|
Q. X. 11656
Pte Wotherspoon D. J.
19/11/41
D. Coy. 2/15 Bn.
A.I.F. Abroad
Dear
Mother,
Well old Dear, long ‘ere this reaches you, you will have done
quite a bit of worrying, because of the time between this letter &
the last. But this will set your mind easy & I tell you now – I am
as well as ever & feeling 100% at present. Why I never wrote you
this last few weeks – I am unable to tell you – but old Darling, it
was no fault of mine, as I have made it my business to try & get one
letter away to you each week. However,
that will be one story I will have to tell you on my return. When?
Old
Sweetheart – I am in the
Holy Land
–
Palestine
just now. It is not very much different to the country I used to
describe to you in the last letters. Plenty of sand here, but my living
conditions are much better. I am looking forward to a spot of leave
shortly, which I will tell you about in my next letter. Quite a surprise
for me here when I arrived, only 25 letters all, four of yours Mum, one
from Liz, one from Ann, two of Nell’s, one from Till, one from Bob’s
little Norma, also two lovely parcels. One was a hamper that Till had
sent from McWhirters & the other from a young married woman that I
spoke a few words to just before I arrived in
Sydney
at a town called Marabra. She writes to me, &
she sent a lovely parcel. Well I nearly went dizzy from reading &
through it all I kept on eating & eating out of the parcels. I
shared things with my cobbers & they shared theirs. They are the
first parcels to reach me, so yours may soon come along, they don’t
keep long though Mumsie.
Page
2.
Talk
of Devil – I just landed another big hamper from McWhirters, sent by
Mrs Paine of
Lake
Nash
. Mother O’Mine, why are people like Mc Whirters so
Dough Brained as to send damm tinned meat over to me. What do they
imagine I eat here? Fat lamb I guess. In both my parcels from them, they
have unloaded a great dirty tin of
Camp
Pie
on me. A thousand times better if they made the
difference up with Tobacco – or a second Cake. But tinned meat of any
kind is an insult to me, enough here without the bother of getting it in
parcels, it is here in Tons. I was ever so pleased to learn all the news
of old
Richmond
, & to hear that your Dear self & all the
family are well. Mother – I slipped on your birthday – even if I
sent a cable today, it would reach you too late. But I will be thinking
of you on the 1st. Gee Norma is a pretty youngster Mum &
the other three are all sturdy kids. Mother Mine, my Brown Eyed girl
from ‘Sunnybank’
Brisbane
wants to write to you, so I told her I did’nt
think you’d bite her too hard. She is a bonzer kid, but don’t
picture her small old Sweetheart, she is quite tall, & to my belief,
as good as they are made.
Her
name is Adeline Stone, almost 22, & she earns a crust in the Corset
Dept at Mc Whirters. Her father is a retired Police Sgt, & for a
hobby in his old age has a Poultry run out at Sunnybank. I think she has
five sisters – no boys, so if she does write now you will know who it
is. I will tell you now, I am bringing her back to
Richmond
when I get back and her name then won’t be Stone.
Can
we live in your Store room Mum? She tells me she does not know much
about fowls? Herself.
Page
3 missing
Page
4
Now
MumsieI will make this the last page as I cannot use too much of this
kid’s pad. It is almost done now. Don’t forget to let me know about
Brother Vate & how he is going. Showed his photo to my Officer Mr
Weir, & he knows him, he was in the Camerons himself.
Ford
certainly takes a wonderful photo and looks as fit as one thing. How is
Bill & family Mum? You never said in the last letter – in the
lonely hours of night over here in the Listening Post & ? I go back
over the old days every so often & my brother Bill’s face comes
back to me & I often wondered how it was all planned out for him to
be so sensible & smart & me so damn useless.
Now
Mother Darling I will ? for this time, but just remember this I am as
well as any one over here & I have a little record of my own, I have
not fell out on one sick Parade since joining up, some fellows are
always going sick Gammon & ?.
So
give my love to all my Sisters & Brothers - & little Nieces
&Nephews & Aunts & Uncles, I will close with fondest love
always to your Darling Old Self & write me again whenever possible
to
Yours loving Son
David.
A
bundle of Kisses old Sweetheart – dish them out to the family. D.
Page
5.
The
world is a small place Mother & it is marvellous where one may meet
another after joining the A.I.F.. A chap in my Section is engaged &
writes to old Harry Dunstall’s daughter, forget the name of the town,
she was only a kid when I seen her last. This morning I had a visit from
a lad who joined up in
Richmond
– but whom I don’t remember, Bob Scarr I think is his name, he is a
very nice lad & now
I know he is in my platoon, I will make it my business to see more of
him. Bill Mathers is about the ridge here somewhere, but I haven’t
struck him yet. Give his family my regards when you see them next. Now
old Dear, I am fearfully busy & I have such a lot of letters to try
& find time to answer, I will have to make this do for this time. It
may also have to go the round of the Family for a few more weeks. But to
them all that wrote to me, & those who didn’t, I thank them for
presents & all the kind words they wrote, & in return I send
love to all & everyone of them & kindest wishes to all who
inquire about me, a special Cheerio for Lexy Hardy; and now Mother there
is a job I must away on, but don’t be alarmed – it is simply that I
am serving orderly for Tea, so Cheerio for this time, & take care of
yourself over there, their hot days – they are cold here - & write
to me often & tell me you & all my Brothers & Sisters are
well, so with a million kisses Mumsie old Dear, I will close with
Fondest love to you..
From Your Soldier boy
David
|
