Stan and Grace

G.H.N.                                                                                          (84) 25-12-43        11.50 p/m My Very Own Darling, Christmas Day – and what a day! or I should say what an evening! I suppose you will be wondering what I have done with myself this Christmas as much as I am looking forward to hearing what you have done with yourself.   I hope that you have enjoyed yourself, Darling, - as much as you could, anyway, under the circumstances. 26-12-43 To begin with the Theatre Staff gav...

  2364226 Sergt . S. Bristow Unit Headquarters ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 91. 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 23 Dec 43 ​   My Very Own Darling,   I had a pleasant surprise today when a parcel arrived for me and when I opened it and found it contained books from you, Dear, my joy was complete!  Reading material was beginning to get in short supply & so your kindly thought has saved the day.    Although your thoughtfulness is appreciated tremendously, Darling, I can’t help feeling a little bit selfish about getting a present from you, for after all you are forgoing all these little pleasures and having things for  our  home   aren’t you?  I don’t want you to have to do all the dirty work.  Do you see my point?  So, Darling, next time you feel like buying me something, buy something for  us  &  after putting it in the secret hoard of yours, write & tell me all about it & I shall be just as pleased and thril...

Nurses Home General Hospital ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (83) Nottingham 19-12-43 ​ ​   My Very Own Darling,   I am starting this letter at 2.30 a/m but as I am expecting Sister to appear any moment –   20-12-43 Yes Sister did arrive and I was unable to get back to my letter.  As I am not very busy to-night I should manage to write it now without further interruption.   In your last sea letter Darling you said that even though we had been separated for so many months they had been happy ones.  I agree with you – they have.  As I write this I realise that it is just over ten months since I last saw you.  We were a miserable pair that last day together.   I bet you remember – I was very optimistic and said that you might only be away a year.  You said that you would probably be away two years or even longer.  I wonder who will be right?  It cannot be too soon for me and I am sure that it cannot be for you.   In the last ten months your ...

G. H. N.                                                                                        (82) 17.12.43         11 p.m. My Very Own Darling, I arrived back her at 2 p.m., my train being exactly three-quarters of an hour late. Coming back from nights-off is always pretty awful but it can never be as bad as when I used to come back after leaving you. When I reached my bedroom there was an air-letter waiting for me and your Christmas Airgraph.   Your air-letter was written on the fourth of December telling me that y...

2364226 Sergt S. Bristow                                                                                       89 (or 90?) 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 17 Dec 43              My Very Own Darling, After a silence of 12 days, which seemed interminable Dear, another of your “lifesavers” arrived on the scene.   No, Darling, it isn’t your fault!   As usual the A.P.O. appear to have mislaid or otherwise lost one of your letters, for there is a gap between 27 Nov and 3 Dec and I am sure that you have written at least one letter during all that time, haven...

Grimethorpe                                                                                            (80) My Own Darling, I could not say all that I wanted to say in my previous letter so I thought that I would pen you another air-letter.   I did think of sending you an ordinary letter but they take such an age to reach you so I decided upon this. As I told you in my previous letter I went up to 19’ last Tuesday and was presented with my Christmas presents.   I suppose Darling that you will want to know what you have given me for Christmas!  ...

Grimethorpe                                                                       79 – I think 14-12-43        My Own Darling, Your letter dated 30 th Nov: arrived this morning.   Kit had posted it on to me. Yes, I am on my “nights off”.   Last Friday night Sister asked me if I would mind having my nights off from the 13 th – 17 th but on Sunday morning she asked me if I could take them from then until the 16 th .   I could hardly refuse and anyhow it does not make any difference now that you are not here. I caught the 2.30 p.m. train from Nott:m and after waiting nearly an hour at Derby arrive...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow                                                                                      88. Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 14 Dec 43        11 p.m. My Very Own Darling, Like you, I am on night duty tonight, but I have the privilege of going to bed (or at least sleep) in the office when everything is quiet.   Before I turn in, however, I thought I would do something which perhaps you are doing at this very moment (if your patients are behaving themselves) & that is writing a letter to the perso...

2364226                                                                                                        87. Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 12 Dec 43        My Very Own Darling, It is an absolutely glorious night tonight.   The moon is full & it’s shining out of a cloudless sky, making the evening almost as bright as day.   I finished work about 8 p.m. tonight & it was so nice outside that I decided that I would have a stroll out a...

Nurses Home, General Hospital Nottingham 8-12-43        2 a.m. My Own Darling, I started writing you an ordinary letter a few days ago but could not get past the first few lines so I decided to make another attempt. In one of your air letters received yesterday you said that a sea letter of 45 pages was on its way to me.   I only hope that it all gets past the Censor.   I am certainly looking forward to receiving it. One of these days I think that I shall have some of them printed.   They will certainly make an interesting book. Mind you – I only said some of them! Sister has just been along with the good news that I can go for my “nights off” next Monday.   That will be the 13 th – 17 th . I feel ready for them too.   Mother has had an attack of Influenza so I suppose she could do with me at home for a short spell.   Also, I seem to have such heaps of things to do before Christmas that this will give me a good opp...

G.H.N.                                                                                          (75) 8-12-43   9 a.m. My Own Darling, Yesterday morning’s post brought me two air-letters from you, one dated Nov. 24 th and one dated Nov: 26 th , so it had only taken them about ten days to arrive in England. I really intended writing this letter some time during the night but I did not have chance for a meal never mind a letter.   Between 8 p.m. and 8.30 a.m. I had exactly one cup of tea and one piece of cake.   The only opport...

2364226                                                                                        86. Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 5 Dec 43      My Very Own Darling, I think that this is about the fourth night in succession I have written to you.   Amazing isn’t it?   I thought I would try and write as many letters as I could in the next few days, however, for Dec 8 is the last day of posting Air Mail letter cards here to ensure their delivery by Christmas.   At least that is what the Army ...

2364226                                                                                        85. Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 4 Dec 43                  My Very Own Darling,   I was so excited when I got your letter this evening & learned that you were at last a fully fledged nurse, my Darling.   I only wish I was near enough to show you in a certain way (that you can guess) how really pleased I am.   I wish I could give you a real big hug & kiss in...

2364226                                                                                        84. Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 3 Dec 43        My Very Own Darling, I had rather a hectic morning, this morning.   I had to go the nearest town today on business & so I took the opportunity of buying some powder & lipstick for you.   Don’t get too enthusiastic however, Dear, for being pessimistic, I am sure it won’t be the right shade.   I certainly isn’t peach, by any means! H...