Stan and Grace are meeting up in Doncaster at lunchtime today and happily spending their leave together in Grimethorpe, but what is happening in the wider world and how is the war progressing? By January, 1943, the war had lasted more than three years. Hitler’s forces occupied most of mainland Europe plus Norway, the Balkans and Greece. Italy was allied to Germany. Spain, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland were neutral. Germany was engaged in the invasion of Russia, with the battle for Stalingrad in process at the end of 1942. The British, Americans and their allies were engaged with Japan in the Far East and with Germany and Italy (the Axis powers) in North Africa. What was so important about North Africa? Firstly, the British were reliant on oil from oilfields in Iran, which was our main supplier in the 1940’s. This oil came by tanker via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean and on to the UK through the Straights of Gibral...
Usual address Sunday 19.12.42* My Own Darling, I should actually be in bed tonight with you in your blue nurse’s uniform ministering to me! I had a TAB inoculation yesterday & the result tonight is a temperature & a splitting headache. Still, I don’t think I should find your presence soothing – I always find it most exciting. The result would be a still higher temp. I suppose. Did you get my wire yesterday? I felt so excited that I felt I must tell you straight away, my Dear, & that was the only way I could think of doing so. Words cannot express with what impatience I look forward to 1 Jan 43. A repetition of those last glorious five days was a thing I had dreamed of, but not dared to hope for! I felt on top of the world immediately I heard & the Colonel said “Well, I told you I was going to give you another leave to get married, didn’t I? Ah me! Wishful thinking I suppose. I can hear you saying ...
Nurses Home General Hospital Nottingham Dec 22 12.30 a.m. 1942 My Precious Stan, I was awfully sorry Dear to hear how you have reacted to your T.A.B. I only wish I was able to get to you and nurse you. No – I don’t think I would excite you. If you were really ill Darling and I was looking after you, I would be a nurse until you were well again. However, as I am not able to be near you in person you will have to be content knowing that my thoughts are continually with you. I do hope that you will soon feel alright again. Only another 10 days and we shall be together again. I am getting impatient. I suppose that our time together will go quickly again. However the fact that we shall be together again is enough for now, or at least it will have to be. The Colonel seems very anxious to have you married. How about yourself – what did you have to say about it all? Darling, I have a confession to make – I hope y...
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