It don't seem much like Christmas

My brothers Charles and Alan knew Tip Kelaher.

Charles served in the AIF in New Guinea.

Tip Kelaher was killed in action in the Middle East in 1941.

He was born in Sydney in December 1914, educated at Clovelly, Moree and Sydney High.

Tip enlisted in the AIF and in 1940 he was sent to the Middle East.

He wrote poems in the style of Henry Lawson.

This one is called Christmas '41

Well, it don't seem much like Christmas

Nations at each other's throats,

A-fighting one another

Like a lot of billy goats.

While we polish up the Vickers

Or are doing bayonet drill,

It hardly seems the season

To be talking of goodwill.

But there's one who came from Nazareth

I guess he ought to know-

He knocked ubout and summed things up

Two thousand years ago.

And though new gods have come and gone

And years have passed away

The things he taught his followers

Are just as clear today.

He taught them love and friendship,

To be tolerant and straight,

That each might do the decent thing

And try to help his mate.

Told of the good Samaritan,

Who helped the traveller bloke

Gave him a swig of Fosters

And offered him a smoke.

Taught each not to fight his neighbour,

Kill his calves or steal his wheat,

Or broadcast lies about him

On the corner street,

Till people learned his creed was right

And gave the sword a rest

They sat bside their fires and smoked

And found that peace was best.

Letter, 29 Nov 2016

Keith Whitfield, Woy Woy