Friday, 20 August, 1943

2364226
Sergt. S. Bristow                                                                           49
Headquarters
15 L of C Signals
Cen Med Forces

Friday, Aug 20^th 43

My Very Own Darling,

It is getting late & I have just finished a game of solo whist, but I thought that I would just knock off a few pages to you.

Nothing of note has happened since I last wrote to you (that actually means I haven’t received any more letters from you! – greedy devil, aren’t ? never satisfied!!)

In the last letter you wrote you asked about the photographs I had taken in North Africa months ago.  Well, as you can guess, there’s little hope of getting them.  You can imagine that when I heard there was a photographer in this town, therefore, I jumped to it & went & had my dial processed.  Now, don’t get excited – it doesn’t mean that you are any nearer getting a photograph from me, for whilst very eagerly taking the seven bob from me the photographer very blithely explained that the production of the aforesaid photographs depended entirely on electricity & at the moment it just isn’t functioning.

So you see now the matter has settled down to a race between the electricians getting the power working & the photographer getting the photographs developed & printed before I leave this place!!  I wonder if they will win?

Don’t be disappointed, however, if they lose because I am sure it will be a rotten photograph – worse than the one you’ve got already; if that is possible!  I was feeling in an ‘orrible mood on the afternoon it was taken.

The next bit of news I report to you with mixed feelings!  I have bought two pairs of stockings for you – again don’t get excited because they are not silk, but they are “What the best dressed woman of Sicily is wearing today”.  I am just wondering now if they will be alright.

As you know I am no authority on stockings (unless of course they are filled by a snappy piece of flesh) & so I don’t know if they are good stockings – or just not so good.

The only thing I know is that they are size 8½ and 9 respectively (couldn’t even tell you whether they are fully fashioned double-heeled or whatever you girls look for).  Still I hope they are wearable.  Tell me when you get them how much they are worth & then I will tell you how much I paid for them & then by that simple process I shall know how much the Sicilian people have robbed me of!!  I’ll only put one pair in this letter for fear it doesn’t arrive and I’ll put the second pair in the next letter.

Don’t be afraid to tell me Darling if they are horrible, will you.  If they are OK I might manage to get some more.

I wrote a letter by sea mail to your Vera a couple of nights ago.  I suppose by now she has got it.

I have just been sitting back in my chair and thinking of last year at this time.  I was just starting my 10 days leave & looking forward to the next six days to pass so that I should be able to be with you & hold you close to my breast once more - & then when I actually did arrive in Nottingham you kept me waiting!!  You’ll never be able to live that down.

But of course my Darling you were well worth waiting for.  That talk in the Castle Grounds & the walks in the moonlight & sunlight along the banks of the river stand out in my memory as if it were yesterday.

I suppose it is because I relive every moment of our grand friendship (which in later months developed into something much deeper) every day, out here.  How empty life would be without you to love & to think of every minute of the day.

Of course, my thoughts are not always of the past – increasingly they turn to the future, especially when I get such exciting letters from you telling me of shopping expeditions on which I should so much like to join you.  The day will dawn .....

We have the wireless playing in the Mess – a light orchestra playing a tune that always reminds me of the Spa at Scarborough – another place we must visit together, Darling.  Life is going to be so crowded after the war, my Dear, making up for lost time!

I wonder if all our ambitions will be realised?  Life seems so short when one starts thinking of all the things one would like to accomplish, doesn’t it?

Time is steadily rolling by, my Darling & its nearing midnight.  The programme has just changed & Victor Sylvester is now playing a dreamy melody which makes me wish we were able to dance together again.  Dancing brought us together Darling & so it will always be one of my favourite pastimes.

So once again Darling I say “Goodnight” one more day has passed towards the day when the greatest reunion of our lives will take place.

I know I have your love, Angel & in return I give to you all my love.  Keep it Darling until the day we are united & I can show you how deep my love for you is, rather than tell you.

As always, Angel, yours  Stan xxxxxxx

 #WWIIlovestory   #worldwar2lovestory  #1940slovestory 

#wartimelovestory  #lovestoryinletters  #soldierWWII