 
daily expected news of the uplift 
you would get when that arduous 
task was accomplished and may 
I say I'm not disappointed in 
the general improvement you 
  
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feel. Not at all surprising that 
that permanent tired feeling has  
ceased to oppress you for all those 
things you normally need for your 
own good were going to make our  
lad the darling he is and now 
they are being totally absorbed 
you, naturally your natural 
perkiness is beginning to hold 
sway again.  you're still only a 
kid. you know for all your  
many summers and having lived 
a decent clean life, have many 
sprightly years to go. before the  
mellowing hand of middle age 
has you in its grip.  I bet it 
has created a nice warm feeling 
within you after being out of  
the sun for so long.  I love 
you very much, sweet, when 
I envisage you the lovely. 
  
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bundle of fun and animation 
I've kissed to often and having  
shared yourself and the laddie 
through trouble and strife to  
such a well minted outcome. 
I echo your hopes that soon we 
shall be together again and 
renew all over again those really 
beautiful times of the recent years. 
The set up has become just 
perfect again and I long to be  
with you, particularly to share 
the nights with you for its lonely  
there and I want you so much. 
Not the least pleasing thing is  
the slow but unmistakable return 
of your pretty thatch to the beauty 
I've admired so much.  Maybe 
I'm nuts but that mass of soft  
curls fitted your well set head 
like a cap and created a picture 
so pleasing to the eye. I never 
  
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could resist running my fingers  
through it for its a good feeling to 
caress beautiful things.  Do you 
know, a thrill used to pass through 
me when I could bury my face 
in its softness, particularly after 
it had been washed and that  
fragrance somehow reminiscent of 
gum trees and the good earth after 
the rain was intoxicating and 
yet soothing.  So rest assured it  
will be the recipient of many a 
rub when Daddy comes home. 
You and your lovely chunk of boy 
hood are I a pair of humdingers 
and I'm itching to do all those  
things you like and I like.  I'm  
very pleased Richard is one of those 
chaps who likes you to play with 
him for that's how I rave about 
kids, when I can have fun 
with them and make 'em laugh 
  
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for thats when I get such a lot  
from them myself.  It will be 
terrific to roll the cherub around 
give him rides and all that for 
when all is said and done I'm  
just an overgrown one myself 
and its just a case of one kid playing 
with another.  I can tell from 
his pictures he's my kind of chap 
so you will probably have to 
read the Riot Act now and then 
to quell our uproar.  It sure is 
bad luck to have missed so much 
of him but their it was but I'll  
make up for my deprivation  
or bust.  As far as he is concerned 
the move was one in the right 
direction and you also seem to  
have settled in and doing your 
customary smooth job.  The main 
bugbear, I suppose, is solitude 
but in a while now a cure 
  
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for that will be forthcoming. 
I pray it won't be long.  The 
tidings you convey about securing 
that preparation is good too 
things being as they are, of 
course.  I feel the same way as 
you do but I can't see any other 
alternative if we are to avoid 
landing in a mess.  Never thought 
we would have had [[accounts?]] to 
such but then, the war has 
upset our applecart in many ways. 
hasn't it? Still , you and I 
must naturally bring to an end 
that soul searching yearning or 
else we must be subnormal. 
But war or no damn war, we are  
going to take all we can out of life this 
trip and for my part, I couldn't 
picture a lovelier setting than  
you & Richard entrenched in 
a place thats our own for all 
  
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practical purposes.  So keep the  
brave little chin up a bit 
longer for this time its going to 
be our greatest hour for I could 
devour you and then start in on 
the bairn. and I take it I shall 
meet my match in you for its 
something super to come home  
to. I soo see you are out to  
bag a carpet but I don't insist 
on a red one being laid down 
in my home for its the pure 
essence of love I am after, precious, 
and that lazing in front of the 
fire definitely has its points. 
I mind many times that we 
found each t other's hearts in 
that very setting and we haven't  
slipped a bit, huh ? I hope 
too, I can stick around the  
place for a while but I'm 
just another number to be sent 
  
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hither & thither if the fancy takes  
the powers.  In my favor is the 
fact that I've served in the M.E. 
and N.G but I'm still an 'A'  
class man so its all in the  
lap of the gods.  We work for a  
hard taskmaster believe you me. 
So reserve your feelings in case the 
worst happens.  You were speaking 
of a will to Fay & George.  I'm all 
for it and it should not be  
too hard to tee up.  So if you 
want to come to an arrangement 
with Fay,  its O.K with me after  
we've had a spot of time by our- 
selves.  Jolly good idea to hop 
off to the bush and be on our 
own, just the family.  Well after 
the chilblains returning like the  
bad penny, all I can say is that  
you must be yourself again pss 
  
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for poor Kathie and her chilblains 
are synonymous.  Bad luck, I'm 
not poking fun for I know they 
are no laughing matter. 
I saw Pat at the Requiem 
Mass anzac Day but his truck 
was waiting for him so our 
conversation was brief.  He looks  
a ball of muscle and expects 
to see you all again soon. 
Yes, t'was a day of sad memories 
to those whose blood has hallowed 
this and other places. The Chaplain 
General delivered the [[panegyric?]] 
and did it with simplicity and  
sincerity.  He is an old cobber 
of Libya, Greece & New Guinea. 
I feel O.K but my  
thoughts are far from here 
most of the time.  Need I tell  
you where they rest. Want to. 
  
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