Saturday, 19 June, 1943

2364226
Sergt. S. Bristow
Headquarters,
15 L of C Signals
B.N.A.F                                                                                                  31. 

Saturday 19 June 43

My Very Own Darling,

The end of another week!  Everyone’s off on half-day to-day & so the office is extremely quiet this afternoon.  The intense heat is making the atmosphere very heavy & the continued buzz of the flies makes me feel very sleepy, but I thought that instead of adjourning to my bed, I would take advantage of the quietness & write to you.

Life is very quiet just now, a little work each day & an evening (or occasionally a late afternoon) spent in bathing.  Even an existence such as this is apt to get boring after a time – & of course, doesn’t give me much to write about.

Last night was hot & close & as it was a full moon we decided to go moonlight bathing.  It was grand, but of course one little detail was incomplete – you were not there to share the fun.

I admit I have always been a little “moonstruck”, but until you have seen the moon rise from out of the deep blue of the Mediterranean to shed its silvery light upon the sand caressed by a warm & soft breeze you can’t appreciate how thrilling such a night would be – if only you were here to share it with me.

These hot afternoons always remind me of that afternoon on Brierley Common, which you referred to in your last letter.  It’s an afternoon I remember most vividly, probably because you were in one of your most tantalising moods that afternoon, & your mode of dress didn’t help any!  Ah me, happy days!

And when you receive this letter I suppose you will be at home free to wander around the Common & in the fields which hold so many memories for us both.  Remember, my Darling that although I cannot be with you as I was last year, in body, I shall certainly be with you in spirit all through the month of July.

If ever you sit by the fire & watch the dying embers flickering in the grate, don’t forget, you will not be alone Angel, for my thoughts are always straying to those happy hours we used to spend by the fireside last year.  I shall never forget how you would sit on the hearth with the firelight reflecting on your hair & dancing in your eyes looking so tempting & tantalising, & how, as time ticked by those little intimate things which now bind us together so closely just happened & you were so sorry when we had to say “Good morning” & go our respective ways.  Let us hope, my Darling, that once I am home again there will be no need to have “Good mornings” & partings at the station.  If all goes well we will be together for ever & ever.  We will show people that its not only in fairy stories that people “live happy ever after”, but that it really can happen when two people are in love as much as we are.

I used to tell you I loved you when we were at home & together, didn’t I, Dear, but its only in these past four months that I have really discovered how deep my love for you really goes.  The old regular soldiers used to tell me that when a soldier went abroad from the day he landed until the day he returned, he would think of nothing or no one else but his girl.

They were not exaggerating, Darling, neither, for as I have often told you I think of nothing else than the day when I shall get back in England & with you by my side (& I expect on occasions behind pushing me) be able to put into operation all that I (& you) have spent so much time dreaming of.

I am so glad that last September you really made up your mind to love me & wait for me, Dearest, for honestly life out here would have been really empty had I not had you & the future to think of.  I shall always do my level best, dear, to make you have no regrets about making that decision.

I love you, Darling, & only wish I could whisper it to you as I used to do & feel you thrill as you heard these four small works.  Yes!  Patience certainly is a virtue, isn’t it!!

As you will be at home most probably when you get this, you must give my kind regards to your Mother & Father & Vera.  Tell Vera that if she hasn’t already got an airgraph from me, there’s one on the way somewhere.

Have you been up to see Mother much?  I bet she feels a little sad when you go up to see her & I am not there by your side.

I had my leg pulled unmercifully the other day when I posted you the lemons.  As usual I put the wrong address (86 instead of 56) on the box & all the lads in the office said I must be a rum sort of fellow not knowing his girl’s address!  I wonder if there is an 86 & who lives there.  I am certainly fond of putting that number on your letters!

How have you spent your time during the last two or three weeks?  Have you got your cover finished? There’s one thing, you will have been able to get on with your needlework without having a certain big tease to interrupt.

And I suppose you have been doing a spot of “swotting”.  I’ll bet you won’t half be glad when September is behind you!

Well, my Darling, I’ve just been racking my brains for something to say to make this into a ten page letter (Remember how you promised to write ten pages when you first wrote to me), but I can’t think of anything else, so I will have to close.

I know you won’t mind my repeating that I love you more than anyone else in the world Darling will you.

So, ‘till next time keep all my love.  Yours Stan  xxxxx