Stan and Grace

Grimethorpe 24.10.44                                                                                    198 My Darling, As promised in my other letter I am carrying on here from where I left off so here is hoping that you receive them both together. I was very surprised to read in your last letter that you had received an air-letter from me in three days.   I think that that is the best record ever.   Your last letter took only five days to come. In spite of all our grouses against the A.P.O. at times, we must admit – they take some beating. Thank you for the almonds which are on their way Dear. ...

G. H. N. 22.10.44                                                                    197 My Very Own Darling, I am writing this on my last evening at the G.H.N.   I can hardly realise that it really is my last night here. My bedroom at the moment is hardly recognisable, as I have just been trying to pack.   I thought that I had taken the majority of my belongings home but when I started packing I realised that I had not. Yesterday the postman brought me two letters from you, one of which you had written before the three which I received the previous day.   Where it has been hiding I do not know. I did intend answering them tonight and t...

2364226                                                                    Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen. Med. Forces 22 Oct. 44 .                                                                           224. My Very Own Darling, The end of another week & the beginning of yet another.   I’m not sorry to see the end of this week, neither, for its been a disastrous week – you know the sort of week when nothing has gon...

G.H.N. 20.10.44                                                                    196 My Most Precious Darling, Imagine my delight when after six days without receiving any letters from you I received three air letters from you this morning.   Yes, it certainly put me in high spirits for the rest of the day. In one of your letters you said that you were anxious to hear the result of our interview at Barnsley.   Well, by now you will have received my letter telling you that both Kit and myself got the posts.   I can hardly realise that I have only two more days to work here.   As I look back over the past four years here in some respec...

G.H.N. 19.10.44                                                                                     195 My Very Own Darling, The A.P.O. must be slipping again as it is five whole days since I last received a letter from you.   However, there is no telling what to-morrow may bring. I am sure that the maid who gives out our letters must get tired of me as I enquire if any more post has been delivered every time I pass her. Yesterday morning the Hospital’s Anniversary Service was held at St. Mary’s Church.   Sister or Staff Nurse from each ward is supposed to go.   As Sister was on duty and I was off, it fell my lot to attend same.   The service was given by Lord Long of Lambeth w...

2364226                                                                    Sergt. S. Bristow Headquarters 15 L of C Signals Cen. Med. Forces 18 Oct. 44 .                                                                           223. Hello, my own Precious Darling, The APO have worked wonders since my last letter, having delivered two letters from you and, believe it or not, both of them in 3 days.   Amazing isn’t it?   The liberation of ...

G.H.N. 17.10.44                                                                                                                194 My Very Own Darling, Have not much news for you but a letter is always welcome, is it not? Have had rather a hectic morning in the operating theatre with a “case”.   In fact I was quite exhausted at the end of it.   In the first place it was a big abdominal operation, secondly Mr Allen, the surgeon, was in a bad mood and thirdly the patient did not take his anaesthetic very well.   The patient twisted and turned and struggled and did everything he ought not ...