Monday, 22 June, 1942

The Nurses Home    
General Hospital
Nottingham

22.6.42

My Darling Stan,

I got quite a surprise when I received your first letter yesterday (Sunday).  I thought it rather funny that one did not arrive Saturday but it must have arrived late post Saturday and I got it Sunday morning.  You said you would be writing again Sunday so thought that I would wait until today and answer them both.  I suppose it will be Wednesday before you receive this.

How is this terrific heat suiting you?  It is almost too hot to walk about down here and in this uniform too, though I suppose yours is as bad.

I was so pleased to hear that your Mother had managed that job.  I hope that it is not too much for her though.  She will have to travel to work and her housework as well.

Knowing your mother though, I think she will be able to manage it alright.  Tell her from me that I am glad she has got it and I hope that she likes the work alright.

The picture “Blood and Sand” has been to Nottingham.  If it comes here again I will trot along and see it.  I did just see the trailer of it.

We have had three suicide cases on our ward in less than a fortnight.  One was an old woman and two quite young ones.  Two of them had put their heads in the gas oven and the third – a girl of twenty-one, had taken belladonna eye-drops.  It is dreadful.

Just one word about that snap that you want me to have enlarged.  It is not very much like me now, I have altered my hairstyle, etc.  I have had another taken.  If it does turn out alright – well – I will see about having something done for you.

I am just getting over a dreadful cold.  I nearly lost my voice but fortunately it has almost returned to normal now – thank goodness.

We are having our dining room spring cleaned, so for the next four days we have to have our meals on the ward.  It will be charming – I bet we never get a decent meal.  The only thing we might get is some decent coffee!

It is almost time for me to go back on duty so I will stop rambling and hurry to the post with my bit of scrawl.

Just one more item.  Sister has gone on holiday.  Whoopee!

All my love darling.   Grace  xxxxxx

Note: After having had the pleasure over the last couple of weeks of reading Stan's letters, I'm afraid that, once again, for a while, either Grace did not save them or they have been lost.  We will hear from Stan again, but not for another month!