Letters from Lt Colin Douglas Simper to Mrs Irene Simper Wallet 2, Part 24

NO STAMPS  

AVAILABLE

MRS C.D. SIMPER

c/o BLACKWOOD P.O.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

20

CD Simper

29

SX2753                          

Lt Simper CD.

HQ Coy 2/48 Bn

AIF

May 6. 

Darling wife,

Well now honey, here I am again and

I have some letters of yours to answer, they're pretty

well out of order again but at least I'm getting them

I'll give the numbers presently.

Well as I sit here in my "doover" thats my

"house" built of coconut and date leaves, and with

a floor the same. Hand drawn diagram- see original I can see out accross

the hills where men are just completing breakfast.

One or two fires can be seen on various rises and

the sun shows up the tall trees, some burned

and charred.

It's fairly quiet just now, just as it was last night

and a good sleep was had by all, of this Pl anyhow.

I know that I love you honey thats definite and I guess

this letter will again be devoid of local news, but

I shall keep an account of these days for later

reference. 

I'd like to wish you best wishes for Mother's Day

honey. I tried to send a telegram but that isn't

possible just at present. I don't expect this will

reach you by Sunday either, I know you will

never regret being a mother, I feel that our kiddies

will grow up loving us, as we, love one another.

Regards to Mum xxx for the occasion also. I hope

she is keeping well and that is important to 

a few others besides herself.

Now lovely one these letters, I must answer them now

as every day they mount up and the older ones

lack up to date news.

Well Ive answered all up to 13 now Ive got 

NS -  15-16-17-18-19 and it looks like no 20 too.

Your last one written 27^th had no number on it

30

no 19 written on the day previous.

Now 15, I love you honey I'm having a great time 

here sorting out these letters, practically 1 a day

Gee I get stinking when I'm not able to write

there are various reasons moving, or "working" seem

to be the main ones,

A fortnight you had been without a letter, no

wonder you were crooked, a mighty long time

when even a day or two seems like months

Trouble is even now I can't promise anything thats 

definite, 2 today none for a week maybe, though I

dont want you imagining it will be like that all

the time we're here.

Just like Eleanor to want her own way with the

baby's dummy, I remember she was pretty insistant

when I was home, if I told her to not touch

bubber she'd only leave him alone temporary & I

could see by the look of her eye she intended

to get that dummy into her mouth later praps

I don't understand the term (referring to Ewers (stepped

out of a band box, what does it imply.

Yes honey I did receive a letter Pete had drawn

and written down the side, answered it too

No 6 or 7 I reckon.

I wouldn't say this sketch of the yacht is poor, it

gives me the idea so it serves its purpose, I

have seen many ornaments made that way, the

popular one seems to be a Australia Map with a

kanga and emu each side.

No 16. I see Bet is away to Brissy again, so

you'll be without girl friends while Jeff is 

home.,

Was she leaving there and telling her parents

later?, was she frightened they may not let

her go?

I spos'e, they are better off together anyway the way

31

they are. she's certainly lucky in getting a

travel priority, and lucky Snow is in a standing

Camp.

One thing I can't understand, either her doctor is

a bit screwy or else they dont know how to

er - get together, if he doesn't know if she’s preg.

or not who does?. I think someone ought to

get out the book.

I'm surprised at Mildred though being a "poor"

patient, I thought she'd be able to stick out her

chin a good bit, I know just how fat she

was, I didn't think it possible for her to get so

fat it certainly surprised me when I was home.

Looks like Ill be tarred and feathered honey

over Mother's day, anyhow I didnt forget it,

so maybe as I mention it here I may only

be tarred, that loving feeling has got me

again honey its just creeping all through me

and you can stop reading a minute cause I

want you in my arms to hold you closely while

I kiss those lips of yours, Whats that? a pimple

on your chin? Your nails want filing too, so

best you rasp em up just as soon as

you finish this letter, and honey I love you,

Now let's see, ah where was I, - now, Keep away!

Let me finish this letter for you, - OH alright

just one more kiss now.

So after a long time I chose the longest one, the

one you said to to buy, with the knob near the end

13/6 it was! gosh I nearly fell backwards anyhow,

I said - OK. OK , so Im bats yes Sir I'm bats

over the beautifullest lady South of the Equator, &

I love her, boy do I love her so much. I'm so

proud of her I'd sit at the Queen's table, and not

notice anyone but my darling CD

I reckon Mum xxx is about eh! Say, hyar to

32

her from me, tell her I'm up here in the

big bad tropics, where the niggers look as much

or more, like the nips than they do themselves

Well this letter leaves little to answer, you love 

me right through it, baby, no Eleanor was sick

but she's OK again, and you reckon if I come

home OK you'll be the happiest girl ever and our

babies will be too. Alright that's a deal.

When I open that front gate you're to be there

with -ar 40 kisses all wrapped up in one, and

you are to move over and make room for me

if its in the night time, no need to worry bout 

me keeping my end of it right, Ive got quite a 

few people looking after me, but you just start

thinking about those kisses a bit

Now No 17.

No wonder you wern't moaning 'bout not going

out Sat night (21^st, you stayed at home and

read some letters of mine, and whats important

you wrote one by the look of it, it kept you

busy for an hour or two too, it it, - too two

I'm repeating myself a bit, daft!!

Now Look Alan is probably here if youll only

give me his address I'll see him, for he's not

very far away,

Havnt seen a tailor made cig for a fortnight

I reckon, but if I do get any you shall

have them post haste.

Yes they're cheaper 1/3 for 2 oz of weed.

No we don't have mess fees to pay as there's

no mess for officers, hardly practicable just

now.

Dont have to pay the batty yet he's got nothing

to do, havnt done any washing for a week or

more, the dirts thickening too.

I dont want to keep any money in my book

35

honey, if it gets lost or some circumstance

arrives and its falls into someone else's hands

then he could easily draw it out. got it,?

don't worry Ill have a reserve alright, havnt

even bought a stamp these last few days, even

if they were procurable, saves money anyhow.

I've got a new hat you tell mum and I doubt

if it fits (my wool wants barbering what

about you? I've a knife and a fork here.

Yes Len Chippie went on a different boat, or

came I should say and I didnt see him till

we arrived, and as you say my being in HQ

revolded on that, although I would have soon

been shifted when we arrived.

(Ive got some cracks to answer later in your

latest letters, , latrines cleaning etc) what we do

Ill send you details of the deferred pay later

honey I worked it out at £100, its probably

wrong, Snow Koerner was in the Middle East wasn't

he? I thought he was.

Well this "Curtains please!" You wrote after or half

way through your para (in No 2) ar - teasing me,

got it. You declined, bashfully to write further.

I can see you know nothing of Lili Marlene, there

is a verse and there are 4 chorusis all of

which I know (I couldn't help knowing the tune

after you belled my ears while on leave) you

certainly teach the hard way, singing anyhow!!?

Yes the background in the photos was remarked on

by quite a few blokes, ah where do you live? they'd say

Nice garden!

Well Im going to say, we don't do any dirty

work like latrines, we build them but there's

a hygeine squad whose job is to clean them

and honey answering a later letter,

Alma and Vera live in the West I saw them

36

some time ago. gee theyre big, and were big

when they were bon born you know, theyre

not very friendly either.

Well cheerio honey know that I love you

just as ever and I do hope Ill be able

to write regular soon.

All my love for our babies and fond

regards to all at home.

A thousand kisses for you lovely one

XXXXXXXX

Forever Yours alone

Col

XXXXXX