Letters from Lt Colin Douglas Simper to Mrs Irene Simper Wallet 2, Part 35

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Subject:
  • Letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2024.6.114
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 8

Cimps 30 yes CD.SIMPER Co BLACADOOD PO. SovT H. AUSTLALIA
121 &c Capese 2my I as Deared Det Sutter denting wefey well its Saterday and since I wrot lt I lave mth be repat, He have been on had catting this last week and I have been out straight for 5 days taying a long way to g it meks a lo hard day of it and I have borely tim to eat stowes and get order to the next day before dark, often after euen, esterday we were and again and ron at a pty ofmes the old C0 was alest bull we killed I wouded another and te remender done a wienk We vere welling down a Hell and the man in year saw them any along so pus in our wake, so whipped my 13 belobes back at a ✓
defenive positin, killed He bist two one an afficer with a beautiful sund, I gave that to be m - fd his stroight shooting he seated ther and cried of papers maps et, quistly wihden from the sine and headed he so we had a pod day in the fungle and new today after sleping in for breakfost (the batty brought me some bka lie my test at lx have to nsh the b dimer as I have some arraygenents for ton Dut take ts much notice of to abov accont its nothing out of the ordg and he sp well need a be p eaily to cath in inprepared, t anyting You can only vsul the confident feeling I have when out with ths last had i stll hie some letters to anae somg of te bloks an restng so building a neat shop some erecting a
picture seven (one show a week I believe te20 to I lave phony to doubt about that and I weton its a mmighty love at that and between yn rekon Id like to be within arm distance of yu right now I see you went t to the SEchool annunsary of Enmend and gue bele did will for hirself, at Stap for lea you write of her pape pranks that day, she tertainly kups you bug that way no I wasn't pooed, in he had in fast I agoy to ein have things ont pt on neve came till about people son you old may Dule pounds a bit of a devil netually e wants someone hin prapa when hes older to stand up to thim I wes to lad for that and I dont tink p bluffed see much. you ad what do I think of the fat
Well not very much Im apaid, thee dirty both in these and body theis rality are abo to any am nd especially where women are co I know that time as there are nature women heve who have been nixed up with them They, always have a certain number of ghesia girls goalable, especially to officers and being only about 1 womn for Io as go mer fr cas indistand haw theylon I see you write you were setting in pont of the fire, must be having same go weathr dav there Well ne 30 pand neewed I tet and was happy to have then well s p wish to kuw of my fol in the early stages of the landing, well that easy, you know we fix roads and bridges et and pull ralze that tanks lornes pips all sort
which had to land pretty carly, so we landed with te first whoe forward treap moved pot lib& fiving the roads vout ciators and mending holes in bridge then we returned and assited in inteading stores Ox2 o Dovery one has got over the bowing now t notues don't aluk any more he just say har-goose (very good) a Slamueh phargee (good morning) and goine, We make their laugh with Bron govan lucky lucky Do Dock charky inta Chock. Ear goose (woman 7 le very good pt it. toe written it as its pronouted the spelling sat coured I werr pips back her hong and to the naturs say Mana Capala by bs but out on a lep in the figle keep thes will hidden, pistol too four guess my reason
hers sew Gorden Sths bot hong, the were ore of tive of thes eno the landing I could hardly see the will at al I have m first tet of clippings and I don't recognize any of him & certainly furny to read it. me of the stay is mostly bullit but I guare they have to make it readable kap Id letter tell you here, were a he same place havnt shifted, pus Guess that I suppose. no the money of mest of it came from the nuts and villages we passed thad samget what makes te think I dont th anything about bridge construction indnt I build them and road & t weeks or something at the school probably know more re them thav anyone in this unt Will hony I still have a outle
more to answer but sh ding time so Ill have you for today, Hp this finds see well as it ledee me here no 32.37 I still have to do all my pndest love honey and a Thshsold havs or you dear wi ad like to write a page or two more of my love yor you but for glay tat Iadoe u love fre lave p love to all home and tug to for DA3 and ₤73 and L87 to

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PASSED BY CENSOR

3956

 

Mrs C. D. SIMPER
C/o BLACKWOOD P.O.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
CDSimper 

 

SX21753
Lt Simper CD
HQ Coy 2/48 Bn
AIF

2 May June
Dearest Darling,
Hullo darling wife, Well
it's Saturday and since I wrote last I
have much to report,
We have been on track cutting this last
week and I have been out straight for
5 days.
Having a long way to go it makes a long
hard day of it and I have barely
time to eat shower and get order for
the next day before dark, often after
even,
Yesterday we were out again and ran
into a party of 12 Nips, the old  the old CD
was alert and we killed 2 of em and
wounded another and the remainder done
a bunk.
We were walking down a Hill and
the man in rear saw them coming
along 30 paces in our wake, so I
whipped my 12 blokes back into a
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defensive position, killed the first two
one an officer with a beautiful
sword, I gave that to be Machine Gunner
for his straight shooting.
We reached them and carried of some
papers maps etc, quietly withdrew from
the scene and headed home.
So we had a good day in the Jungle
and now today after sleeping in for
breakfast (the batty brought me some
back) I am here in my tent at 11.30
Have to finish the before dinner as I 
have some arrangements for tomorrow
Don't take too much notice of the above
account, it's nothing out of the ordinary
and the Nip will need to be up early
to catch us unprepared for anything.
You can only visualize the confident
feeling I have when out with these lads.
Now I still have some letters to answer
some of the blokes are resting, some
building a meat shop, some erecting a 

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1

picture screen (one show a week I believe,
No 30,
Yes I love you honey no doubt about
that and I reckon its a mighty big
love at that and between you & I, I
reckon I'd like to be within arms
distance of you right now.
I see you went H to the S School
anniversary at Richmond and our babe
did well for herself at Staps for tea
You write of her "Papa" pranks that
day, she certainly keeps you busy
that way. no I wasn't bored in the least
in fact I enjoy to know how things
are "on the pot"
You never came till about people can you
old man Rule sounds a bit of a devil
Actually he wants someone (Ken Praps)
when he's older to stand up to him.
Tom was the lad for that and I dont
think Pop bluffed us much.
X You ask what do I think of the Japs
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2

Well not very much I'm afraid, they're
dirty both in dress and body, and
their "habits" are akin to any animal
especially where women are concerned
I know thats true as there are native
women here who have been mixed up
with them.
They always have a certain number of
"ghesia girls" available, especially to
officers and being only about 1 woman
for 30 or 40 men, you can understand
how they live
I see you write you were sitting in
front of the fire, must be having
some good weather down there
Well No 31 You'd received 3 letters
and was happy to have them
Well so you wish to know of my job
in the early stages of the landing,
Well thats easy, you know we fix
roads and bridges etc and you'll realize
that tanks lorries Jeeps, all sorts of 
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3

which had to land pretty early, so
we landed with the first wave and
moved fast behind the forward troops
fixing the roads (bomb craters) and
mending holes in bridges. then we
returned and assisted in unloading 
stores OK?
Everyone has got over the bowing now
t natives don't salute any more they
just say bar-goose (very good) or
Slam-it-phargee (good morning) and
grin, We make them laugh with -
Bran-goo-an lucky lucky Doo Duck - chooky

Chook - Bar  - goose, (woman man in Bed
- la-la very good, got it?
I've  written it as it's pronounced the
spelling isnt correct.
Yes I wear pips back here honey and
the natives say Mana Kapala (big boss)
but out on a trip in the Jungle
I keep them will hidden, pistol too,
You'd guess my reason,
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Never saw Gordon Smith's boat honey, there
were one of two of them you know in
the landing (could hardly see the water
at all)
I have my first lot of clippings and
I don't recognize any of them, certainly
funny to read it, some of the stuff
is mostly bullsh! but I guess they
have to make it readable.
Prap's I'd letter till you here, we're at
the same place, haven't shifted, you'd
Guess that I suppose.
No the money or most of it came
from the huts and villages we passed
through ("scrounged)
What makes you think I dont know
anything about bridge construction?
Didn't I build them, and roads for
6 weeks or something at the school?
Probably know more re them than
anyone in this unit.
Well honey I still have a couple 
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more to answer but it's dinner time
so Ill leave you for today, Hoping
this finds you well as it leaves
me here.
No 32 & 33 I still have to do.
All my fondest love honey and a
thousand kisses for you dear wife
I'd like to write a page or two
more of my love for you but for
today know that I adore you &
love you love you.
Love to all home and big kisses
for D.A.S and E.T.S and I.S.
Yours loving 
forever
Col
xx
xx
xx
xxxx

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