Thursday, 27 & Friday, 28 May, 1943 - Stan

2364226
Sergt S. Bristow
Unit Headquarters
15 L of C Signals
B.N.A.F

May 27^th 1943   

My Very Own Darling,

I bet you have been calling me some nasty names for keeping you waiting for such a long time for a letter, but my conscience is clear, Darling!!  There are two reasons,

a) as you see above, I have changed my address* & b) I am afraid I have to confess that I have been ill for the last two or three days.  Yes, for once, the Army Post Office is NOT to blame!

The change of address has turned out very well.  Now I have a nice little bed in a camp on the cliff top near a coastal town, with the lovely blue Med. just about 200 yds away!  What a change from the rather barren country we have been in for the past month.  As I am writing now the door of the hut I sleep in is open & the sun, a great flaming ball, is sinking slowly beyond the sea & turning it into a beautiful golden colour.  In a tree nearby a nightingale is warbling, the cool evening breeze is wafting an exhilarating tang from off the sea &, as you can well guess, there’s just one person Darling, who could turn such a combination of circumstances into a real occasion of happiness – how I wish you were by my side, my Angel.  Happiness for both of us would be about complete, wouldn’t it?

It has annoyed me to be living in these circumstances & not be able to enjoy them as you may well guess.  I have been in bed for three days with a mild form of dysentery.  I have stopped “running” (in both senses) now however & hope to start work to-morrow.  You needn’t start worrying, however, Darling, for I feel just about myself again.  I guarantee to come back to you all in one piece if it is at all possible!

28^th

Had to stop last night & so am finishing this during my tea hour.  I have started work & feel OK although to-day is so hot that one is perspiring just sitting down.

I wrote an ordinary letter to you a week ago in answer to three of your air letters.  I sincerely hope your Mother is OK now.  Remember me to her will you, please?

To-morrow I hope to go into the nearby town & I will let you know of my adventures in a further letter.  There is an old Roman Theatre there so an amble round might prove to be quite interesting.  Wonder of wonders too, there is actually a picture house showing an English film – Deanna Darben in “It’s a Date” so perhaps I shall see my first film for three months.  I’ve never gone so long without going to the flicks for as long as I can remember, but then, this last few months have seen me do a lot of things I didn’t expect to do, such as tour Nth Africa etc.  I would much sooner have be going ahead with our plans, however.

Well, Darling, I shall have to get back to work now, so this will be all for to-day.  As I have not had a letter from you now for eight days, one is about due & so I am looking forward to it eagerly.

All my love my Darling.  Stan xxxx

* A note on Stan's own record of his war service says:
 "26/5/43 - 9 Corps Signals disbanded.  Posted to 15 L of C Signals"