Friday, 25 June, 1943

Sergt. S. Bristow                                                                           No. 32
Headquarters
15 L of C Signals
B.N.A.F

Friday 25 June 43

My Very Own Darling,

I am afraid I have kept you waiting for a letter this week, but as you can guess, its not entirely my fault, but due to “circumstances over which we have no control” as the BBC are wont to say.

Nothing which I can write about has happened since I last wrote to you except one thing – at last I have managed to get my photograph taken!  Yes its taken me just four months to find a bloke with a film, but we have at last arranged it!!  Don’t let your hopes rise to high however, it may be another four months before he can manage to get the film developed.

That will try your patience I know, but then it will be good practice for the time when you have to put up with me day after day.

I wonder how long that will be?  When we rushed through Tunisia as quickly as we did I began to think perhaps it would come to an end sometime before we are both ready for the old age pension but this last month of inactivity has made me wonder if things haven’t slowed down too much.  Lets hope they put a jerk in things again pretty quickly.  When there are things stirring one always feels that one is getting nearer the goal & what lies ahead of it for you & I.

You will be a lady of leisure by the time you get this I suppose.  How is everything going at Grimethorpe.  Hope you found your parents & Vera in good health, & likewise the Bristow Clan.  I suppose you have paid them a call!

I have just got your letter in which you remark that the last five months have been like years.  They certainly have, Darling, & I really think it is grand to know that our love for each other is still as strong – if not stronger – than that day we said “goodbye” on Doncaster Station.

Still, as I often used to say to you, one can always find someone worse off than oneself if one only looks around.  We have had one or two blokes join us from the 8^th Army recently & they haven’t been home for over three years.

Do you think that you could manage to wait that long for me to come home?  (I know you could but its just a wheeze to get you to tell me so!  I like it!!)

Well, its just gone 9 p.m. & there’s a lovely sunset.  The sun will just be setting in Grimethorpe too, but I suppose the smoke etc. will stop it being so beautiful there as it is here.

Still I wish I was home with you so that we could take our usual evening stroll through the fields together in the cool of the evening.  They were lovely nights we spent together last summer, weren’t they – even if we did set the local gossips off talking by going walking at such unearthly hours as 10 p.m. & 10.30 p.m.!!!  I hope you don’t do anything during this holiday to set their tongues wagging!

The worst of these things is there’s not enough space.  Shall be writing an ordinary letter at the earliest possible time, so this will have to suffice for now.  All my love, Angel & have a good time this month.

Always yours, Darling.  Stan  xxxx

Update: Stan's service record notes that on 28 June, 1943, he was posted to 15 L of C Signals, N. Africa.  Clearly the physical move had been made much earlier, towards the end of May, but the records have taken a while to be updated.