Tuesday, 22 December, 1942 - Stan

Usual address

Tuesday 11 p.m.     

My Own Darling,

Another three days nearer!  But how slow the time creeps by.  Do you find that too.

I received your Christmas Box today, Dear.  It was grand of you to buy me such a marvellous present, but you should really have saved your money.  We shall need lots & lots one day, you know!

I’ve written to Mother to tell her that I shall want to wear civvies next week for the sole purpose of wearing your gloves.  There is only one thing left now.  I shall have to get a commission, so that I can wear them every day!!!

But seriously; you couldn’t have thought of anything better, for even if I don’t get much time to wear them in the next year, they will be extremely useful when I come back to England. 

There now, look at me.  Talking about coming back before I have even gone.  That shows that I am not very interested in this cruising around at the Army’s expense.  I’ve only one ambition nowadays & you know what this is & how you are implicated, don’t you?

I am sorry I shan’t be able to surprise you with your Christmas box, but then that's what becomes of living in the back of the beyond, I suppose & not having any decent shops to go to.

I had a letter from home yesterday, I think it was, & Mother said there had been another meeting of the Mothers’ Club.  One bit of good news was the fact that there is to be a dance at the Factory whilst we are at home & both your parents & mine were considering attending.  I think there were going to take their son and daughter just as a New Year treat!!  So that will be one dance we shall have whilst we are at home & oh boy am I looking forward to it?

So glad to hear your managed to pull through your exam O.K.  Anxious moments for you, I suppose.  They were for me, too, I might tell you.  It won’t be long now before you’re the real thing & that will be one milestone on our path of life reached.  I wish they were all going to be as easy to reach as that one (No I am not saying you didn’t have to put in years & years of hard work.  I realise you did) but there seem to be some very hard ones to reach a bit further up the road on my side.

I don’t know if you can understand all that.  It reads rather complicated doesn’t it.  What I mean is the outlook here’s not very bright when you take away the leave.  But there, its nearly midnight & perhaps I am tired & a bit depressed!

Seem to have completely recovered from my inoculations.  I have another couple on 28^th, with the hope that I’ve recovered sufficiently to travel home on 30^th.  Do you think there’ll be any doubt?!!!

Well, Darling, I don’t suppose you’ll get any more letters from me before Christmas, so here’s wishing you as happier one as possible.  I’ll think of you playing Father Christmas.  Make a good job of it won’t you.

If you have any Christmas wishes don’t leave me out of them, Darling, will you?

Goodnight Angel.  All my love, Stan  xxx

PS  Been puzzling all day trying to think what a present of gloves to anyone means.  I can’t remember.  You’ll have to remind me.

Readers please note: there are letters from both Stan and Grace today.  Scroll down on the main page to find Grace's letter.