Stan and Grace

  2364226 Sergt . S. Bristow Unit Headquarters ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 91. 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 23 Dec 43 ​   My Very Own Darling,   I had a pleasant surprise today when a parcel arrived for me and when I opened it and found it contained books from you, Dear, my joy was complete!  Reading material was beginning to get in short supply & so your kindly thought has saved the day.    Although your thoughtfulness is appreciated tremendously, Darling, I can’t help feeling a little bit selfish about getting a present from you, for after all you are forgoing all these little pleasures and having things for  our  home   aren’t you?  I don’t want you to have to do all the dirty work.  Do you see my point?  So, Darling, next time you feel like buying me something, buy something for  us  &  after putting it in the secret hoard of yours, write & tell me all about it & I shall be just as pleased and thril...

Nurses Home General Hospital ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (83) Nottingham 19-12-43 ​ ​   My Very Own Darling,   I am starting this letter at 2.30 a/m but as I am expecting Sister to appear any moment –   20-12-43 Yes Sister did arrive and I was unable to get back to my letter.  As I am not very busy to-night I should manage to write it now without further interruption.   In your last sea letter Darling you said that even though we had been separated for so many months they had been happy ones.  I agree with you – they have.  As I write this I realise that it is just over ten months since I last saw you.  We were a miserable pair that last day together.   I bet you remember – I was very optimistic and said that you might only be away a year.  You said that you would probably be away two years or even longer.  I wonder who will be right?  It cannot be too soon for me and I am sure that it cannot be for you.   In the last ten months your ...

G. H. N.                                                                                        (82) 17.12.43         11 p.m. My Very Own Darling, I arrived back her at 2 p.m., my train being exactly three-quarters of an hour late. Coming back from nights-off is always pretty awful but it can never be as bad as when I used to come back after leaving you. When I reached my bedroom there was an air-letter waiting for me and your Christmas Airgraph.   Your air-letter was written on the fourth of December telling me that y...

2364226 Sergt S. Bristow                                                                                       89 (or 90?) 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 17 Dec 43              My Very Own Darling, After a silence of 12 days, which seemed interminable Dear, another of your “lifesavers” arrived on the scene.   No, Darling, it isn’t your fault!   As usual the A.P.O. appear to have mislaid or otherwise lost one of your letters, for there is a gap between 27 Nov and 3 Dec and I am sure that you have written at least one letter during all that time, haven...

Grimethorpe                                                                                            (80) My Own Darling, I could not say all that I wanted to say in my previous letter so I thought that I would pen you another air-letter.   I did think of sending you an ordinary letter but they take such an age to reach you so I decided upon this. As I told you in my previous letter I went up to 19’ last Tuesday and was presented with my Christmas presents.   I suppose Darling that you will want to know what you have given me for Christmas!  ...

Grimethorpe                                                                       79 – I think 14-12-43        My Own Darling, Your letter dated 30 th Nov: arrived this morning.   Kit had posted it on to me. Yes, I am on my “nights off”.   Last Friday night Sister asked me if I would mind having my nights off from the 13 th – 17 th but on Sunday morning she asked me if I could take them from then until the 16 th .   I could hardly refuse and anyhow it does not make any difference now that you are not here. I caught the 2.30 p.m. train from Nott:m and after waiting nearly an hour at Derby arrive...