Stan and Grace

Nurses Home General Hospital                                                                            (137) Nottingham              My Very Own Darling, I thought that I would write you a sea letter as I have not written you one for some time.   I am afraid that my sea letters are never as long as yours and that this one will not be an exception as I have not much news for you. It is quite cold today so the “powers that be” condescended to let us have a fire, so here am I, sitting at the front of a blazing fire, writing to you and listening to Victor Silvester on the wirel...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow, Headquarters 15 L of C Signals                                                                  159. Cen Med Forces 8 Jun 44 My Very Own Darling, So you didn’t go to London after all for your week-end.   Perhaps it was as well as things turned out for I suppose the trains would be very busy with invasion traffic.   As you say in your letter of 3 June which arrived today, however, the rest at home would do you some good - & besides I should imagine your Mother and Father & Vera were pleased you called off your London trip.   How are they all at 56 by the way?    Well, I hope. And talking about heal...

  The Belfast Telegraph must have been an evening newspaper to be carrying news of the D-Day landings on 6 June, 1944.  At last, this was the opening of the Second Front which Stan and Grace, and many people across Europe, had longed for. Both Stan and Grace wrote letters on this day. Stan's Letter 2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces                                                                  158. 6 Jun 44 My Very Own Darling, What an exciting and memorable day our anniversary has been this month!   At last one of the days we have both been waiting for, along with thousands more, has dawned. I’ve bee...

  The above cutting is from the Daily Mirror of 5 June, 1944.    On this day it was announced that American General Mark Clark's Fifth Army had routed the German Army from Rome.    This news was quickly superseded by the news the following day - 6 June, 1944.

  G.H.N.                                                                                 (134) 4-6-44 My Own Precious Darling, I have just returned from my week-end at home.   Usually I do not mind coming back but somehow I did not feel like coming back at all to-day. I always miss you more than ever when I am at home but I feel closer to you there than here.   I suppose that that is because most of the time we have spent together has been at Grimethorpe.   Whether I am walking down the road or in the house or wherever I may be at Grimethorpe I always feel that there is s...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces                                                                            157. 4 Jun 44 My Very Own Darling To-day’s Sunday and my half day off & I suppose I should really be out getting some fresh air.   I feel very lazy & am therefore lolling on my bed, for outside the sun is very hot. I’ve just been re-reading for the third or fourth time your letter of 26 May which arrived this morning to brighten up my day (almost rhymes that last bit!   Shows how I feel this afternoon!!) It encloses a telling off for my having ...