D -15

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Wednesday 27^th  February

10.45 pm.

My own most precious darling,

Another letter from you today – your Saturday letter which certainly hasn’t taken long to get here, for which, darling, many thanks.  I’ve not seen Francois Rosay but remember reading in a Picture Post, I think it was, about her, she must be a very clever actress despite her looks.  I did a spot of film going myself this evening and went to see Vic Oliver and Margaret Lockwood in ‘I’ll be your sweetheart’ – a very average English musical comedy which nearly all reports said was bum, with a capital B, and I went expecting the worst, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  It was very light, very stupid but there were some good old songs in it, and I felt that my 2 marks were far from wasted – it was a rather longer show than usual and I’ve not been back very long.  I had rather hoped to go down to Winterberg this evening and spend most of tomorrow there, but I’ve far too much work on and had to call it off.  The very wet snow which fell during the night put paid to our hockey and then we shall be able to play on Friday afternoon in lieu, but though there’s a thaw on the snow seems to be hanging around indeterminately (good word!).  The other one of my arrangements which has fallen through is my evening tomorrow with John Stephens, he sent a message through that he wasn’t able to make it and will be ringing me tomorrow.  The letters which he sent to Lois have an odd story attached to them.  Nora King’s letter to her cousins were duly taken up to Hamburg by a chap named Henry Podmore, but he apparently only spent one day in Hamburg itself and when he got back here some 3 weeks later he brought them back saying he hadn’t time to deliver.  Knowing that John was going up there I gave them to him to take, and in fact his second in command took them and on his way back called in for an answer, which he brought back gave to John, who in his turn sent them to Lois for Nora!  A bit complicated, but it puts you in the picture, I think!  Three parcels have gone off to you today – one containing my golf shoes, one some pants and vests, and one containing books and notebooks.  Apparently they only registered the golf shoe one, the books were too heavy and they sent them off unregistered, so I shall be rather relieved to hear that they have arrived safely.  The books are NOT required until 1^st April!  The sands of time are running out very fast now, and in my only one day over two weeks DV I shall be home.  I’m getting a bit anxious about my relief who hasn’t put in an appearance yet and is apparently on leave, though no-one knows when he went.  However he was told to be here on the 1^st March so now doubt he’ll fetch up in time – poor sucker!

Well, my little wizard, I must be leavin’ ye until the morrow and sayin’ goodnight to ye – I’ll be your sweetheart, darling, for always, and love you with  ALL my being.  God bless and take care of you, angel, ALL my love to you, to you only, now and always

                        Peter

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Peter C Benham, 9 Vint Crescent Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 28 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 1 Mar.

D -16

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Tuesday 26^th  February

9 pm.

My own most precious darling,

After a mail-less day yesterday I was delighted to be handed your Friday letter this morning, the one written ‘in great haste and considerable alarm’!  Alarm which I hope has been dispelled by all my letters after the ‘black’ week-end when I was suffering from an overdose of rather high level work, and after I had met one or two friends of mine who also are law students and who thought I was being a real mut to sit so early – but once and for all November it was and always has been, and will be.  Another thing at that time was our fortnight in Scotland which I just couldn’t see happening – I saw myself dashing home, catching the next train to Scotland and then being all clewed up at Gibson’s on the 2^nd!  I’m certain that we shall be much better off going up there in our own time in August, don’t you agree?

Leonard left this morning, and the whole show here is breaking up very fast – his ‘aspro’ (instant relief) seems a very nice chap young and keen and very willing.  I was sorry to see Leonard go, he has been a good friend and an A1 G3.  I had to go over to Dortmund at 10 ocl with Martin and the CCRA on a recce and Martin very cunningly slipped away at lunch-time leaving the CCRA and myself to finish the job.  We didn’t get back ‘til after 5 ocl and I had a long paper job to complete before the end of the day, and was still doing it at 7.  At 7.15 it was completed and I was away from the office like a rocket and you couldn’t see me for snow, quite literally so, as it started snowing at tea time, and the snow drops were still descending.  I didn’t bring anything back to the mess by way of work, but have a thickish day ahead tomorrow.  I had hoped that at any rate my last fortnight or so in the Army might have lent itself to some good ‘swans’, for most people it has, and that I’d be able to get out on the scrounge for a spot of loot etc, but I just can’t see it happening and I’m very doubtful if I shall be able to make that journey to Solingen, but I will if it’s humanly possible.  Still, always looking on the bright side (?), things might be much worse and it all helps to make the next 16 days go by that much quicker and that is all that matters – my eye was never more imperturbably fixed on the ball!  Dearest girl I must away to bed the noo – I’m sorry to have raised such a storm in a tea-cup, it won’t happen again I assure you, and you need have no doubts as to my taking and passing the Final at the first opportunity – God bless you, dearest girl and keep you.  Existing only to see you again and loving you so much more than somewhat,

yours and only yours

            for ever and always

                        Peter

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Peter C Benham, 9 Vint Crescent Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 28 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 26 Feb.

D -17

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Monday 25^th February

8.45 pm.

My own most precious darling,

            I have certainly got one stage nearer my release today, as my medical was completed this afternoon, without, from the medical angle, any untoward occurrences.  I was considerably taken aback when a female medical orderly handed me an old potted meat jar and said two doors up on the right hand side!  When, after some difficulty the job had been performed, I had to hand the jar + back to her, and the most frightful test-tube over Bunsen burner tests were carried out!  All was well, though.

            It has been a most amazing day, deep snow and a cloudless sky – considering the sun has been out all day, it has hardly thawed at all, an event I’m anxiously waiting for as we have hockey games laid on on Wednesday and next Sunday.  I had a really heavy day in the office and Leonard and his stooge didn’t get back from Winterberg until after lunch – they had started back yesterday evening but the roads were impassable and they had to leave it until this morning.  This, and the usual post weekend flood of bumph continued to fill up every minute this morning, and I was going hard at it until after 7 ocl and even now I’ve got an hour’s work at least to do before I go to bed – but I am well and truly justified by the thought that I have only to stick it for another week and can then really relax – Tomorrow I have to go out with Martin Bunch (he came back today) on a recce, on Wednesday (DV) we are playing hockey.  Thursday I hope to spend the day at Winterberg and in the evening am giving John Stevens dinner and a bed for the night.  Then Saturday and Sunday aren’t far off and the next week is my last on military duty.  It all seems just amazing and never do I think of it as the end of my army life or the re-start of my civilian life, always it is returning to you, and the start of our life together, what happy happy days are just around the corner now – thrilling just to think about.

Well, I suppose I must get on with the job I’ve brought back to do – so must say good-night to you, dearest girl.  I’m afraid this isn’t a very exciting letter, would that I could set down on paper the excitement that is my whole being nowadays – the strain of it will leave me like a limp rag when we meet, I expect!  God bless you, angel mine, and keep you.  I love you, darling, so very much, now and always forever I’m yours and only yours, with ALL my love and then some,

Yours for always

                        Peter

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Peter C Benham, 9 Vint Crescent Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 26 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 25 Feb.

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 24^th February

My dearest Maz

First of all I must thank you a whole lot for the magnificent ‘celebration’ cake which arrived on Thursday – it is an absolute beauty and there is no sort of doubt that it is the very best ever – I am eking it out ever so carefully.  During the week I’ve had 2  most welcome letters from you, dated the 12^th and 15^th – please thank the various senders of kind messages to me and say that I will not be writing (!) but hope to see them soon.  You seem to have been anything but an ‘Ellsworth’ recently, and hope you really will get down to see Aunt Beth at the beginning of March – Eileen told me of her visit, only fairly successful, to London, the other day, and that she had bought some theatre tickets for you – the housewives deserve and need as many excursions of this kind that they can get – well done the housewives!

The weather has been absolutely haywire here this week, sun rain snow wind and a thunderstorm!  The one day when we wanted it reasonably fine was Wednesday, when we went off to BOCHUM to play 3 Medium Regt in the first round of the Rhine Army Inter Unit competition – during the morning it kept clearing up after periodic blizzards, and we went over after an early lunch.  We had one blizzard in the first half and there was a bitter wind but it cleared up, and half way through the second half, when we were leading 3-0 another blizzard started, it got very dark, thundered, and this time didn’t clear, so we had to abandon the game.  That evening Peter Royle came over to have dinner with me and we had a most enjoyable evening, including a good old natter about the days in the 17^th.  Table tennis activities were confined to Tuesday evening when Leonard Olney and I had 2 matches, one at the Local General Hospital for the Corps HQ team, and the other at the barracks against another branch.  We both won our games at the Hosp and again up at the Barracks, where our win has just us at the top of the Inter-Branch league.

I was asked to play 2 matches this weekend in Brussels for Rhine Army v the Leopold Club and after a lot of harring and humming I decided not to go – it would have been very difficult as Martin Buick is away, and this is Leonard Olney’s last weekend, and at the time of my refusal there was no sign of a new G3 to replace him – he has arrived now, and Leonard goes on Tuesday.  If the weather in Brussels is anything like it has been here this weekend they will not have played – it has been snowing on and off (mostly on) since Friday and there must be at least 6 ins on the ground now.  As luck would have it we had no hockey arranged for this weekend and I spent most of the time since lunch yesterday (Saturday is now officially a half-day) either asleep(!) or sorting my kit out, in a fortnights time today (DV) I shall be ‘on my way’ with next stop HOME, and that thought caps all others now, home for ever – whoopee!   After all this I nearly forgot to thank you for the letter which arrived this morning, dated the 19^th I was very interested to hear about the Memorial Service for Hugh.  So I shan’t have the please of seeing you in the ‘demobbed’ mac – Busby did well to get it for £2 – but I still don’t like the ww at the back of the macs!  Are Ma and Pa J back at Mistley Place now? or have they retired?

In the work line I’ve been very busy again this week and shall continue to be until my relief comes in tomorrow week.  I shall be delighted to make his acquaintance!  I had a long chat with John Stephens on the phone the other day – he had got some letters from Hamburg for Nora King and he tells me he has sent them to you – one of his officers went up there recently.  He is coming up to have dinner with me on Thursday.  Well, little Maz, I must away and hop into a much needed bath – only 18 more days now.  I’m so longing to see you again, my love to Pari and Brian, much love to you,

            Yours as ever

very affectionately

                        Peter

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 26 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope Written Feb 24^th 1946 rec March 2^nd 1946 (11)

D -18

Head of Chad and “WOT! IN THE TEENS?

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 24^th February

6.15 pm.

My own most precious darling,

            Much to my surprise there was a mail both yesterday and today – surprised because the weather just couldn’t have been much worse – and in yesterday’s post your Tuesday letter and PC written in Harrods arrived, today your Thursday letter came.  You must surely be second to none in the letter writing line and I was delighted to hear all your news.  Your London trip may have been an abortive sortie from the shopping point of view but the day in Town will have done you good – would that I could have been with you.  Yes, as you so rightly say I could suggest at least one place where you could put the marmalade, but it would not be very practicable, so will refrain.  I have however put me thinkin’ bonnet on and there appear to be three places (a) sitting room (b) spare room (c) cupboard under Thorburn’s stairs.

The latter might be possible but only if you could erect some sort of shelf in either of the 3 following places.  Illustration.  Do you get the general idea or am I being rather as ass!  Anyway its food for thought.  I loved your excellent account of the day in London, only you can write an account of a day in that way – I was able to imagine you the whole time.  I’m glad the taxi driver only got his fare!  I had hoped to hear good news of a titfer and hope you may be successful yet – I was conjuring up visions like this: – illustration small, plain, grey felt.  I may still be being an ass, but it’s more food for thought!

            Darling, I wonder how old man Geernaer is coping with my suits – any news from him?  Unless he gets a slight shift on I’m only going to have me de-mob outfit to wear for quite some time, and it will soon develop sag-arse, shiny seat and baggy knees!  I’ve done very little since lunch-time yesterday – but feel that the rest and relaxation has done me good – I had planned a bit of a walk yesterday pm but it was sleeting hard all the afternoon, and, I kept well inside – I did a real spring clean of my room, have packed up the odd parcel, destroyed masses of old junk which I had accumulated during the past two years, junk which has now gone for a 100% Burton.  Nothing in that line will find its way to The Crescent that I promise you, and I’m being absolutely ruthless about it all.  Literally the only thing, apart from cleaning up, and 20 winks I had this pm, I’ve done since lunch-time yesterday have been a sojourn to the office this morning and a bath just before I started writing this letter.  In a blinding snow-storm this morning I walked up to the office where I got myself organised for the inevitable Monday morning (only one more in this army after tomorrow!) and I walked back to the Mess just before lunch – there must be at least 6 – 7 ins of snow and I came back in a most undignified manner.  Dick and Ted are down at the skiing centre at Winterberg, so things are pretty quiet here.  This afternoon I more or less completed my sorting out of kit, did up another couple of parcels (one of pants, vests etc and the other law books).  I heard this morning that this bloody awful weather has caused a day’s postponement in release sailings, but I’m told it only affects the current release group (Gp 24), so all is well for the 11^th – just 18 more days, my angel, and my whole being now revolves round our D day, my excitement and impatience know no bounds, and my thoughts and concentration are entirely ‘one-tracked’ – the track being YOU, my darling, and the heavenly thought of the resumption, this time never-ending of our partnership together – exciting, exhilarating thought.  Dearest girl, I must away to dinner which will be followed by a very early night. 

God bless you, my sweet girl, and keep you always, and let these 18 days go very quickly.  I love you, dear heart, more than ever and live just for you.  ALL my love is yours for ever and always

                        Peter

In envelope headed ‘O A S’ addressed to Mrs Peter C Benham, 9 Vint Crescent Colchester Essex.

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 26 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.   

On front of envelope 24 Feb.