Chapter 1: The Legacy of Love

From an early age, Winston Churchill was a familiar presence in my life, although the reasons for this remained a mystery until much later. A signed photo of him was a staple on my grandmother's mantelpiece, and her bookcase housed copies of his autobiographies, some inscribed just for her. Our family lore hinted that she had cared for him during the war, yet the full story remained elusive until her passing.

In her final months, my grandmother's grip on the present seemed to loosen as she drifted through memories, recounting adventures that never seemed to have happened in this world. "I visited France yesterday for just a few hours," she would say, despite having not left her home in weeks. This blending of past and present felt like a living séance, where the spirit guiding the conversation was very much alive.

Her memories of the war were vivid and precise. During our talks, she often shared poignant moments, like the time she witnessed a bomb tumble past her window at St Mary's Hospital, where she worked during the Blitz. "It flipped end over end," she would describe, illustrating the scene with her hands, "and landed outside the hospital. Thankfully, it didn’t explode."

A frugal woman, my grandmother was shaped by wartime scarcity. She saved every bit of food and reused scraps, a habit passed down to my mother and eventually to me. Her letters to my grandfather during the war, written on anything from hospital letterheads to torn notebook pages, tell a tale of love and resilience amidst the challenges of wartime life.

In her letters, my grandmother captured both the mundane and the extraordinary. She wrote about rationing, clothing coupons, and her longing for a grapefruit, interspersed with stories of her brother meeting the renowned Soviet sniper, Ludmilla Pavlichenko. These letters not only chronicled her life but also illustrated the enduring love between two people separated by the war.

Chapter 2: A Nurse's Duty

Doris Clayton Greene met her future husband, Roger Miles, amidst the chaos of the Blitz while she worked as a night nurse at St Mary's. Their romance blossomed against a backdrop of destruction and despair, echoing scenes reminiscent of the film Atonement, where the stark realities of war collided with personal struggles.

Doris often recalled the harrowing moments as they prepared for the arrival of casualties. The dust from the bombs coated the wounded, transforming their once-sterile hospital into a scene of chaos. "They were covered in white dust," she recalled. "We had to wash them down with hoses."

The couple married in January 1942, just two weeks before Roger was deployed with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Over the next four years, they exchanged nearly daily letters, each one revealing the longing and love that transcended their physical separation.

In January 1943, when Churchill fell gravely ill with pneumonia, Doris was called to care for him. The stakes were high, as pneumonia was often fatal during that time, and Churchill's health was precarious. Doris arrived at No. 10 Downing Street, greeted by Churchill's doctor, who warned her of the Prime Minister's unconventional habits.

Her letters to Roger during this time provide a glimpse into her life at the heart of British government. She often wrote late at night, sharing details of her responsibilities and the peculiarities of Churchill's nighttime routine.

"Dorothy and I have taken over the study," she wrote, humorously recounting their late-night antics. "Can you imagine all of that on Hitler's desk?"

Doris's time with Churchill included a retreat to Chequers, where she enjoyed the comforts of good food and royal visits before returning to her life at St Mary's.

Doris passed away shortly after her 100th birthday, leaving behind a legacy of love and resilience. The photograph Churchill gifted her in 1943 now holds a place of honor in my home, serving as a reminder of her extraordinary life and the sacrifices made during a tumultuous time.

In her final letter to Roger, she expressed a longing for peace and togetherness: "Darling, sometimes I miss you so much that I want to scream... I want you to come and kiss me, and I’d forget about everything, and think of nothing but you."

This testament to love amidst the chaos of war encapsulates not just my grandmother's experience but also the enduring power of the human spirit.