Stan and Grace

 The tone of Stan and Grace's letters over the last couple of weeks has been extremely positive in terms of the progress of the war, so let's take this opportunity to read the Daily Record for 21 August and see what is happening in France. A new front was started in the South of France and the Daily record reports that the American Army is now 16 miles north of Marseilles. In the north, following D-Day on 6 June, the Allied Armies have continued to drive across northern France.  As can be seen from the map they have now reached Versailles and will soon enter Paris.  In response, there has been an uprising by the population of Paris and even the Germans are now admitting this.  The 'German Military Commander' in Paris is quoted as saying on the radio that "irresponsible elements have taken up arms against the occupation authorities". In other news, Rumania has surrendered to Russian troops. You can see why Stan and Grace keep thinking that the German authoritie...

G.H.N.                                                                                                167 20-8-44 My Very Precious Darling, I thought that the good weather could not last for long.   As I write this the rain is pouring down outside.   It does not make much difference to me though as it is Sister’s week-end off and I am “on call” when I am off duty.   That means that I cannot go out even if I wished to. The Ministry of Labour and I seem to be corresponding quite frequently these days!   Another letter arrived from them yesterday tel...

G.H.N.                                                                                166 18.8.44 My Precious Darling, Yesterday should have been my half-day and I did intend writing you yesterday but we unexpectedly admitted some patients so my half-day was cancelled and I was on duty until nearly ten o’clock. However, it is my half-day today and here I am Darling writing to you. Your letter enclosing the snap arrived this morning.   It is a lovely snap and very good of you.   Thank you for it my Dear.   Wish you were near enough for me to thank you in the proper way and th...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen. Med. Forces 17 Aug. 44 .                                                                          191. My Very Own Precious Darling, Your letter of the 11 th which arrived this morning gave me a double thrill.   Firstly, because, I had a letter yesterday & wasn’t therefore expecting one this morning, & secondly because of the way you had signed yourself.   “Your future wife”.   Oh, Darling, that gave me a real kick.   It’s the first time you’ve called yourself that.   It made me feel really proud, but I shan’t be satisfied until I’ve...

  This very worn small photograph (2.75" x 2.25") is not part of the Stan and Grace correspondence.  It shows a man with a boy aged maybe 8  or 9 years.  It has clearly been pinned to a board several times, with torn holes in the corners.  On the back it says: "A Stan con affetto.  Franco,  Mola, 11.8.44" I was puzzled by 'Mola', but having looked it up, Mola is a town within the Metropolitan City of Bari, where we know Stan was stationed, so this makes sense. Clearly this photo meant a lot to Stan, as he kept it long after the war was over, and I wonder what the relationship was between him and Franco.   Maybe Franco was one of the Italian interpreters or a civilian employed in the office?  We will never know.  

G.H.N.                                                                                          165 15.8.44 Dearest, Darling Stan, I was so sorry to read in the letter which you wrote me on our anniversary that you were in bed with a cold.   I do hope that it is much better by now and that you are feeling more like yourself.   I hope that you are being looked after properly Darling – you know you are very precious to me.   How I wish that I could hop on a ‘plane and come out there to look after you. I am afraid that if once I got out there they wo...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen. Med. Forces 14 Aug. 44 .                                                                          189. My Very Own Darling, I didn’t manage to get a letter written to you yesterday as, for a change, I was busy.   I was very pleased to get your Sunday letter & to know that things were going OK at the Hospital etc. & more important, that you still loved me! Yes, Sweetheart, I too have often wondered where our re-union will take place, as you say, wherever it is, it will be so thrilling, but I hope it isn’t on a crowded station, or anywhere like t...

G.H.N.                                                                                                    164 13-8-44 My Very Own Darling, Today is Sunday and my half-day so I thought that I would occupy the first part of it by writing to you. I have just been re-reading your last two letters.   Nothing gives me greater pleasure Darling, than reading your letters.   I am afraid that I filled the greater part of my last letter to you with grouses so consequently did not answer your letters properly. However, I promise you that there will no...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen. Med. Forces 11 Aug. 44 .                                                                                                        188. My Very Own Darling, The APO are really working wonders these days!  The letter which arrived from you yesterday evening was posted on 6 Aug – a vast improvement on the far off days in Nth. Africa when even air letters used to take as long as 12 days.  As the letter which arrived last night was the second in two days, I have got t...

G.H.N. 9-8-44                                                                                           162 10.10 p/m My Very Own Darling, I received two air-letters from you this morning so consequently have been happy for the rest of the day.   You had written one on Aug: 1 st and one on 30 July. So you have been doing yourself well and going out to dinner, have you?   You did not tell me what you had to eat!! Sorry that the dance following was not much of a success as far as you were concerned.   As for me getting suspi...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow                         Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen. Med. Forces 8 Aug. 44 .                                                                                                      187. My Very Own Precious Darling, I suppose you’ll have been wondering in the past few days how I was getting on.   Am pleased to say that my day in bed on Sunday seemed to do the trick, for although I am still a bit heady I didn’t have to stop off work. ...

G.H.N.                                                                                      161 6-8-44 My Precious Darling, First of all I must begin this “anniversary” letter by apologising for the dreadful smudge at the top of the page.   The trouble is that I am lying on my tummy – sunbathing – and trying to write.   A very awkward position you must admit. It is a beautiful day – the sun is blazing hot and it is too warm to do anything.   I decided to wash my hair and come out here to dry it, so that is the reason for me lying on my tummy – I am trying to dry the back of my hair...

G.H.N. 5.8.44                                                                                  160 My Precious Darling Two more letters arrived from you this morning!   It really is grand Darling, receiving all these letters from you.   According to the postmark on one of them it had only taken five days to come. So you have had yet another photograph taken!   Some people are lucky!   Wish that I could get a film over here – not that I begrudge you having a film Dear – not by any means, I am only too pleased that you can get films but it would be rather nice to have ...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen. Med. Forces 4 Aug. 44 .                                                                            186. My Very Own Precious Darling, I didn’t manage to say all I wanted in my last night’s letter and so tonight I thought I would answer the sea letter which arrived yesterday. In your letter you make reference to moonlight bathing.   We went last night and are hoping to go again tonight, for its full moon tonight.   The advantage of moonlight bathing is that you needn’t wear a costume & I can assure you it is much pleasanter swimming i...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen. Med. Forces 3 Aug. 44 .                                                                            185. My Very Own Darling, The postman was very kind to me today and presented me with three letters, two of them to my great delight coming from you.   One was the sea letter which you wrote to me whilst you were in Edinburgh, whilst the other was an air letter dated 28 Jul 44.   The sea letter had taken only 3 weeks, so it didn’t do too badly. The third letter was from Mother telling me that my Grandad had died.   It's rather tragic f...

G.H.N.                                                            160 2-8-44 My Precious Darling, Two more air-letters arrived from you this morning one being dated July 23 rd and the other the 26 th .   Three letters in two days!   Good going isn’t it? I have started writing this in my lunch time and as we do not get much time for lunch I shall not be able to finish it. Nothing much has happened since I wrote you yesterday.   Just the usual “daily rounds and common tasks”!   Mr Allen was in a good mood this morning when he did his round as two of his ill patients are making satisfactory progress and believe me – having Mr Allen in a good mood is a lot to be thankful...