Sunday, 6 August, 1944 - Two Letters

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.

Also Darling, I could hardly let the sixth go by without writing to you.  I wonder how many more months will pass by before we are together again.  I sincerely hope there will not be many more.  I love you so much my Darling – yes, I know that I have told you that hundreds of times before but I also know that you never tire of hearing it as I never tire of hearing it from you. 

We have indeed a great deal to make up when you do come home.  There are often times when I feel so lonely without you and long for you so very much.

Have you ever wondered Darling where our re-union will take place?  I often think about it and wonder will it be on a station, at home or where will it be?  Wherever it is I know that I shall be too gloriously happy to care.

4 hrs later

It is the cool of the evening now Dear.  Just the sort of evening I would love to be out walking arm in arm with you over Brierley Common or through the fields at Grimethorpe – remember those days Darling?

You would hardly recognise Brierley Common now.  When I was at home on holiday I noticed that almost all the Common had been ploughed over and crops were growing on it.*

My one vivid recollection of the Common is one Sunday morning when I was out walking with a certain young man and the wind blew my skirt up!  Ah me!  Those were happy days.  Until they come again, my love, you will still have all my love.  Apologies again for the blots!!  

Grace xxxxxx

  

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

6 Aug. 44.                                                                           187.

My Very Own Darling,

I’ve done a very silly trick!  I’ve gone and caught a chill and so I’ve spent today in bed with a streaming nose and buzzing head.  Colds are dreadful things, aren’t they for making you depressed.

Whatever depression I have had, however, was banished this evening when a bloke put his head round the door and threw me a letter with the most-looked for postmark on.  Your letter was only posted at 5 p.m. on the 2nd so actually its taken only four days, a record for our mail I think.  Good isn’t it?

Despite the cold etc. I could not let our anniversary pass without writing to you so I’ll do my best!

The only thing of note since I last wrote was our dinner last night.  We invited about a dozen friends and had a real tuck in!  Soup, fish, beef & salad & to finish off ice-cream & fresh peaches.  Terrible when you consider we are supposed to be fighting a war.  Our mess is getting quite a good name in the neighbourhood for the quality of its hospitality.

Of course we all like entertaining, but none of us can invite the people we would most like to – our wives and girls.  I should love you to spend a night in our mess & meet all the people I live with.  They’ve heard so much about you, too Darling, that I’m sure they would enjoy meeting you.

And then of course I could take you walking in the moonlight in the warm evening breeze & we could sit on the silvery sand and, listening to the music of the waves be happy in one another’s company.  That’s the sort of thing I have been dreaming about all the day as I have laid here in bed.  Yes, I have a high temperature but I am not delirious, or at least if being delirious means having beautiful dreams of you, Darling, I am pleased I am!!

Yes, Angel, when you visited your friend and saw how happy and comfortable he is with his wife, it must make you feel very envious, I know it would me.

I am so looking forward to that happy moment when we can walk into a cosy little house & say to each other “This is home – where we belong”.  When that happens one of my biggest dreams will have come true, but of course Darling you must be there as well.  I wonder if we shall be able to find ourselves a house quickly in the mad rush after the war.  I do hope so.

I love you, lots and lots and lots, my Darling.  For you to hold me in your arms & never let me go is the only medicine which will cure all my ills!

Keep loving me Darling.  Your own Stan xxxxxxxx

*  Until the Second World War there was still much 'common' land, which belonged to the community and anyone was free to graze animals there - a left-over from Medieval times before land was 'enclosed' in the late 1700's.  Such was the need to grow food during WWII that much of the remaining common land was enclosed and given over to food production. 


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