Michael Billings Collection - Wallet 15 - Part 2 of 10

A.C.F. 
AUSTRALIAN COMFORTS FUND [Victorian Division] 
WITH WHICH IS AFFILIATED THE  
R.S.L. War Service Fund, Y.M.C.A and Salvation Army

about 1945 when I get back, well as I started this
third page I'll have to finish it, yes heres something, went
to mass this morning, for the first time since last month
a South African priest, some how for once the shells that
went over during mass didn't disturbe one so much, nor
did we worry about the planes buzzing about up there,
it would be hard for you to picture it all, but there
was no great display, no great church, rather just a
simple service to a few dirty, untidy soldiers, but it
left me more impressed than anything I can remember,
the alter was two biscuit boxes and two petrol tins,
but the feeling was there, the priest held a general confession
as the number was too many to do singly, this is the first
time that I have received this way.
Well my dear Kath, I must finish now and
crawl up on my lowly bunk, wonder whats in the bed
tonight, perhaps a snake, maybe a scorpion, but I’ll bet there's
a mouse, there usually is.
Heaps of love
Your young brother
John 
x x x x x  
The plane dropped its load  
lousy shot.  

AHanbury

2/ 
got a slight relapse brought on by the extreme 
cold.  Will you let Mum know that for in the  
hustle of the phone chat, I may have given 
the impression it was more serious.  Quite a 
swag of ex N.G fellows have it, the cold wakes 
the bug up. 
Well that's that, Sweetheart,  
will dash & get this away on today's airmail. 
As soon as anything breaks, will let you  
know.  Should be any time now so keep the 
pecker up for a while, sweet Kay.  Give the 
little honey chile a big kiss from Dad.  Am 
just crazy to be with you to tell you how 
much I love you. 
Micky

ACF
AHanbury     
PASSED BY CENSOR 
No 1842 
1.8.42
Mrs M Billings
548 Barkers Road
Hawthorn East
Melbourne 
Victoria 
Australia
C/o Mrs. [[J]]. Rowling
25 Heath St
East Brisbane
Queensland

ACF AUSTRALIAN COMFORTS FUND  (VICTORIAN DIVISION) 
WITH WHICH IS AFFILIATED THE 
R.S.L. War Service Fund, Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army 
VX 14422 
S/Sgt. J. W. Clarke 
 [[?]]  2/12 Aust Field Regt 
A.I.F. Abroad 
  
2.10.42 
  
Dearest Kath
Well Mrs. M. I received a letter from you today
my word you do shift about a lot, why don't you pay
the rent, its easier. I hope you receive the last letter from
me, because I went to a lot of trouble over it and to my
mind it was a bit of a masterpiece I've just finished
8 full pages to Sylvia so believe me the hand is getting
a little cramped. We are still in the desert, fighting Huns,
not much doing, things are too quiet we would
rather that it was a little noisier, gets too dull like
this. Glad you enjoyed the regt magazine, it has
taken a fair time to get there because we posted them
before last Xmas when in Palestine. Hows Mick, tell him
this joint just the same, sand, rocks, and saltbush,
I believe Cairo is washed up lately has many of those
b- b- of redcaps, some of the boys returning from
leave say that as usual the Aussies are fished out
by the redcaps but usually there plenty of N.Z's about
to help out and only waiting for the excuse, Im
looking forward to a few days in there in the near
future, Glad to hear of Casey and Noel, what show is
Casey in, yes sister we get any gods quantity of smokes
you have my pity back there, of course I smoke the pipe
and get my tobacco from the South African mobile
canteen near here, usually by about 1 1/2 lbs at a time

A.C.F. 
AUSTRALIAN COMFORTS FUND [VICTORIAN DIVISION] 
WITH WHICH IS AFFILIATED THE 
R.S.L. War Service Fund, Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army 

that cost about equal to 15/. Aussie, by the way it is
the imported that was worth about 4/6 a tin pre war
back there, so you see we are on easy street as far
as that goes, well heres health ,we have a few bottles
here which the South Africans sold us, and is it sliding
down, we get a regular ration of a 1/2 bottle of Aussie
per day but that only gives one an appetite and
longing for more, still thats better than last time we
were in when we didn't get any for six long months
by the by whe we have been here 3 months already
Rather grim about Bill Brown don't remember him
much myself and he wasn't ever mentioned much
at home, but now of course its different strange how
some people have to die before you realize that they
are alive, Tell Mick that his hopes & wishes are
in vain because it seems as if we won't be
seeing each other until after boom - boom, anyway
if the hotels are so short of grog we couldn't stage
a very good reunion. Well sister this completes the
issue so will close now with love from the desert rat
your loving brother John 
xxxx
PS. Best wishes for Birthday 

AHanbury

ON ACTIVE SERVICE 
A.C.F.
3 10 42
AHanbury 

Mrs. M. Billings
25 Heath Street
East Brisbane
Queensland
Australia

VX132013
PTE CLARKE P.J 
[[P.G.?]] Lof C Area W/shops. AEME       
New. Guinea Forces                                 
Wednesday.
April 28^th 43

Dear Kath
In answer to your most welcome
letter received the other day and, glad to see
by same that both you and Mick and all
at Camberwell are all well as this letter leaves
me here at present. The weather up here is
starting to get pretty warm during the day
but the nights are still on the cool side
which enables you to have a good sleep
after the days toil. At this point I wish to
thank you for sending me the parcel and I
can tell you that it will be very acceptable
and should get here very soon now. Well Kath
the tucker up here is just on the fair side
as it all comes out of tins and I think the
cooks do a pretty good job. on the whole for us
but as you know the tinned stuff plays
up with the old tummy, but it is either

/2/ 
eat same or next best thing go without as I
do very often and especially last week as I
have been pretty crook with the old complaint
acid tummy. I get a letter from Hay nearly.
every week since I have been out of Aussie
also she has sent me about four parcels
so with hers and the ones from home I am
very well catered for, Tell Mick that the
arguement is very dry up here, so if he makes
this way he wants to tie a niner on the back
of the boat, and believe it or not I have not
had a drink for about nine months and look
like having to wait another nine before
any will be available, and I gaurentee to
make the best of it then, and hope the
Mick and my self will be cracking a few
this time next year, as I will have two
babies heads to wet. Bill Cleeland has
made his way in this direction and is well
up in the mountains, as a matter of fact
the best place around here, it is nice and