Letters from Lt Colin Douglas Simper to Mrs Irene Simper Wallet 2, Part 7

Air Mail
6.
Mrs C.D. Simper
C/o Blackwood P.O.
South Australia
CD Simper

Sunday
April I "Fool's day not me or you either
"I hope"
SX21753
Lt Simper C D
HQ Coy 2/48 Bn
Australia
Dear beloved wife,
Hullo honey I do love
you truly, and I have a letter here
from you which I received this morning
and as I lay on my bed I read it
and read it, No 4! wheres No 1 & 2
Id like to know, anyhow it contained
some of the information I was longing
to know, thank you dear wife and
I'll answer it fully.
Today is windy and cloudy, looks like
rain again, it has only rained twice
since I arrived back.
I have been having a fight all
morning with one of the tent 
mates. he commenced by annoying
me with orange peel and anything
he could lay hands on and I
returned each article with vigour
There he poured some water over me 

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from his water bottle, so I returned
that compliment too.
Throwing water brought me back
a memory, an amusing yet loving
memory at that.
How am I, well I spos'e I OK Im not
feeling crook so I must be alright, I
reckon I love you some dear wife
What size shoes did Eleanor take &
in any case has she not got a
brown coat to go with them, if
I remember sh Mum xxx was making
one, that right
Youll send me all the snaps honey
won't you? I promise not to show
the ones which arn't so good, but
I am pleased they all came out,
especially the one of Eleanor walking.
Ken Pope married the Sydney girl
didn't he? I've never met her or
Mr Pope.
I sure do honey and every letter I
write I try and think of a better
way of expressing my love for you

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but I'm afraid my dictionary of words
is limited, all I can do is to
hope that you will understand &
imagine the tremendous feeling I have
when I write those simple words
I love you, Did I miss an opportunity
while I was with you, I feel now
that I could have told you more of
my love, shown you a lot more
in my actions that loving you is
easily the biggest thing in my life
Praps it wasn't necessary to express
it any further than to "live" with
you; there's certainly a lot to be
said for the word "live"
The handle was off the case wasn't
it, surely it must have been
some weight to tear that away.
Gee it sounds funny when you talk
of fixing ribbons for Douglas
frocks etc,
You'll be home before this gets there
which reminds me your letter was
a week getting here, it didn't use

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to take all that time did it?
I should say I do remember him
squatting on the bed grinning for all
he was worth and continuous too
I remember most though the way
you was egging him on with, go
on with you and whatnot.
And does he drink all of the 7 oz!!
Well I'll be darned, he's got some room
somewhere.
Well honey I am indeed surprised
at our Eleanor it seems she has
started now and goodness knows
what or when she's likely to come
out with, she never makes any bones
about it either she either says it or
doesnt 
I can just see the expression on her
face when you tax her about me
fiddling with something and a sort of
puzzled look in her eyes
Heres something I wanted to know
I see you have the washer machine
I spose you told of that in your

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first two letters too. Now you'll have
to give me further details, No leave 
it go honey for a little while I
may get those letters any time & I don't
want them to be stale.
I don't think its possible to get
clothes any cleaner than a good old
cement scrub, but if you say the
machine gets them cleaner, then I can
hardly believe it.
You banked £7 from the £50 that
means the washer cost £43 - correct?
How did you know where the letter
was from honey, was it on the
outside? I wrote it while nearing
the station and posted it as soon
as we stopped we had a meal
there, by the way did you notice
the ink splotches on that letter 
(sitting on the top deck wasn't the
best, 'Sides hurrying to finish it in
time.
That half hour honey I had with
you Ill never ever forget, I can see 

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you there now quite easily,
you find it harder to be still
after Im gone, while I prefer to be
quietly sitting looking out the train
window at nothing, you try to occupy
your mind and banish all the bad
thoughts, a mighty hard thing to
do Ill warrent.
I was still sitting by the window
as we pulled through Belair Rd
and awoke with a shock from my
reverie in time to see mum &
immediately sank down again to
think.
I try not to think of the sadness,
the lonliness ahead, I try to
consentrate on what has gone before
and revel in the beautiful memories
you gave me to treasure for always
I think of the mistakes, foolish ones
I made I think of how you told
me of them and impress them on
my mind to remember them. As
indeed I will, You've probably now

forgotten the incident when we walked
to Brady's to phone Bet, when
I thoughtlessly placed my hand
on your shoulder, you said it
was no good, and I remember, if
there be others you did not tell
me of, there must be, you must
tell me now so as Ill be sure
and avoid them when Im next
home (for good) only through you
can I be everything you desire in
a husband cause to make you
pleased with me, to make myself
reliable to you is my road to
your happiness.
Let us go along through life together
I like that somehow, together,
it sounds so firm and secure.
thats how I want it to be.
And also here is something else which
I was longing to hear, I knew
there'd be news of it when I
first reached here, but letter
No 1 was in the "blue" somewhere.

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Anyway I'm darned pleased
you added it in this letter
as it makes me a heaps
happier. It's just as well I

know too by the way. - I
guess the army would have
had one officer left less, Im
sure of that.
I used to get bilious when I
was at school, especially at
nights and would often "reach" for
hours before I became sick. it
certainly leaves you feeling faint
and sick.
Doesn't take Eleanor long to skip
over to Thorpe's does it, and
she makes no noise doing it
either.
Thank's honey for the name
tags I'll have the batty sew

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them on, they certainly look
flash.
Now dear wife I have answered
your letter except, I am sorry
I hit Mum xxx with the slipper
it was a slipper wasn't it? I
don't remember I think I must
have left all those bad things
at home.
I intended writing to Mr Fraser,
N.G. Fraser isnt it? I don't
suppose he minds waiting a
week or two for a letter, he
is kept pretty busy with his
two kiddies - I might have time
tonight after the pictures or
even tomorrow, I'll see any
way.
Well cheerio honey for today,
everything is O.K. with me, & I 

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sincerely hope telling you of
my troubles won't make you
worry over me, in any case I
wouldn't tell Mum xx or anybody
as they'll only worry
unecessary unesessarily.
- love to all at home and
best regards to our babies,
Yours forever
darling Col.
X X X
X X X X X X  /
X X X X
P.S.
I suppose Pop
is mighty proud
of his overseas
job these days.
X Col