{"id":166,"date":"2023-07-17T08:00:07","date_gmt":"2023-07-16T22:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=166"},"modified":"2023-08-13T15:35:56","modified_gmt":"2023-08-13T05:35:56","slug":"war-letters-darwin-saturday-17-july-1943-distractions-in-camp-whilst-waiting-to-do-some-painting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wepidgeon.com\/pidgeonpost\/?p=166","title":{"rendered":"War Letters – NW Australia: 17 July 1943, Darwin; Visiting camps down the road"},"content":{"rendered":"

W.E. Pidgeon
\nC\/O DPR
\nArmy Post Office<\/p>\n

Darwin
\nSaturday
\n[17 July 1943]<\/p>\n

Dear Jess,<\/p>\n

How\u2019s things with my little wifie?\u00a0 I hope things are still alright with the old man and that mum is keeping well.\u00a0 Went down the road again yesterday & met all the blokes that matter.1<\/a><\/sup>A pay parade and Australian Comforts Fund issue was conducted at Headquarters, No. 14 Lines of Communication, Sub Area at Noonamah on July 16, 1943<\/a><\/span>\u00a0 At one camp where we were eating with the majors & colonels. I was more than surprised to see Major Bill Stanner2<\/a><\/sup>Bill Stanner was an associate and friend of Bill and Jess from the early days of their courtship. William Edward Hanley Stanner was a sub-editor for the Daily Guardian in 1927 at the time Wep worked for the Guardian and was made chief sub-editor for the Sunday Sun in 1932 when it absorbed the Sunday Guardian. He may have also been a member of the Millions Club as Wep referred to him asking Jess to thank him in a letter sent to her when she travelled with the club on a skiing tour to the Snowy Mountains in August 1931. From 1932 Stanner spent significant time in the Northern Territory and following Japan\u2019s entry into the war, he proposed the formation of a bush commando unit. In May 1942 he was appointed as a temporary major, Citizen Military Forces (Australian Imperial Force from August), and in June was placed in command of the North Australia Observer Unit (‘the Nackeroos’), a position he held till October 1943, shortly after Wep returned to Sydney.\u00a0 See also D. J. Mulvaney, ‘Stanner, William Edward (Bill) (1905\u20131981)<\/a>‘, Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https:\/\/adb.anu.edu.au\/biography\/stanner-william-edward-bill-15541\/text26753, published first in hardcopy 2012, accessed online 15 July 2023.<\/span> walk in.\u00a0 He had just a half hour before turned his car over & was still in a bit of a daze.\u00a0 His knowledge of the area is apparently being put to good use by the army.\u00a0 At another place we had the rare pleasure of drinking a very fine Scotch whiskey called \u201cMountain Cream\u201d watered down with genuine French Vichy water such as I haven\u2019t seen for years.\u00a0 Our major in this mess & I imbibed somewhat heartily I\u2019m afraid.\u00a0 The colonel who treated us was a hell of a nice chap & most interested in art.\u00a0 He was a wealthy business man and spends quite a lot of cash collecting pictures.\u00a0 All the better known English artists\u2019 work is represented in his collection.\u00a0 After leaving that camp we went on further & had tea with another unit.\u00a0 The Major there got us stuck into the port.\u00a0 Our Major & I were goodo by the time we left.\u00a0 It\u2019s a rare blessing to have a driver.\u00a0 We went to sleep and left him to it.\u00a0 Took about 2 \u00bd hours to get back3<\/a><\/sup>Possibly travelled as far as 58-Mile Camp<\/span>.\u00a0 I\u2019m not too hot today my love.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On Monday I will be off to live in a camp for a few days.\u00a0 It is practically impossible to do any painting from here as a base.\u00a0 All the boys are diligently writing their wives.\u00a0 No work today.\u00a0 I\u2019m finding it hard to think.\u00a0 Typewriters are clacking all over the bloody house.\u00a0 Haven\u2019t seen any \u2018orrid crocodiles yet although they say there are some about.\u00a0 Boy!\u00a0 Little Willie is sure going to see he comes home with the same gruff voice!\u00a0 No choir boy tones for me.\u00a0 Not that it would matter much up here \u2013 life is extremely celibate.\u00a0 Everything is still quiet on the front \u2013 thank God.\u00a0 The boys reckon this is the toughest front line in the world.\u00a0 We intrepid correspondents are pigging it with ice boxes and wireless sets, grog & plenty tobacco.\u00a0 Next door is a Presbyterian mission house.\u00a0 An adult aborigine & child are staying there at the moment.\u00a0 The man rides round on a kid\u2019s tricycle all day long & at night lights a fire (of all things!).\u00a0 The two of them sit round it & give off.\u00a0 Raucous native chants shatter the air.\u00a0 I think the nig. is initiating the nipper into the tribal rites.\u00a0 Terrible primitive up on this front.<\/p>\n

Am looking forward to hearing from you darling.\u00a0 Don\u2019t suppose I\u2019ll get anything for some time yet as even air mail takes a damned long time to come through.<\/p>\n

Lots of love, honey<\/p>\n

From poor Fred.<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/h3>