Stan and Grace

The General Hospital Annexe Selston Notts.        My Own Precious Darling, This morning I received the first letter you wrote me last Sunday.   It must have arrived at Grimethorpe Monday afternoon, Mother sent it to the G.H.N. and once again it had to be re-posted. I was sorry to hear that you too have a cold.   I wonder if my germs have been posted to you or vice-versa. You finished your first letter with “Until tonight Darling, as always, you have my love”.   Wouldn’t it have been just heavenly if it had been so – if only for a few hours.   But then, I suppose if we did see each other for a few hours we would not be satisfied and it would make us unsettled again.   Ah me!   Wishful thinking! By the way, you wondered if I took my sewing when I visited your home.   As a matter of fact I did take my sewing up on the Sunday and we all had tea round the fire.   There was only one thing wrong – you were not there to ...

The General Hospital Annexe Selston Notts. 27.1.43         My Precious Darling, You will no doubt be surprised to see a new address.   Yesterday, at 12.30 the Ass. Matron informed me that I was to come out here – 15 miles out in the country.   I was very annoyed as you can imagine.   Laughton, one of my friends is out here so I suppose I shall not find it too bad. I had all my belongings to pack and catch the 3.40 p.m. bus from the bus station so it was a rush. Since I came I have hardly had a thing to do.   In fact – after the G.H.N. it is heaven (nearly). I do not go off duty to-day until 5 p.m. – so whilst Sister is away I am taking the opportunity of writing you this brief letter. Your last letter arrived at 10 p.m. yesterday.   One of the nurses had brought it back from the General for me. Darling – it was simply grand getting a letter like that from you.   I really have not time to answer it as I would like to an...

GHN Monday, 5 p.m.       My Own Precious Darling, Here I am, once again back at the old address.   To-day has been a dreadful day.   Just rain, rain and more rain.   To make matters worse I felt a cold coming before I went home and during the last four days it has fully developed.   Ah me – these things come to try us. You might like to know that I took your advice and came back by train from Cudworth.   Dad came with me to the station – his first day out at that.   My train left at 1.25 p.m. and arrived here at 3.45 p.m. – straight through too, so it was good going. As I was waiting for the train I remembered the last time I visited Cudworth station.   It was to see you off after a 48 hrs leave.   I missed you then Dear, but this time it went deeper than just missing you.   Darling, as every minute has ticked by whilst I have been at home, have I longed for you.   My Precious – I wonder if you really realise how...

Saturday       My Precious Darling, It is now 9 p.m.   Mother and I have just returned from your home.   I was going up last night but it threw it down with rain so consequently I did not manage to go up until to-night.   Mother is feeling much better now so I thought it would do her good to be out for a couple of hours. Your Mother has a dreadful cold.   Janet has been the “maid of all work” to-day.   Daughters do come in useful sometimes you know. The news is on the wireless at present – for the fourth time to-day.   We are doing quite well aren’t we?* Tonight, your Mother told us about the great Grimethorpe mystery - “The Disappearance of Mr Roberts” and the Water Diviner.   We had a good laugh out of it. If I do not go for my supper Mother will soon get cross so I guess I had better go and finish your letter a little later. Sunday There is no fresh news for you.   Sunday morning in Grimethorpe is much the sa...

56 Brierley Rd., 22.1.43   4 p.m.         My Own Precious Darling, For the first time in nearly a year I am home without you and without hope of seeing you.   How empty it feels.   I am missing you more than ever Darling.   More than ever I thought I would miss anybody.    Somebody is just singing the “Twilight Waltz” on the wireless.   Have you heard it?   It reminds me of the night we met. Darling – since that night you have come to mean so much to me, more than ever I can put down on paper.   I agree with you – the day cannot come too soon when we shall actually belong to each other. If only this war would end.   To console myself however I have had out your old letters and they have taken me back through the months.   How they have made my heart ache. The letters you wrote me when we first met – you had so much patience with me then – the letters you wrote after our first few leaves together and t...

G. H. N. 19.1.43       My Precious Darling, In a few hours time it will be a week since you started your journey back to Swaffham (can’t remember whether or not it is spelled with one or two “fs”). How are things with you now?   Is time still dragging or have you settled down to routine again?   You asked me how I was feeling now.   Well – I feel that I am once again a “nurse” but there is one little bit of me that never will be a nurse again.   That bit, Darling, belongs to you. You asked me also, in your previous letter, if memories of our time together kept popping up.   Yes they do – often.   It was heavenly wasn’t it? Whenever I think about it though, I wish that I had stayed with you until Monday.   I feel so cross when I think that I am having four whole days off (I’ve a lecture on the fifth) and we shall not even see each other for a few hours.   Four days at home and I shall not be seeing you – I try not to thin...

Usual address Sunday lunchtime     My Very Own Darling, Well, you’ve been back at the Hospital for a week, now!   Have you got settled down again yet.   I am beginning to get back into the “rut” again, but the memory of our last eight days together are so deeply set into my mind that no matter how much I try to concentrate on work, little things you did & said during that heavenly period still keep popping up! Thanks very much for the photographs, Angel.   They are just the ones I should have picked had I had the chance.   The people I have shown them to, all agree that I am a very lucky bloke having you to stay at home and wait for me.   I don’t need them to tell me, though Dear; I realise it more & more every day. I am glad the interview with the Matron went off OK.   Fancy accepting another five days off!!   My; you must have no conscience at all.   Didn’t it even prick you just a little bit?   Your bit of fibbi...

G. H. N. Sunday     1 a.m. My Precious Darling, It is just over a week ago since we said “Good-bye”.   Darling, it seems like years.   To think that next week at this time I shall be at home but you will not be there.   It is a dreadful thought.   I am not looking forward to my “nights off” one bit.   I suppose that mother could really do with me at home though.   I had a letter from Dad this morning and he said that he was still in bed with ‘flu. Now Darling – allow me to congratulate you.   I am so proud of you.   In fact I feel as thrilled with your Good Service Certificate as if it were my own.   I remember you telling me about it quite well – I have often thought about it since you mentioned it, but thought you would let me know when it became official.   I will have to trip over to Pay Bed Wing when I go off duty.   I know that Kit will be pleased to hear about it. What do you think my last admission w...

  On 5 January, 1943, Stan was awarded a Certificate of Good Service ( see above)  This is the Home Services equivalent of being Mentioned in Dispatches, but he only found out on the 12th, having arrived back at his base. Home Forces Wednesday 13.1.43 My Very Own Darling, It’s 11 p.m. on my first day back in the Army & as you can guess I am not feeling very happy.   I’ve just finished work & I have just been thinking of you for about the 100 th time to-day.   I thought it might help to cheer me up a little if I wrote to you. I suppose you will be hard at it now, just as I am preparing to go to bed.   It’s a funny life isn’t it? The postman let me down today when he didn’t bring a letter from you.   I was a wee bit disappointed, but I suppose one will arrive tomorrow. I eventually arrived back last night about 11.30 p.m. & as you can guess I was sick of travelling.   I spent a brief 3 hours at Cranwell & achieved my purp...

  G.H.N.    Castle No. 2            12 a.m.   13.1.43     My Precious Darling, I am afraid that this letter will be “short and sweet”.   We started “taking in” this morning and we have been terribly busy since we came on at 8 p.m.   We had a Nun admitted – she is very ill.   The new Dr. we have whilst our own is on sick leave is nothing but a so & so fool.   It took him 1½ hours to do an intravenous saline where it takes most Drs ¼ an hour.   In the end he handed the forceps and cannular over to me and I managed to get into the vein.    Of course he passed a sarcastic remark about my next job being that of theatre Sister but he got as good an answer in return.   The trouble is he is a middle aged man and has been in private practice for some years but he will not admit that he is out of practice and tries to do things that he knows nothing about.   However, that is quite en...

The Nurses Home General Hospital Nottingham Tues: 1 a.m.      My Precious Darling, I received your letter this morning (sorry – it is yesterday now).   It is a beautiful letter Darling.   It brought back to me that feeling of – well I was going to say happiness but it is something more than that – it is something that goes right deep down inside   - something   that is undescribable.   Darling – just to be near you again, to be able to touch you and kiss you and for you to hold me in your arms again.   As you say – we shall have to apply ourselves to our jobs to the best of our ability and work for the day when we shall actually belong to each other.   Who knows, it might be sooner than we expect and in the meantime we both have plenty to do in preparation for the day when we shall stand at the altar together. Kit got a good laugh when I told her about your fatherly letter.   Believe me Darling – it certainly went down w...

“On the way back” Tuesday   12.1.43                                                                 My Very Own Darling, I thought I could use up this hour's wait I have at Doncaster Station to write & tell you that your Mother's “roomatics” are very much better now!   I thought you would be relieved to hear that!!! But seriously, Darling, I am not feeling to happy with myself at the moment & so I thought that writing to you would relieve my feelings a little. It was grand to get your letter yesterday & hear once again that you had enjoyed our stay together.   It sounds better every time I hear or read it.   Since you went back, Darling, the time has dragged hopelessly & it already seems years since we were together, despite the fact that only three days have gone. I have relived th...

The Nurses Home General Hospital Nottingham 1.30 a.m.   10 Jan: 1943    My Precious Darling, I really do not know how to start this letter.   There is so much I want to say but cannot find words in which to say it.   I suppose that your feelings will be much the same as mine and that you are now missing me as terribly as I am missing you. 24 hours ago I was in your arms Darling – but now I am sitting at a desk on which stands a shaded light trying to pen my thoughts and feelings to you. Darling, I would like you to know that I do not regret anything that passed between us last night or any other night.   It was all too marvellous and it has made me look forward more than ever to the day when we shall actually belong to each other. Do you remember the night you asked me – to borrow your ring?   I wonder if you realised how near to borrowing it I really was.   I wondered myself why I said not.   I don’t think it was will power t...

Grimethorpe Sunday 11.30 p.m. 9.1.43 My Very Own Darling, Sitting here in the firelight, it seems difficult to realise that seven days have flashed past since we were twirling round in that old fashioned waltz at the dance.   It was just about this time last Saturday when you asked the M.C. to play one! What is NOT difficult to realise is that to-day after living in dreamland for a whole week, we have both been brought back to the grim realities of everyday life by our parting. The war & the Army have seemed a long way off, my Darling when I have held you in my arms this last week, but now, with miles separating us & with aching hearts, we have to turn again to the jobs in front of us & apply ourselves to them with a will, for after all, until we have completed our respective tasks the full & complete happiness for which we now yearn cannot be ours. Whenever I get downhearted now, Angel, I shall think of that & I am sure it will give me fresh hear...

Grace’s nights off were from 1 st to 5 th January, so by today we should have a letter from Grace, written after she had arrived back at the Nurses’ Home in Nottingham.   There is no such letter – why not? Stan and Grace know that, very soon, Stan is going to be sent abroad to join one of the campaigns in either North Africa or the Far East.   Stan has done the preparation for his unit to go abroad, they have had their inoculations – they are ready to go. Who can blame this young couple if they decide to snatch a few more days together? The story will unfold in the coming letters, but it seems that they went to a phone box and Stan, pretending to be Grace’s father, rang the hospital and spoke to the Matron.   It seems that he told the Matron that his wife was confined to bed by a bad attack of ‘lumbago’.    Their older daughter, Vera, was an invalid and needed care and, of course, he had to go out to work.   Could Grace be allowed to stay at home for ...

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...