Friday, 24 March, 1944 - Stan's Letter

2364226
Sergt. S. Bristow
Headquarters                                                                                127.
15 L of C Signals
Cen Med Forces

24 Mar 44

My Very Own Darling,

Work’s finished for another day and before I turn in for the night, I thought I’d write an odd line or two as promised in my letter of two days ago.

You made me really jealous dear when you told me how you were sitting in front of a blazing fire listening to the wireless.  I longed to be by your side, able to put my arm round you and tantalise you as I used to do when we were together.  We spent some heavenly evenings in front of a really good fire at home didn’t we, sharing that big armchair in Vera’s room.  Each time I hear Victor Sylvester I think of those evenings.

How is Vera, by the way.  You haven’t mentioned her in your letters recently.  Give my love (a little bit anyhow) to your Mother & Father & Vera, will you.  I must write to them when I have a spare moment.

As you know Vesuvius is erupting at the moment & an amazing thing happened yesterday.  When I awoke the sky was absolutely black – blacker than I have ever seen it, and about 9 a.m. it started raining mud!!  It was an amazing thing.  It kept on all morning & by lunchtime everything had a coating of reddish-black mud.

It was funny to see blokes coming into the office with their faces looking as though they had done a shift down the pit.

The explanation for this phenomenon is apparently that Vesuvius is shooting all this dust etc up into the sky hundreds of feet & the rain clouds had caught it & transported it right across country to the district where I am.  I’ll send you a newspaper cutting about it, by sea mail.

I should very much like to get to Naples to see this eruption, but I can’t seem to manage it.  I was speaking to an officer yesterday who was saying what a wonderful yet frightening sight it was.

Well Darling, we’re down to the bottom of the page again, so once more its “au revoir”.  I am loving you more & more as the day draws slowly closer when we shall be together again.

All my love, Stan.   xxxxxxxxxxxxx


The copy of the 'Union Jack' newspaper dated 24 March, sent separately by sea mail.

#royalsignalsWWII   #royalsignalsworldwar2   #soldierWWII   #Italy1944  #ItalyWW2 

#truelovestory  #lovestoryWWII   #lovestoryworldwar2  #1940slovestory #wartimelovestory  #lovestoryinletters  #loveletters  


Comments

  1. Roger de Mercado25 March 2026 at 12:27

    The last word of the first line under 'Rain of Mud' appears to have been changed to remove identification of place, presumably by a censor whose blue outline and tick I assume we see.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz Whitehouse25 March 2026 at 17:38

      Well spotted, Roger! In fact, the word has been carefully cut out of the newspaper, which I did not notice. This may have been done by Stan himself, who also put the lines around the relevant story. I don't think the censor would have been so careful as to cut out the one tiny word, which I assume was 'Bari'. But who knows?

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thank you for your comment. I will post it on the page as soon as possible.

Popular posts from this blog

Monday, 20 March, 1944 - An Understanding Censor

Image
2364226 Sergt. Bristow S, Headquarters 15 L of C Signals                                                                                      123. Cen Med Forces 20 Mar 44 My Very Own Darling, Yesterday was about the most spring-like day we’ve had yet, and at lunchtime I was sitting in the window bottom in the office taking full advantage of the sun, dozing a little and dreaming a little.   All I needed to feel really contented was a letter from you.   I had been sat there for only a few minutes when lo and behold, along came the Post N.C.O. with two lett...
Read more

Monday, 10 April, 1944

  G.H.N.                                                                                (117) 10-4-44 My Very Own Darling, To-day is my first day on duty following my week-end.  I decided not to go home after all as it would have meant travelling home Good Friday and returning Easter Sunday.  Knowing the usual crowd for the Doncaster bus on Sunday and knowing how Grimethorpe people like to “get away for the holidays” I decided to “stay put” for Easter and rest my weary bones here.  Yes, I felt really tired and ready for my week-end. What sort of Easter did you have Dear?...
Read more

Friday, 3 April, 1942

  Address as usual Good Friday evening          My dear Grace, You certainly are getting good.   Fancy replying to my letter within 24 hours – and you who told me you only wrote four letters per month! I am told that to reply to a letter immediately is a piece of bad correspondenceship, but believe me, I like it.   Just to show you there’s no ill feeling too, I am writing straight back to you.   That’s three letters in one week.   Do you think we shall be able to keep it up? I am glad to hear that there is a chance of us being together again next week-end but in your next letter I want you to do one thing – that is assure me that you can spare the time from your exam swotting to come out with me on Saturday and Sunday.   I shall be extremely disappointed if you think you can’t spare the time, but remember you simply have to pass this exam! My Officer Commanding has not been in too good a mood to-day, and when I asked h...
Read more