Stan and Grace

General Hospital Annexe                                                                         (10) Selston Notts. 30. 3. 43     My Own Darling, I attempted to write this letter yesterday but owing to the noise in the sitting room and the very poor light in my bedroom I gave it up as hopeless.   As things are quieter this morning I decided to try again. I had a lovely surprise this morning.   I received your second letter.   With receiving your 3 rd and 4 th one I thought that I might not receive No. 2.   However, No. 2 has turned up – all but the lines at the end. I must admit I had a good l...

Sergt. S. Bristow                                                                                                7. 2364226 Headquarters 9 Corps Signals (Rear) B.N.A.F. Monday 29 March 1943 My Own Darling Grace, I feel twice the man to-day as I felt a few days ago, my dear!   The reason?   Why, I received three letters from you yesterday!   You don’t realise what a thrill it gave me to read how you were & what you were doing.   I think the three weeks that have passed without a letter from you...

General Hospital Annexe                                                                                   (9) Selston Notts. 26. 3. 43        My Own Darling, As you will probably receive this letter before several of my previous ones I had better give you all the news in it. To begin with – I received your “Air Letter” on March 23 rd.   Good going was it not?   I hope this one reaches you as quickly. I had to send your last letter by ordinary mail – as yet there is no “Air Mail Service”.   However, we are quite lucky in being able to send th...

 What is the difference between 'air letters', 'air graphs' and the air mail forms? It seems that the 'air letters' are ordinary letters sent by air mail (and presumably charged by weight).  Increasingly as the weeks go by, more and more of Stan and Grace's letters are written on air mail forms such as those shown in this photograph. The first 'air graphs' between Stan and Grace make an appearance on 6 April and look like a small photocopied version of a brief letter written on a special airgraph form.  North Lincolnshire Museum's web site tells us that airgraphs were invented in the 1930's by Kodak Eastman and a service was set up in 1941 to transmit airgraphs between the Middle East and the UK.  (northlincolnshiremuseum.co.uk/discover/curators-choice-airgraphs/).  The airgraph forms were photographed on mircofilm in Cairo and the film flown back to the UK.  This took up less precious space than paper letters on the aircraft flying between t...

General Hospital Annexe                                                               No. 8 Selston Notts 22. 3. 43           My Own Darling, I thought that I would write a few lines to let you know my thoughts are with you Darling upon this particular day – your birthday. I wonder what sort of day it has been for you?   An enjoyable one, I hope.   It will be different from your birthday of last year – do you remember? If my memory is correct you were at home and I was to go home the following day. I wonder if you have received one of my previous letters in which I wished you “Many Happy Returns”.   I hope so.   If only we...

General Hospital Annexe                                                               No. 7 Selston Notts 19. 3. 43        My Own Darling, I returned from my day-off yesterday and found a letter waiting for me from you.   You can guess how delighted I was.   It was such a long, interesting letter too.   There was also one waiting for me from your Mother and I received one from her this morning telling me that she received one from you yesterday. It had only taken a week to come too.   The postal service is improving. I was so thankful to hear that you have had a fairly quiet journey.   I wish that I could have been with you....

Sergt. Bristow S                                                                                       (6) 2364226 Headquarters 9 Corps Signals (Rear) B.N.A.F. Thursday 18 Mar 43 My Own Darling, I have had an afternoon off today, but I didn’t go out at all.   I just laid on my bed & listened to the wireless & thought of you & home.   Music is a grand thing when you want to be quiet & think.   The programme this afternoon was grand – almost as grand as the programme we heard together in January as we laid curled up on the sett...

Sargt. S. Bristow                                                                                      (4) 2364226 Headquarters 9 Corps Signals   (Rear) British North African Forces Monday, 15 March 43 My Very Own Darling, The atmosphere in this billet is not very good as far as letter writing is concerned tonight.   In one corner all the people who like classical music are gathered around one wireless whilst in the other corner a wireless set is churning out hot jazz.   If this letter is at all up to standard it will be quite a triumph for my po...

General Hospital Annexe                                                                         No. 6 Selston Notts 15.3.43        My Own Darling, One week has passed since I received your last letter.   It seems like many weeks. I am longing to hear from you again Darling and to know how you are.   I suppose I must be patient for a time.   They say that “everything” comes to those that wait so “here's me waiting”!! Kit and I have been in “hot water” recently.   Or at least we have been cautioned by “the powers that be”.   I suppose you will wonder what we have been up to. ...

General Hospital Annexe                                                                         No. 5 Selston Notts. 11.3.43     My Own Darling   For once I have the sitting room to myself.   There are usually a few nurses in and the wireless making a noise.   To-day everything seems pretty quiet except for the wind howling outside.   It seems a real March day.   Gloomy and not too warm.   However – as this month has been more like May so far I don’t suppose we can grouse. Monday was my day-off and I played nurse-maid.   Do you remember me telling you about my friend who lost b...

General Hospital Annexe                                                     No. 4 Selston Notts. 8.3.43       My Own Darling, I received your letter this morning.   It came as a marvellous surprise Darling.   I really did not expect one for another week or two.   It was really wonderful.   I have just written home and to your Mother telling them “all the news”. My Dear, the best part of your letter was hearing how much you still care. Try not to get downhearted Darling.   You did sound just a little depressed.   Remember – after this war we will be able to do all that we have planned to do and that we shall be together for always.   I love you so much Darling – you are...

Note: On 5 March, 1943, according to his service record, Stan arrived in ‘North African Theatre of Operations’.  This may have been through the port of Oran, but it certainly seems that they landed somewhere in Algeria.  Although this letter is initially undated, Stan later put in the dates of 5 and 6 February, but this is an error - he means March. Sgt. S. Bristow                                                                                                   (3) 2364226 Headquarters 9 Corps Signals c/o ...