Stan and Grace

Nurses Home General Hospital Nottingham 6-1-44 My Own Darling, Once again it is the sixth – our anniversary.   One whole year and eleven months since we first met.   What a lot has happened in that time too. It is exactly one year ago to-day that I rang Matron up and told her that I could not get back.   I still feel glad that I did – don’t you? I received a letter from your Mother two days ago.   In it she mentioned that she had written a letter to you and recalled the night of the factory dance.   I quite enjoyed that night.   What time was it in the morning when you got home? Do you remember the morning when you did not get home until about 4 a/m? Vera said when I was at home last that Mother had been wondering what time you got home that morning.   She does not know yet. Ah me!   What heavenly days those were – and nights. I wonder how soon they will be repeated? Do you remember also how horribly cold and snowy it was l...

  2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow, Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces                                                                                                                               98. 4 Jan 44 My Very Own Darling, Your letter written on Christmas Day arrived this morning, much to my delight.  Pleased to hear that you managed to keep sober throughout the festivities and that on the whole you managed to have a good time, everything be...

G.H.N                                                             3-1-44 1 a.m. My Own Darling, I have not as yet got used to writing ‘44 instead of ’43.   1943 was quite an eventful year, wasn’t it?   I wonder what this new year will bring. I think that this is also going to be an eventful year. A year ago to-night Darling we were together – at the front of a blazing fire.   I guess I was looking at the clock and telling you to go but not wanting you to go at all. Tonight I am sitting at a desk writing this to you and we are miles and miles away.   We neither of us thought last year that you would be somewhere in Italy – though we did wonder. It makes me wonder where we shall both be next year at this time. In one of your recent letters you seemed quite worried about the fact that I might be joining the...

AIRGRAPH 2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow, Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces                                                                            97. 2 Jan 44 ON SEEING THIS YOU WILL NO DOUBT GUESS THAT I HAVE NO AIR LETTERS ON HAND AT THE MOMENT.   AS YOU KNOW, THIS RATHER PUBLIC WAY OF CARRYING ON A CORRESPONDENCE IS ALWAYS A LAST RESORT!! I WROTE A SEA LETTER TO YOU YESTERDAY EVENING*, BUT I WAS SITTING IN THE MESS TONIGHT DREAMING OF YOU (AS USUAL) AND DECIDED THAT I WOULD COME BACK INTO THE OFFICE TO TYPE THIS AIRGRAPH. A YEAR AGO TONIGHT WE WERE TRIPPING THE LIGHT FANTASTIC AT THE D...

G.H.N.                                                                                                          (85) 31-12-43     My Own Darling, This morning’s post brought me another letter from you.   It was dated Dec 23 rd and in it you told me that you had received the books.   I am glad that you like them.   I only hope that you find them interesting. You also said in your letter that you did not want me to do all the dirty work as regards collecting things for our ...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow                                                                            96. Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 29 Dec 43        My Very Own Darling, I am doing well for mail from you this week.   You have performed the “hat trick” for Christmas – three air letters in three days & a sea letter thrown in for good measure.   Is there any wonder that I am feeling very pleased with myself! It is coming to something when you have to write and tell me what I have bought you for Christmas, isn’t it?   Anyway, Darling, I am pleased Mother...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow                                                                            95. Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 26 Dec 43               My Very Own Darling, Christmas has been very good as far as mail from you is concerned, for following closely upon your sea letter (Nov 6) which I received yesterday, came two air letters dated 8 and 14 Dec respectively.   You were at home, of course, when you wrote the last one. How did your nights off go down?   Did you get plenty of sleep?   I bet you were in need of it and of course ...

G.H.N.                                                                                          (84) 25-12-43        11.50 p/m My Very Own Darling, Christmas Day – and what a day! or I should say what an evening! I suppose you will be wondering what I have done with myself this Christmas as much as I am looking forward to hearing what you have done with yourself.   I hope that you have enjoyed yourself, Darling, - as much as you could, anyway, under the circumstances. 26-12-43 To begin with the Theatre Staff gav...

  2364226 Sergt . S. Bristow Unit Headquarters ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 91. 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 23 Dec 43 ​   My Very Own Darling,   I had a pleasant surprise today when a parcel arrived for me and when I opened it and found it contained books from you, Dear, my joy was complete!  Reading material was beginning to get in short supply & so your kindly thought has saved the day.    Although your thoughtfulness is appreciated tremendously, Darling, I can’t help feeling a little bit selfish about getting a present from you, for after all you are forgoing all these little pleasures and having things for  our  home   aren’t you?  I don’t want you to have to do all the dirty work.  Do you see my point?  So, Darling, next time you feel like buying me something, buy something for  us  &  after putting it in the secret hoard of yours, write & tell me all about it & I shall be just as pleased and thril...

Nurses Home General Hospital ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (83) Nottingham 19-12-43 ​ ​   My Very Own Darling,   I am starting this letter at 2.30 a/m but as I am expecting Sister to appear any moment –   20-12-43 Yes Sister did arrive and I was unable to get back to my letter.  As I am not very busy to-night I should manage to write it now without further interruption.   In your last sea letter Darling you said that even though we had been separated for so many months they had been happy ones.  I agree with you – they have.  As I write this I realise that it is just over ten months since I last saw you.  We were a miserable pair that last day together.   I bet you remember – I was very optimistic and said that you might only be away a year.  You said that you would probably be away two years or even longer.  I wonder who will be right?  It cannot be too soon for me and I am sure that it cannot be for you.   In the last ten months your ...

G. H. N.                                                                                        (82) 17.12.43         11 p.m. My Very Own Darling, I arrived back her at 2 p.m., my train being exactly three-quarters of an hour late. Coming back from nights-off is always pretty awful but it can never be as bad as when I used to come back after leaving you. When I reached my bedroom there was an air-letter waiting for me and your Christmas Airgraph.   Your air-letter was written on the fourth of December telling me that y...

2364226 Sergt S. Bristow                                                                                       89 (or 90?) 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 17 Dec 43              My Very Own Darling, After a silence of 12 days, which seemed interminable Dear, another of your “lifesavers” arrived on the scene.   No, Darling, it isn’t your fault!   As usual the A.P.O. appear to have mislaid or otherwise lost one of your letters, for there is a gap between 27 Nov and 3 Dec and I am sure that you have written at least one letter during all that time, haven...

Grimethorpe                                                                                            (80) My Own Darling, I could not say all that I wanted to say in my previous letter so I thought that I would pen you another air-letter.   I did think of sending you an ordinary letter but they take such an age to reach you so I decided upon this. As I told you in my previous letter I went up to 19’ last Tuesday and was presented with my Christmas presents.   I suppose Darling that you will want to know what you have given me for Christmas!  ...

Grimethorpe                                                                       79 – I think 14-12-43        My Own Darling, Your letter dated 30 th Nov: arrived this morning.   Kit had posted it on to me. Yes, I am on my “nights off”.   Last Friday night Sister asked me if I would mind having my nights off from the 13 th – 17 th but on Sunday morning she asked me if I could take them from then until the 16 th .   I could hardly refuse and anyhow it does not make any difference now that you are not here. I caught the 2.30 p.m. train from Nott:m and after waiting nearly an hour at Derby arrive...