Friday, 21 January, 1944

2364226
Sergt. S. Bristow,
Headquarters
15 L of C Signals
Cen Med Forces                                                                           105.

21 Jan 44

My Very Own Darling,

I’ve spent the last couple of minutes adding up and taking away and have come to the conclusion that if the Army Post Office keep up the good record they have established recently of delivering my letter to you in 9 – 10 days, this one should just about arrive in time for your birthday.

Anyway, just in case it does, I’ll start by wishing you lots of happiness on your birthday – and here’s an extra typewritten couple of birthday kisses XXX.  I hope I shall be back to give them to you in person on your next birthday.  Do you think there’s any chance of that happening?  That’s about the best birthday present I can think of – my homecoming.  We shall have to see what we can do about it for next year!!

But to get from the future back to the present.  I asked Mother to do a spot of scouting around to see if she could find a birthday present for you on my behalf.  I haven’t heard from her yet as to whether she was successful or not, but if she was, I hope her choice was to your liking, Darling.  Being so far away and not able to buy you things is one of the many irritating things about life at present. 

How did you nights off at Grimethorpe go down?  Was the weather kind to you or was it as bad as it was on the last occasion we were at home together?  I noted from the football results this week-end that there were a lot of matches put off or stopped after a few minutes play, so it looks as though the Clerk of the Weather hasn’t been on his best behaviour of late!

Anyway, if I know you, once you got home the weather wouldn’t trouble you a great deal as long as there was a nice warm bed and alternatively a blazing fire to occupy your time.  Sitting in front of the fire won’t have the same interest now as it did 12 months ago, though I’ll wager.  I was thinking only the other evening of those very pleasant hours we have lounged together in front of a really good fire.  Such a pleasant and contented atmosphere, wasn’t it, despite the fact that it was my embarkation leave.  That is one of the parts of our married life that I am most looking forward to.  Won’t it be grand to be able to shut ourselves into our own house on cold winters evenings, and in a chair in front of a really grand fire be able to recapture the atmosphere that we first experienced on a winter’s afternoon just over a year ago.  Remember how pleasantly drowsy we both were and how nice it was to hear the wireless playing those musical comedy selections in the background, competing with the noise of the snow and the wind outside.  Ah me!  That afternoon seems years distant now!

How did you find everyone at home?  Mother mentioned that Vera had been in bed again, but didn’t say anything about your Mother and Father last time she wrote.  I hope they are standing the wintry weather O.K.  All the members of the Bristow Clan were reported to be on the up and up.  Janet apparently has just had an exam in music.  I am wondering how she has fared.  She certainly appears to have all the brains of the Bristow family, doesn’t she?

Life out here continues to be very boring and not half as interesting as the days in North Africa, when whilst being far enough away from the scrapping to be comparatively safe, one was also near enough to find happenings interesting (and on occasions thrilling).

Still, I suppose I mustn’t grumble.  There’s one very pleasing fact and that is Darling that the days are slowly ticking past and each one of them is one day nearer to that all important day when this dreary existence of being away from you ceases and we can set about building all the things we have dreamed about so much in the past.  I really wonder how far away that happy day is.  Perhaps it isn’t wise to ask that question too often!!

However, Angel, you know that however long it takes for that day to dawn you will always have my love.

Always yours, Stan  xxxxxxxx

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