Stan and Grace

G.H.N. 20-4-44 My Own Darling, An air letter and a sea letter arrived from you yesterday so I consider it was my lucky day. The sea letter was the one containing the snaps you had taken in the cafe.   I think that they are very good ones.   Have you sent any home?   If not I will take these when I go again. How is it that a fountain pen never lasts long with me?   I have broken this nib and it is really a nightmare trying to make it scratch this letter to you.   Yes, I know that I need not try and put the shame of my bad writing on to this broken pen nib and I also know that it cannot make it much more illegible than it usually is.   (Thought that I would save you the trouble of passing a few sarcastic comments). Vera decided to surprise me yesterday.   She baked me one of her special malt loaves.   My friends here and myself certainly appreciated it. Ah! That is better – a friend has lent me her pen. I may probably be going home n...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow, Headquarters, 15 L of C Signals                                                                            137. Cen Med Forces 19 Apr 44. My Very Own Darling, I’ve just finished a very nice lunch of roast pork, baked spuds, onions & apple sauce and am now feeling in a very pleasant mood.   The lunch was helped down too by the fact that just as I was sitting down I was presented with a letter from you, dated 13 Apr. Your mail is coming in very well just now, Darling and it is always much nicer when one gets “fresh” letters.   Six days from England not bad going is it? ...

G. H. N.                                                                              (119) 16-4-44 My Own Darling, It is rather late to start writing a letter but I thought I might manage to write a page or so before the lights out. Have had a very busy day on duty – we are in the middle of “take-in” week and for the last two days the cases have just rolled in – most of them suffering from Appendicitis.   I am sure that if we go on at this rate half the population of Nottingham will have had their Appendix removed before next Wednesday! I have not much news for you at the moment Darling, not h...

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...

G.H.N.                                                                                (118) 13-4-44 My Very Own Darling, Pleased to receive an air letter from you this morning.   I am looking forward to receiving your sea letter enclosing the photograph.   I should receive yours about the same time as you receive mine as they were both posted about the same time. You asked me if I had finally decided upon Edinburgh for my holidays.   Yes, both Kit and I are going – all being well.   Of course, so many things may happen before July, that we may have to alter our plans and ...

2364226 Sergt S. Bristow Headquarters                                                                                 136. 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 12 Apr 44 My Very Own Darling, I spent the greater part of Easter Sunday afternoon and evening sitting on the pier writing a sea letter to you.   It seemed such a long time since I had written a lengthy epistle to you and as I seemed to have plenty of odds and ends to write about I set to work and turned out quite a long one.   Actually it is 11 pages long, but as the paper is twice the size of the stuff I usually use, I t...

  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?...

2364226                                                              Sergt.S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces                                                                                      132. 7 Apr 44 My Very Own Darling, It is Good Friday today and I’ve just been thinking of past Good Fridays an...

G.H.N. 6-4-44 My Very Own Darling, I could not let the sixth of the month pass without writing to you.   As each sixth goes by I wonder how many more will pass before we are together again. It is almost ten o-clock.   Two years and two months ago we were dancing in each others arms, having met each other for the first time.   I never realised that such a strong love would ever grow between us.   In fact, I thought that I would never see you again after that week-end.   My Darling, you have no idea how thankful I am that everything turned out just as it has done, all except our being parted.   Even this parting between us has taught us something – and that is to value our love for each other.   I don’t think we will ever take it for granted after this, do you?   I am afraid that that is not a very good description of how I really feel about it all deep down but I guess you feel the same way so you will understand. Your “sermon” duly arriv...

2364226                                                                                        131. Sergt.S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 5 Apr 43 My Very Own Darling, I feel quite homesick after reading the letter you wrote dated 27 March. Your news of playing tennis in grand spring weather and of the violets, daffodils etc makes me yearn more than ever to be at home by your side. Spring is such a lovely, exciting period of the year, isn’t it?   It makes me feel good to be alive, when one looks around & sees ever...

G.H.N.                                                                                          (115) 3.4.44 My Very Own Darling A letter arrived from you this morning.   An air letter dated March 24 th .   In it you said that I made you jealous when I told you that I was sitting in front of a blazing fire.   Darling, how I wish that you were able to be by my side again and put your arm around me – as you used to.   It seems so long ago doesn’t it, since we did that? I posted my photograph to you this morning so I hope it ...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals                                                                            130 Cen Med Forces 3 Apr 44 My Very Own Darling, I had quite a beano yesterday when the sea mail arrived, for I was presented with five letters, two of which were from you.   I have written a sea letter back in reply. In it I placed a better print of one of the photographs I had taken in our cafe the other week.   The interpreter had some enlargements done & so I snaffled one. It was such a grand day yesterday that I took a couple of hours off after lunch & s...

Nurses Home General Hospital Nottingham 2-4-44 My Very Own Darling, Here at last is the promised photograph*.   I hope that it reaches you safely and is not long on its journey.    I am able to send it a week earlier than I expected.   I decided to call in the photographers yesterday to see if it was ready knowing that it probably would not be until next week but my luck was in – so here you are. Do not mislay this one Darling I do not think I can face the ordeal of the camera again and another thing – the camera may not stand the ordeal again! I am writing this Sunday afternoon.   It is a miserable day – throwing it down with rain and cold too.   However, there is a nice fire burning so it does help to make life a little more pleasant er .   Nearly tripped up over my grammar there – but then I guess I often do! One disadvantage of Sunday is that there is no post to look forward to.   The other six days of the week I always wa...

G.H.N. 30.3.44 My Own Darling, I received a letter from you yesterday dated March 22 nd .   The letter I received previous to that was dated March 11 th , so where the letters are you have written me between those dates only the A.P.O. knows. One paragraph in your last letter referred to a letter you had written on March 20 th – not yet received.   I am anxiously awaiting the “sermon” as you chose to call it and wondering what it can all be about. However, I am used to waiting now so I guess I shall have to curb my curiosity for a while. I received a letter from home this morning.   Vera is about to “go all glamorous” by having her hair permed.   Mother has managed to get hold of a pair of Irish linen sheets for me.   I am afraid that my tastes in linen as in everything else are rather expensive!   I would rather have a small stock of good things than a large stock of inferior articles. There was only one other item of news from Grimethorpe, ...

2364226 Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters                                                                                 128. 15 L of C Signals Cen Med Forces 27 Mar 44      My Very Own Darling, The Army Post Office rose to unprecedented heights yesterday by delivering an air letter to me five days after you had posted it.   It was, to use an Americanism, a new all time high!   That’s the quickest I have ever received a letter from you since I left England.   It is grand to get letters so quickly, isn’t it?    Your letters are always interesting, b...