Stan and Grace

 On 18 March, 1944, Vesuvius, the volcano situated on the Gulf of Naples on the west coast of Italy, began to erupt.  Stan was stationed about 160 miles away in Bari, a town on the east coast of Italy (although he was not allowed at this time to tell Grace where he was).   Many years later, he told me that he remembered the motorcycle despatch riders "coming in, covered in ash". This is how the eruption was covered in the Daily Mail of 20 March, 1944.

G.H.N. 16.3.44 My Precious Darling, An air-letter arrived from you this morning and one also arrived two days ago.   The former was dated March 6 th .   Just ten days to come.   I love receiving recent letters from you dear.   Your letters too are so vivid and interesting – and Darling, every word is dear and precious to me. To-day has been my half-day.   I have not done anything of interest.   At the moment I am sitting at the front of a blazing fire, the wireless is playing some of Beethoven’s music and I am wishing that you were sitting here by my side. How I long for the day when we can sit in our own home & just you and I and listen to our own wireless – that will be the day! Since you wrote your last letter another ten days have passed.   Ten more days off our period of waiting.   Oh Darling, it seems so long at times, doesn’t it? – this waiting.   It must end some day and then that will be when we shall really star...

G.H.N                                                                                           (108) 13-3-44 My Own Darling, First of all I must congratulate you on getting your African ribbon and medal.   I intended doing so in the letter I wrote you yesterday but found myself at the bottom of the last page and I had talked of nothing but what I had done over the week-end.   Dreadful person when you really know me! I must say that the very least you all deserve is a medal.   You ought to ask those in authority if they ca...

Doncaster 12-3-44 My Very Own Darling, As there is fifteen minutes to go before this bus leaves Doncaster I decided that I would start this letter to you. I posted an ordinary letter to you a few days ago, so you might receive it eventually, though I must admit the A.P.O. are doing very well these days. As you can guess I am sitting in a ‘bus bound for Nottingham – or at least – this one is going to Mansfield but I suppose that it is taking me most of the way to Nottm. I am just returning from my week-end off.   I arrived home at 7 p/m Friday and left home at 3 p/m today. There is not much news for you from Grimethorpe.   Friday evening I did nothing much at all – just talked and talked to Mother and Vera and retired to bed fairly early. Saturday morning Mother and I went to Barnsley.   We looked at some very nice second hand silver and thought that I would get some cutlery for your birthday.   Silver, I mean.   I like it better than chrome ...

2364226                                                                                                       121. Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters           15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 11 Mar 44 My Very Own Darling, I wrote you a ten page sea letter last night, the first for quite a time, but I thought I would ramble over a few pages of air letter tonight, especially as I received a letter from you this afternoon, & have something new to write about. This “Flying Horse” place you have mentioned once or...

Nurses Home,                                               General Hospital Nottingham 8-3-44 My Very Own Darling, I posted you an air-letter yesterday but thought that I would write a sea letter to-day as I know how I like receiving sea letters. Believe it or not Darling, the last sea letter I received from you only took two weeks to come.   I received it yesterday together with an air letter which you had written the previous day.   (The day previous to writing the sea letter, I mean). So your Adjutant is returning to England.   He certainly deserves to if he has been abroad six years.   Gosh!   I bet he hardly knows whether he is on his head or his heels.   I should think that by now he will have covered most of his journey. How I wish you were coming with him.   What rejoicings there would be! I hope the photo you wer...