Stan and Grace

G. H. N. Sunday     1 a.m. My Precious Darling, It is just over a week ago since we said “Good-bye”.   Darling, it seems like years.   To think that next week at this time I shall be at home but you will not be there.   It is a dreadful thought.   I am not looking forward to my “nights off” one bit.   I suppose that mother could really do with me at home though.   I had a letter from Dad this morning and he said that he was still in bed with ‘flu. Now Darling – allow me to congratulate you.   I am so proud of you.   In fact I feel as thrilled with your Good Service Certificate as if it were my own.   I remember you telling me about it quite well – I have often thought about it since you mentioned it, but thought you would let me know when it became official.   I will have to trip over to Pay Bed Wing when I go off duty.   I know that Kit will be pleased to hear about it. What do you think my last admission w...

  On 5 January, 1943, Stan was awarded a Certificate of Good Service ( see above)  This is the Home Services equivalent of being Mentioned in Dispatches, but he only found out on the 12th, having arrived back at his base. Home Forces Wednesday 13.1.43 My Very Own Darling, It’s 11 p.m. on my first day back in the Army & as you can guess I am not feeling very happy.   I’ve just finished work & I have just been thinking of you for about the 100 th time to-day.   I thought it might help to cheer me up a little if I wrote to you. I suppose you will be hard at it now, just as I am preparing to go to bed.   It’s a funny life isn’t it? The postman let me down today when he didn’t bring a letter from you.   I was a wee bit disappointed, but I suppose one will arrive tomorrow. I eventually arrived back last night about 11.30 p.m. & as you can guess I was sick of travelling.   I spent a brief 3 hours at Cranwell & achieved my purp...

  G.H.N.    Castle No. 2            12 a.m.   13.1.43     My Precious Darling, I am afraid that this letter will be “short and sweet”.   We started “taking in” this morning and we have been terribly busy since we came on at 8 p.m.   We had a Nun admitted – she is very ill.   The new Dr. we have whilst our own is on sick leave is nothing but a so & so fool.   It took him 1½ hours to do an intravenous saline where it takes most Drs ¼ an hour.   In the end he handed the forceps and cannular over to me and I managed to get into the vein.    Of course he passed a sarcastic remark about my next job being that of theatre Sister but he got as good an answer in return.   The trouble is he is a middle aged man and has been in private practice for some years but he will not admit that he is out of practice and tries to do things that he knows nothing about.   However, that is quite en...

The Nurses Home General Hospital Nottingham Tues: 1 a.m.      My Precious Darling, I received your letter this morning (sorry – it is yesterday now).   It is a beautiful letter Darling.   It brought back to me that feeling of – well I was going to say happiness but it is something more than that – it is something that goes right deep down inside   - something   that is undescribable.   Darling – just to be near you again, to be able to touch you and kiss you and for you to hold me in your arms again.   As you say – we shall have to apply ourselves to our jobs to the best of our ability and work for the day when we shall actually belong to each other.   Who knows, it might be sooner than we expect and in the meantime we both have plenty to do in preparation for the day when we shall stand at the altar together. Kit got a good laugh when I told her about your fatherly letter.   Believe me Darling – it certainly went down w...

“On the way back” Tuesday   12.1.43                                                                 My Very Own Darling, I thought I could use up this hour's wait I have at Doncaster Station to write & tell you that your Mother's “roomatics” are very much better now!   I thought you would be relieved to hear that!!! But seriously, Darling, I am not feeling to happy with myself at the moment & so I thought that writing to you would relieve my feelings a little. It was grand to get your letter yesterday & hear once again that you had enjoyed our stay together.   It sounds better every time I hear or read it.   Since you went back, Darling, the time has dragged hopelessly & it already seems years since we were together, despite the fact that only three days have gone. I have relived th...

The Nurses Home General Hospital Nottingham 1.30 a.m.   10 Jan: 1943    My Precious Darling, I really do not know how to start this letter.   There is so much I want to say but cannot find words in which to say it.   I suppose that your feelings will be much the same as mine and that you are now missing me as terribly as I am missing you. 24 hours ago I was in your arms Darling – but now I am sitting at a desk on which stands a shaded light trying to pen my thoughts and feelings to you. Darling, I would like you to know that I do not regret anything that passed between us last night or any other night.   It was all too marvellous and it has made me look forward more than ever to the day when we shall actually belong to each other. Do you remember the night you asked me – to borrow your ring?   I wonder if you realised how near to borrowing it I really was.   I wondered myself why I said not.   I don’t think it was will power t...