Stan and Grace

  Letter No. 2                                                                          G.H. Annexe                                                                                               26.2.43      My Own Darling, I really must tell you my bit of good news – or at least – its good news to me – Kit is out at Selston! Isn’t it grand.   Kit says that she is quite w...

General Hospital Annexe                                                                         No. 1 Selston Notts 25.2.43      My Own Darling, Your last letter arrived Tuesday morning. I am afraid that the contents were a bit upsetting at first but like you Darling I am looking upon each day that passes as being one day nearer “the day when we shall meet again”. I often think of you Dear and wonder where you are and what you are doing.   I wondered too whether or not you received my last letter or whether it will arrive with this one.   I hope you did. Spring has certainly been with us this ...

Sgt. S. Bristow                                                                                                   (1) 2364226 Headquarters 9 Corps Signals      APO 4660 My Own Darling, Such a lot of interesting things have happened recently & I am sure you would be interested to read of them.   There’s just one fly in the ointment, however, that is the Censorship Regulations.   I have just been to a lecture on them & have come away with the impression that there are not m...

A line in  Stan’s service record reads:  "21 February, 1943 – proceeded to Port of Embarkation" This letter was written the night before the unit left for the port. New address Saturday evening        My Very Own Darling, The time for the real parting has come, my Dear, & so if this letter proves to be the last for some weeks, you won’t worry & begin to think that I have forgotten about you, will you.   That will be far from the truth, Darling, as I am sure you know.   While I am away my one thought will be of the day when I shall return to you &, as they say in the fairy stories, “live happily ever after”.   What a day that will be!! I am a bit disappointed that I have not had a letter from you since Tuesday, but it will not be your fault, I know, but the so-and-so post office to blame again.   Now, goodness knows when I shall hear from you again.   I know, however, that you will be thinking of me, Angel, ...

General Hospital Annexe                                                     Friday, 19 th Feb Selston Notts. My Own Darling, What a queer week it has been with only one letter from you.   It will be grand though if I receive several together.   I would like to make this letter a really long one but nothing fresh has happened since I wrote you last. However, here are my latest “doings”. I went to the party given by Kit.   I believe I mentioned it in my last letter.   Everybody enjoyed themselves and no-body got drunk!   Not that there was a chance of that as we had nothing stronger than cider. I had a letter and a parcel from Vera yesterday.   The doctor will not let her get up yet. I...

APO 4660 Tuesday evening     My Own Darling, Well here I am again, much sooner than I expected!   There’s no change to report at the moment.   (“Thank Goodness” I can hear you saying). Last week at this time my dear I was counting the hours to the time when I should once more be with you to enjoy the thrill of being near you & able to hold you in my arms. Looking back on that simply exotic night of last week it seems to be but a grand dream which happened ages ago.   How the days have dragged since I left you at the station on Thursday!   How I hope that the months that are before us don’t seem so long that they are almost interminable. The only bright spots this week have been the two letters I have received from you – both of them to-day.   Funnily enough, too, I received the one you wrote on Sunday this morning and the one you wrote on Friday, this evening.   What a post office the Army has got!   I hope it functions a bit ...

 I hope you will excuse me dipping out of the letters for one day to say "Welcome" to new readers.  I don't know who you are - I can only see the number of views and the number of readers in different countries.  It would be nice if you could click the 'Follow' button and then I can see your names. To readers fro m the USA, please do get in touch either via making a 'Comment' or via the Contact form if there is anything you don't understand.  We are indeed "two peoples divided by a common language" as Winston Churchill said and the language you are reading is English as spoken by two Yorkshire people over 80 years ago, so sometimes it might be puzzling. I always say to people that the letters are a love story in real time, so sometimes you might find the letters a bit mundane and the story slow to unfold, but now is a good time to join as Stan is about to go abroad - like most soldiers at this time, it will be the first time he has left the U...

G.H. Annexe Selston Notts. Sunday    1.30 p.m.         My Own Darling, It is now three days since I left you – it seems like three years.   Why is it that time goes so slowly when one wants it to go quickly and vice-versa? By now, you should be settled down to daily routine once again – I am – just about.   Sister has been an old so-and-so this morning.   She has jumped on the others for no reason at all and actually had one nurse in tears.   This place is dismal enough without Sister making everybody miserable.   However, she is going to preach at the local chapel this afternoon so I will have to endeavour to restore peace once again while she is away. Why do women get like that? (spinsters)   Yes – I know what your answer is to that. It is time I went back on duty.   I will finish this when I come off at 3.30 p.m.   If I am late she might jump on me.   Not that I would really mind.   After ...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Unit Headquarters, 9 Corps Signals c/o A.P.O. 4660 Friday afternoon        My Very Own Darling, I am sneaking a few moments during this afternoon to write to you so that you will have to excuse the typewritten epistle, but I must try and persuade my men that I am working hard as they are!! Did you notice the marvellous sunset there was last night as we were both travelling back to our respective destinations?   The colours were simply glorious – no other words can describe it.   I think it was the best I have seen for many a month.   And whilst looking at it I could not help but think how appropriate it was to our two lives – there we were miles apart with the sun setting on one chapter of our lives which (to say the least of it) had been grand and thrilling!!   I could not help but wonder how long it would be before the sun would rise for us again. The past 48 hours have been simply grand, my Darling. ...

General Hospital Annexe Selston Notts.         My Precious Darling, Just a short letter enquiring if you arrived safely and what kind of journey did you have? For myself – I arrived here a little earlier than I expected and was just in time for supper – thank goodness. How do you feel Darling after our brief time together – a nervous wreck or on top of the world? It has made me feel more anxious than ever that this war should end as quickly as possible. I am so glad that you managed your 48 hours but I suppose you will be feeling as unsettled this morning as I am feeling and just longing for the day when there will be no more “Goodbyes” to be said at stations. Wasn’t Wednesday night heavenly, Precious?   The thrill of being held in your arms again was – well – I cannot describe it. Every time we see each other, the parting becomes harder.   Tho’ I don’t suppose I shall ever have the pain of being parted from you for a long time again – a...

 After all the preparations through the autumn of 1942, Stan knew that his unit was ready to go overseas.  The time has come at last for mobilisation and, as is customary, Stan has been given 48 hours leave to go home and say 'goodbye' to his family. As can be seen from Grace's last letter (6 February) he was so determined to see Grace that, had Grace not been able to get to Grimethorpe, he was intending to go to Nottingham instead of going home.  This, clearly, has upset his mother.  However, everything worked out in the end and Grace managed to get to Grimethorpe late on Tuesday.  They both then had to go back to 'work' late in the day on Thursday. In North Africa, operation 'Torch' was still in process with the Allies pushing on towards Tunis, but the task has not proved an easy one and has been going on for many weeks, with the Allies making progress - but only slowly.  It was important for both sides to continue to send armaments and forces to Africa, ...

G. H. Annexe Selston Notts.            6.2.43        My Precious Darling, I received your letter this morning together with one from your Mother.   I suppose that you will also have had one from your Mother. Darling, why did you not write home?   Your Mother seems terribly upset about it and also that she found out from my Mother that you were coming before she ever heard from you.   Another thing was that you were going to spend your last leave with me in Nottingham if I could not get home.   However, I suppose your Mother will have mentioned that too.   As luck will have it I can get home but even if I could not I would not let you come to Nottingham now. Stan Darling, please do not let me come between you and your parents, ever.   I do not want to be the cause of any trouble. I will have to write to your Mother to-day but what I shall say I do not know.   Please write hom...

  In appreciation of a happy year Darling.   The prospect of even great days in future still more thrilling.   Always yours Stan.

G.H. Annexe Selston Notts 4.2.43        My Precious Darling, One more day gone and one day less to wait to seeing you again.   Darling – I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to those few hours we shall have together.   Even yet I can hardly realise that it is true. What I also feel pleased about is the fact that we shall spend our short time at home.   I agree with you, it will be much better than meeting in Nottingham and I am sure that it will suit both our parents better. To-morrow darling   is the 5 th – our “Anniversary”.   As I look back along this year I think how much better (Not a very good adjective I am afraid for all that I mean it to convey) it has been than any other year I can remember.   To love and be loved!   I never realised that much happiness could exist.   And I have to thank you for it all.   Yes, I know that I have told you this heaps of times before but every word is true ...

General Hospital Annexe Selston Notts. 2.2.43         My Precious Darling, I received your letter this morning.   I am pleased to say that I have got my day off on Feb 11 th .   That means that I shall have a 5 p.m. evening before and with a bit of luck I may get off duty a little earlier and get home Wednesday evening.   Isn’t it marvellous.   I was so thrilled with your letter.   I have hoped and hoped that you might have 48 hrs.   I only wish you had let me know sooner then I could have had my ½ day before but having had one I am quite sure that she will not give me another.   However – we must make the best of it. The Sisters here are two old maids and they don’t like the idea of any nurse having a boy friend so they will not know my real reason for wanting to get off early. I had a very nice letter from your Mother this morning.   She said she was disappointed when she did not have a letter from you yesterday...

General Hospital Annexe                                           Telephone – Pinxton 121 Selston Notts.                      Monday        My Precious Darling, I am afraid that this letter will be “short-sweet”.   “As usual” , I can hear you say.   I really have lots to tell you but as to-day is Monday and as I have a lecture this evening and I shall not come off duty until it is time to go to the G.H.N. for my lecture – well – you can see how matters stand! The letter you wrote me Wednesday arrived here this morning. Sister said that I could have ½ day Sat: & day off Sunday so I decided to go home.   As I really should not have ha...