Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 14 - Part 9 of 13

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3 
PASSED 
BY 
CENSOR 
275 
  
AUSTRALIA 
MILITARY FORCES 
PASSED BY CENSOR 
943 
  
Michael Billings 
  
28.5.44 
Mrs. M. Billings 
536 Whitehorse Rd 
Surrey Hills Victoria

3 Opened by Censor
PR00610 
Australian 
War Memorial

From No.: VS38483 
Name: Sgt. M. Billings 
Unit: D.A.O. 
New Guinea 
Date: 1.6.44 
USE MILITARY ADDRESS ONLY. 
  
Darling Kay, 
The Lord has surely 
answered my prayers for since 
I last wrote, I’ve had three 
letters from you up to that 
dated the 29.5.44. That 
one came in tonight; fast 
travelling, what! Quite a 
goodly budget of news too. 
Very glad to see Richard & 
you are 'tops', although the 
little bloke was a bit skiddoo 
when you wrote. With the violent 
changes in the weather, no 
wonder colds are prevalent. 
You surely are looking forward 
to my homecoming when 
the advance intelligence moves  
  
IN YOUR LETTER DO NOT REFER TO: 
The name of your transport, or other transports in your convoy... dates of sailing... ports of call... 
destination, descriptions of troops, or other information which, if intercepted, will be of value to the enemy.

2/ 
you to tears and seeing the 
tears emanate from joyful 
springs I shan’t upbraid you for 
being a sooky. The present 
prospects for a departure soon 
are quite good and no reverses 
have yet been encountered. 
Nothing definite, yet, in the 
way of dates but we have 
progressed along the right 
lines and I reckon we will 
be starting soon. Still, quite 
a good chance of being present 
for his nib's 1st birthday 
a date I’m most anxious 
to be in Melbourne for. I’ve  
finished up here at my job  
and except for the usual  

3/ 
formalities am on my toes 
waiting to carry the banner.  
So that’s that regarding the  
return of the prodigal. Barring  
acts of God and the whims of  
officialdom, we ought to be  
set soon to enjoy a decent  
break. 
By jove, the house sounds  
quite snug and cheerful now,  
and so it should after all the  
hard yakka's you have put  
into it. After pigging it up  
here for more than a year,  
it sounds like a palace. 
You would think that after so  
much of dwelling in all sorts  

4/ 
of dumps, a chap's appreciation of  
home comfort would have got  
very lukewarm but I own I’m  
as keen as mustard, particularly  
as, for the first time we  
have our own place. Very  
decent of Bill fixing up all  
the stray jobs. I’m glad you 
if stealthily, made him take a couple  
for his efforts. 
Have long since thrown  
off the ill effects of a week or so  
back. I think it was a  
mild attack of malaria but 
fortunately, the fever part was  
kept at bay but the trouble 
does pack something special 

5/ 
in the way of headaches. Feel  
quite fit again and after a  
scrutiny in the mirror don’t 
look too badly except for a  
touch of gauntness and a yellow  
tinge from a few hundred  
Atebrin tablets. Feel a lot  
better if I can get a spot of  
exercise. 
The padlock arrived OK  
pet, thanks a lot. You need  
not worry about us not being  
able to go out a lot because  
of Richard. That’s O.K for  
besides him, another factor  
will limit our cavortings and  
that is, our old bugbear,  

6.  
dough for unless you have a  
roll so socked away somewhere,  
we shan’t be too flush. For  
I have only a small balance  
in my book nowadays and  
am very loth to dip into our  
bank nest-egg. Lot different  
pet, since my first return  
when I had a poultice put  
away and now  there's no Dairy  
Board to make up the pay,  
tis the Army on its own.  
Still will have enough for  
a few jaunts. If I’m there,  
we shall be at Flemington  
for the National Steeple in  
July.  Are you on? 

7/ 
I’m looking to you Richard &  
the house to provide most  
everything I need but after  
being such a good girl, I do  
want to run around a bit  
with you. Never fear, we shall  
have a goodly time. Bosker  
and his pa will take up a  
good many hours getting on  
the proper footing between  
father & son. I suppose the  
time will really fly, and I  
can see that a bit of help  
around the place will be 
very acceptable for you. 
Looks as though I’ve  
missed seeing John again  

8/ 
and will be lucky not to miss  
Dorky. Had a letter from her  
and she was saying she would  
have to return to Sydney soon.  
I won’t be too badly off for  
clothes, old bean. I’m still  
in the Army and expect to  
arrive with a fair bundle.  
Use little here, given up  
underclothes long ago and  
have gone without socks for the  
last few months, as well.  
Got rid of the tinea with  
them too. I have a strong  
objection to buying clothes  
while I’m supposed to be  
issued with them but there