Thursday, 5 August, 1943

2364226
Sergt S. Bristow                                                                                      43.
15 L of C Signals,
CEN MED FORCES
5 AUG 43     

My Very Own Darling,

I hope you don’t mind me typing this letter to you, but it is in “Office Hours” and I have to try and persuade the lads I have working for me that I am busy! !  (Actually they’re probably doing the same thing).

I had a surprise last night when I got a letter from you – a sea letter written on the 16^th June and describing your adventures at Whitsuntide.  It was a bit behind the times, but as you can guess, Darling, very welcome.

I also had an air letter dated 26 July from Mother, so I shouldn’t be surprised if one doesn’t turn up from you within the next couple of days.

From what Mother writes, you seem to have been about quite a bit whilst you were at Grimethorpe.  She says that you and Kit went to the Sports at the Grammar School and had one or two good laughs at my expense whilst looking at the School photographs.  I wish I could have been there with you; Darling.  I could have told you one or two interesting stories about the school and the people who attended it!

Mother also mentioned that you went up to Mrs Carter's at South Elmsall.  I bet the tongues wagged fiercely on that occasion.  My Mother usually has to take a bottle of Asprins when she gets back from one of those outings.

So you like the Warde Aldam Hospital, do you?  I have always been in love with the place (as much as one can be with a hospital).  It has always struck me as standing for something just a bit extra with being situated so near the place where the people who it serves work.

Mother’s letter was full of news of you (the sort I like) and she further mentioned your trip to Barnsley and visit to the flicks to see Leslie Howard in “Escape to Happiness” – a grand film isn’t it.  The intermezzo is one of my favourite pieces.

Actually I often find myself whistling it when I am thinking of you, for you know Darling that you are my escape to happiness.  It makes me feel quite happy thinking of you and what you are doing, but that happiness will not be complete until I have you by my side for always.

As you remark the taking of all these islands etc are stepping stones to that happiness which we are both longing to attain as soon as possible.  I do so hope that we haven’t lots longer to wait before we know that the war is actually at a close and that we can get down to some concrete planning for the future.

It makes me most happy to know that you and Mother get on so well together, for I think that although far from being an essential factor, it is a most useful point towards making a marriage a happy one, don’t you?

There’s not much news from, this side.  I can report a bit of progress with my Italian Draughtsman.  We have taught him to say “Good morning” “Goodnight” and “O.K.”, the last expression which he uses at every verse end.

He amazed us all the other morning, however, when one of my lads sat in a pool of ink.   He looked up and said “Ah!  Black bottom!”.  It was the unexpectedness rather than the actual remark which caught us.  We just sat there and laughed – even the bloke with the ink stained pants!

He was telling me the other morning (via the interpreter of course) that he had a little son nearly a year old and as I had a few army biscuits in my drawer I gave him them to take home.  I thought he was going to embrace me he was so pleased.  It makes one feel so sorry for these Sicilians.  They will give and do anything for any scrap of army rations they can get hold of!  Musso certainly took all their produce from them.

Well, Darling; you will think it is your birthday when you get two sea letters from me written within four days of each other!

Remember that I am still loving you as much as ever, my Dear, and still don’t agree that one can love a person too much (remember trying to tell me one night that one could?)

Although the fact of loving you so much combined with the great distance that separates us, sometimes irritates me to a very great extent I still can’t believe there is any truth in that argument.  I wish I was near you so I could start a first class argument – but that will have to wait until next time we are together.

On second thoughts perhaps we shall be are too busy doing other things than arguing next time we meet so we’ll cancel it indefinitely! ! !

Cheerio for now Angel and keep on loving and thinking about me.

Always yours, Stan.  Xxxxx

P.S. The Italian draughtsman thinks you have a kind face!  No!  You need not blush; neither.

 

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