Thursday, 6 January, 1943

Grace’s nights off were from 1st to 5th 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 a few more days until his wife was able to get up again?  Permission was given and Grace had three more days at home.

I was shocked when I first worked out this story from the letters.  My parents were the most law-abiding and upright people I knew.  In later years my father became a magistrate and we were brought up to follow the rules – and here they were lying to the Matron!

Do you blame them?  Being young and very much in love, would you not have tried to grasp every minute you could with each other – knowing what Stan was facing?  Even Grace was not safe.  Although the bombing of British cities was not as intensive as it had been at this time, it could begin again at any time.

What is your verdict?

Comments

  1. Roger7 January 2025 at 17:56

    I would have done the same. My girl friend at the time was a trainee nurse and would probably have been the one to suggest it! She may well have been keen enough if similar circumstances had arisen. Anyway, we got married 60 years ago on 23 Jan so she still seems keen.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Roger7 January 2025 at 18:03

    P.S. I wonder what Grace told her parents in order to explain her extra three days?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Liz Whitehouse8 January 2025 at 12:48

    I strongly suspect that neither set of parents were told the truth. They may have said that they had "told Matron their circumstances and she had allowed Grace three days more" but, once again, I cannot imagine either set of parents would have approved. Stan's Dad was a church warden!

    ReplyDelete

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