Sunday, 16 April, 1944 - Stan's letter

2364226
Sergt. S. Bristow,
Headquarters,
15 L of C Signals                                                                                   137.
Cen Med Forces

16 Apr 44.

My Very Own Darling,

The letter you wrote on 6^th April 44 arrived yesterday evening and its contents gave me quite a kick, Darling.  As you say, it is so difficult to describe ones feelings towards one another, but I understand all your feelings in the deepest sense.  This long enforced parting has certainly made both of us realize the strength of the love which binds us so closely together and as you remark, we shall never get to the tragic state of taking each other for granted.

I had to smile when you thanked me about being sensible regarding your joining the Forces!  I can be sensible occasionally, you see Darling!!  However, I sincerely hope that you manage to remain at Nottingham until I get home again then of course, there’ll be no need to join any Forces, except forces with me!  Together we should manage to get something out of the dark days that will follow this war.  What do you say?  How I am waiting, sometimes patiently & more often than not impatiently, for that day to dawn when hand in hand we shall go forward into the world to put into operation all our much-thought of plans.

I have had quite a pleasant afternoon and evening today.  As there wasn’t much work to do the Adjutant and I went out for a ride round.  We went inland from the sea to a more agricultural locality.  It was very nice to see everything looking so fresh in the brilliant sunlight.  The cherry blossom has almost finished, but its place is being taken by apple & peach blossom which is just as pretty.  The part of the country that we visited is well-known for its quaint houses*.  They are just like overgrown beehives of this pattern 

(poor drawing but your know what I mean) and look very picturesque.

Always, however, when I have these trips out & see all these quaint places I feel that I should enjoy them more if you were by my side to share them.  I wonder if we shall ever manage any continental trips after we are married?  I saw in the paper the other day someone prophesying that travel between countries would be cheaper after the war, so one never knows.

Well, Darling, its past 10 p.m. & time I was getting off to sleep.  I wish you were here to give me one of those old “goodnight embraces” which used to thrill me so when we were together.  I’ll just have to use my imagination, however, so “Goodnight”.

Always yours, Angel, Stan.   Xxxxxxxxxx 

The buildings that Stan saw are called "trulli".  This photo shows trulli in present-day Italy and is from https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/787/  The UNESCO World Heritage Site web site says that these buildings are "made of roughly-worked limestone boulders collected from neighbouring fields.  Characteristically, they feature pyramidal, domed or conical roofs built up of corbelled limestone slabs."  They are traditional working people's houses in the Puglia region.

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