Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Tuesday 5^th February

My dearest Maz,

 When I got back yesterday evening I went straight up to the office and I found 2 letters from you waiting for me, many thanks Maz dear, and for the mags, a wonderful variety which I also found.  I was so tired last night that, after reading me letters, I laid me straight doon tae sleep.  You certainly seem to have had plenty of variety recently. I’m so glad the house decorating, or as much as is allowed to be done, has been completed and I hope before long the Parnell leg will be sufficiently well enough to permit an early resumption of Oxford Road cleaning.  The Noel Coward film you and Eileen saw must have been very good and I look forward to seeing it – Eileen said it was one of the best she had ever seen – also that the Rep standard has improved.  What colossal gales you have been having, the wind has been very strong here again today though it was only ‘fresh’ in Holland.  I can best describe the wonderful hockey tour as a day by day affair, it really was marvellous value.  We all forgathered up at BAOR HQ on Wednesday evening, and we were a most cheery collection of 15 officers.  On Thursday morning the party set off in 5 staff cars and after a wonderful run we reach the Hague just in the light at 5.30 pm.  That evening we spent quietly in the Officers’ Hotel which was our HQ throughout the tour, and it was to be our last quiet evening.  I was captain of the side and no captain ever had 15 nicer chaps in his team and it wasn’t always easy as only 11 could play in each game and the selection was left entirely to me, but never a word of criticism or sign of turning off came my way.  We were taken round the Art Galleries and House of Parliament on Friday morning and after lunch set off for Leiden where we played our first match v the University.  We won 4-1 after a shaky start.  PB got 2.  The evening saw our first official dinner and a very good one it was too, the students gave us a great party.  Saturday was our big game in Amsterdam v The Probable Dutch XI (in fact they will all play for Holland) and our first 15 minutes were disastrous – we were 4-0 down!  Thereafter we rallied and they beat us 6-2 in the end.  PB scored nil.  After the game we had a huge dinner given by the Dutch hockey Association, Union Jacks on the tables etc, and a great show it was.  Sunday was our last game v The Batavarian H.C. (a club of old internationals) and we beat ‘em 5-1 in pouring rain and strong wind.  PB scored 3.  Then in the evening our third and last dinner, given by the B.H.C., was a cracking success – they mostly had their wives with me, and during my third speech of the tour, my remark about the women and how sorry I felt for the flowers (lovely tulips on the tables) went down really big – everyone had had his/her fair share of the Dutch Gin!  I was very late that night, very tired, but well content with our efforts – we never expected to win our Saturday game.

Yesterday we left the Hague at 10 ocl and I stopped at the Twenteshe (?) Bank to see J. Van D but he had gone to lunch (it was 12.30!) and I just hadn’t time to chase out to his house.  I left a long note, some cigarettes and soap!  We didn’t get to BAOR HQ until 6 ocl and after hanging about for my car, and driving through the pouring rain it was 10.15 before I was back here.  I met many charming Dutch people and they seemed genuinely delighted with our visit – considering many of us were out of training, we gave them their money’s worth.  In our team we had one Welsh international and some 3 or 4 blues, the rest about county standard with only very few games during the war.

In 5 weeks time, I shall really be home for all time and I’m getting just thrilled at the thought and at seeing you again.  Many thanks again, little Maz, for your letters and the papers, longing to see you next month – early next month – 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 6 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.     

On front of envelope Written Feb 5^th 1946 rec Feb 8^th 1946 (7)

D -35

Chad image Wot! Only 5 more weeks?

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Thursday 7^th  February

10.15 pm.

My own most precious darling,

Today has only had one bright spot in it and that was this evening when I got back to the office at 9 pm to find your Saturday letter sitting right there on my table – I loved, as always, reading all your news and hearing all about Joan’s visit – a very bright idea on your part to get the Dunnant’s round and vice versa.  I was very pleased to hear that the books arrived safely – they didn’t take long, did they?  I will most certainly do all I can to get some more cutlery – I am almost certain to go in that direction before I come home, the only snag now is that for anything in bulk one must get an authority signed by the local Mil Gov people – but I think that can be got over by saying it is for the Mess!  Leave it to me, but don’t expect too much!  In order to enlighten you on the gong ribbon I enclose a small snippet, easier than drawing or trying to describe with any accuracy!  Bill’s letter came today, it was very good of him to write and I must drop him a line to thank him.

I’ve had one of those days when nothing has gone quite according to plan.  I left here at 9.15 and made my appointment right on the dot at 11 ocl.  We tooled out to the range but the most important chap didn’t appear and after hanging about for some time, gave it up.  It was then after 1 and having nothing much to do this p.m. I decided to whip along to his HQ (some 70 miles away) and see him – a RAF type.  I got there at 3 and waited til 4.30 before he appeared – he had gone to the wrong rendezvous!  We did our business and just on 8 ocl I was some 3 miles from home, pouring rain, when we took a wrong turning and the driver backed into a ditch!  Fortunately I got a lift back to camp and then had to hunt round for the ‘recovery’ vehicle and escort him down to the ditched car.  I got back into the Mess for a very late and rather tepid dinner at 9.30!  What a day, and am I tired, I’ll say so.

Ever since I got back on Monday it just hasn’t stopped raining and everywhere is flooded – I gather the Rhine is up to a record height and the bridge has been or is being washed clean away at Cologne.

My ‘doings’ has practically disappeared (no, it’s not that cold here!) and it’s a great relief and I hope I’ve seen the last of it for a long time.

Well, angel, unless I stop now and get to bed I shall just fall asleep as I write.  Roll on March, it just can’t come too quickly and I’m longing for our D day more than ever before and for that heavenly noise of penny insertion into phone box, bon-bon, your wonderful voice and our meeting in London and it’s only 5 more weeks to go.

God bless you, dearest most wonderful girl, and keep you.  ALL my love is yours,  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 9 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.     

On front of envelope 7 Feb.

D -36

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Wednesday 6  February

9 pm.

My own most precious darling,

A whole lot of thanks for your Friday letter which arrived this morning and for the many kind words and congrats on my MBE – the ECS was very quick on the draw – likewise the Telegraph and Essex Chronicle.  Yes, angel, it goes right after me name, at any rate that is the ‘done’ thing.  I very much doubt if I shall get to an Investiture, there are so many outstanding now that I just can’t see it happening, not this side of 1947 anyway, it would be rather fun wouldn’t it, and an excuse for a binge in Town!  I had very nice letters from Lois, Gerald and Brian today, Lois going to great lengths to say how she had never really expected it, Gerald taking the opportunity to announce his election to the Directorship of the Essex & Suffolk, and Brian his new car!  So everyone seems happy.  When you told me of Gerald’s job the other day I do seem to remember his telling me that he expected to fill Gurney’s place on the Board, though I can’t honestly say that I remember his turning off when not so elected – I think it must have been when I was in Scotland or round D day time.

Dearest heart, I’ve told you all my news, thanked you for many letters since my return on Monday but I must own up to having forgotten the most important thing of all – to thank you such a whole lot for the wizard present of that dispatch case, which has now risen considerably in value, and I just can’t thank you enough.

Our match last night against the unbeaten Q (Movements) team was very successful and we gave them their first beating – 7-3.  I didn’t get back to the Mess ‘til nearly 11 as the game started half an hour late owing to the lights fuzing, and after reading a few pages of an excellent book by Lady E. Smith, called ‘Magic Lantern’ I was soon asleep.  There is little of interest to report today and I’m now on night duty, tomorrow I shall be out most of the day looking round some rifle ranges and in the evening I may go along to see a Sonja Henge (?) film which is on all this week.  You will be pleased to hear that my what-not is better, and touching wood, I think the miracle has happened and that I have thrown off the flu germ.  I have one slight worry on my mind at the moment, arising from a letter received this morning from Gibson’s announcing the programme of their courses and requesting an immediate reply as to what I want to do.  The worrying thing is this – the 5 months class starting 9 May (ideal) will only be held in Guildford, the 6 month and 4 month in London – but the 6 month starts on April 2^nd, and hence the problem.  I wrote this pm telling them that I couldn’t possibly attend the Guildford course, (lectures start at 12 am) and also saying that the 2 April one would only give me some 19 days after being demobbed to settle down in, I have asked them for their advice, earliest  – all very tricky isn’t it.  if the worst comes to the worst I think I must do the 6 month course and our programme would them have to be re-adjusted as follows:-

14 Mar – HOME

21 Mar – Up to Dunkeld for 10 days

31 Mar – Return home

2 Apr – Start course at 2.15 pm.

The hours in London are good – the lectures are from 2.15 -3.45 on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fris, which, on those days will mean catching the 12.30 ? train up and 6 ocl train back giving me about 1½ hours at the Law Societies Hall after the lectures for a cupper and writing up me notes.  It is a problem though, what says you chum?  One must look rather to the future and so very much hangs on to my passing in November.  I was very disturbed to hear today that the food rations are to be cut to the war-time level – it really is a bugger, isn’t it?  But soon there will be 2 of us to cater for which won’t be quite so bad, or will it?  Now my dearest heart, I must awa the noo, I can hardly believe that in the absolutely small number of 35 days I shall really be home, how I wish it will just flash past – it won’t be long now, and oh! how I’m longing for it – if we have to curtail our visit to Scotland to 10 days, boy will we make up for it in August when the course breaks up for a month – God bless you, sweetest girl, always – I’m just LONGING for ‘this time 35 days’, and think of nothing but you, only you, and our wizard home.  ALL my love is yours for ever

            and always, and always will be

                        Peter

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 7 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.     

On front of envelope 6 Feb.

D -37

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Tuesday 5^th  February

6.30 pm.

My own most precious darling,

I have so much to write to you about that I hardly know where to begin – my various doings since I wrote to you on Sunday morning, my arrival back here rather late yesterday evening and my joy at finding your letters waiting for me in my office.  To take things in their proper order – after a very good lunch on Sunday we went over to a ground some 10 miles out of The Hague and there played our final match in the pouring rain and high wind.  We were very keen on winning our last game and after a goal-less first half, we all went flat out and won 5-1, of which my contribution was 3, to conclude the playing side of our tour – Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, goals for 11 goals against 8 – not at all a bad effort all things, especially our lack of training, being considered.  After the game the Batavarien Club gave us an excellent dinner in The Hague followed by a very boisterous dance (I played ping pong in a slightly drunken stupor most of the time!) and it was a very weary but sobered up Peter who crawled into bed at 1 am on Monday.  I was so physically tired and mentally fresh that I just couldn’t get to sleep, and like you the other night, pitched and tossed for ages before I became unconscious.   3 of us set off for home yesterday morning at 10.30 and after a very good run we fetched up at Bad Oeynhausen at 6 ocl.  My car didn’t arrive ‘til 6.45 and was only going on about one cylinder – it took 3½ hours to get back, but eventually we did and 10.15 saw me in the office eagerly gathering up my letters from you.  When I got back to the Mess I had some sandwiches and tea, unpacked, climbed into bed and joy of joys, settled down to read 3 letters from you, written on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday – many thanks, little letter writing hero.  I just lapped up and re-read every word of all of them – I hope Joan’s stay was a great success and that your throat is not too sore.  I like the sound of the bureaux – but if they don’t seem too good and you don’t get one or both, don’t worry, we shall find something in time and in the meanwhile I can always make do with a table.  Noel Coward’s film ‘Brief Encounter’ sounds excellent and I’m very much looking forward to seeing it – we will see it together somewhere if you don’t mind going again – I doubt whether it will come out here.  No, you hadn’t told me about John Smith not going back to the Law, I suppose he is wise and I’ve no doubt he will do very well with his Father in Law – I hope you manage to steer clear of the flu bug – on a raw carrot diet you will soon be disgustingly fit and make me look the colour of this paper!  I’m none too well myself tonight – one of the chaps in our car yesterday had flu I think and it will be a miracle if I don’t get it as well – I feel a bit like it but am gargling hard and hoping for the best!  Also, damn and blast it, that wretched pile of mine has reared its ugly head again – thank God its an external performer, I’ve got some stuff for it, and I know just where to put it!!  Tonight I’m playing in a very key table tennis match G v Q (Movements) in the knock out comp – they are rather hot and we shall do well to win – I shall come straight back to bed when it is all over – I had a very busy day in the office though I found it very hard to get down to it after 5 really good days away.  I saw Martin Buck this evening and my successor arrives on March 4^th, so in less than a month’s time I shall be so thrilled at the thought of arriving home that it won’t be true, it’s bad enough now.  I’m hoping, DV, to leave here on the 12^th (5 weeks today!) and be with you on the 14^th) it is just the most wonderful thought in the world.  Group 24 now goes out on the 14^th instead of the 18^th, so they may bring our date forward to the 10^th – how wizard if they do.  Tomorrow I’m on duty so I shall be writing from the office.  My only mail today was from Mrs Wilson which I am enclosing.  I hope soon to be able to let her have the exact date on which we shall be arriving – as a matter of a fact I did tell her the dates in my letter, though said they might be subject to a last minute alteration.  Isn’t it a heavenly thought, two weeks of sheer heaven with you, away from everyone and everything, free to do as we please and after it no good-byes, no trains to see off etc.  oh! angel I long for it all so terribly much, all of it with you, my dearest wife.  God bless and keep her always, I’m loving her so terribly much and will for ever and always – all my love is yours, until demain, au revoir,

            Yours, only yours

for  ever,

                        Peter

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 734 dated 6 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.     

On front of envelope 5 Feb.

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 3^rd February

From The Hague.

My dearest Maz

I know you will excuse this short note from here, but my time is not my own except for the odd hour in the morning but I go back tomorrow to Iserlohn and will write at length as soon as I return.  We are an extremely cheery little party – 15 of us and we forgathered on Wednesday evening ay HQ BAOR.  They gave us 5 staff cars and all Thursday was spent travelling – through Osnabruck, Enschede, Zutphen, Apeldoorn (I shall stop and see John tomorrow) and Utrecht – we got here at 5.30 pm – the Hotel, our HQ, is very comfortable.  On Friday afternoon we played Leiden University and beat them 4-1 afterwards a big dinner and many speeches, and as I am Captain of the team, I had to do my stuff!  Yesterday we played the Probable Dutch XI (it was a Trial game for them) and their training and fitness were too much for us and we lost 6-2 – they were extremely good.  Afterwards (we played at Amsterdam) we were given a terrific dinner by the Dutch Hockey Asⁿ!! (more speeches) with Union Jacks all over the place.  I wasn’t up ‘til 10 am and we play our final game this afternoon v Batavarien which is a travelling club of ex-internationals.  It is all great fun and a wonderful change from work!  You will have heard from Eileen that they have given me a M.B.E. – it is very gratifying and something to show for the last 18 months sIog – Maz dear I must away until Tuesday when I will write more fully – much love to you and to Pari and Elli.

            Yours as ever,

very affectionately

                        Peter  (only next month now!)

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 376 dated 4 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.     

On front of envelope Written Feb 3^rd 1946 rec Feb 5^th 1946 (6)

D -39

Chad picture with ‘Wot! NOT 30s ALREADY?

Major P.C. Benham,

G Branch

HQ 1 Corps District

BAOR

Sunday 3^rd  February

12.30

My own most precious angel,

I’m afraid this will be rather a short ‘un as I was up very late this morning, and have shortly to go down and join the rest of ‘les boys’ in a pre-lunch glass of beer.  It’s another filthy looking day, low grey cloud and pouring with rain, it may clear though before we play our final game at 3 pm against a team which I hope won’t be quite so strong as yesterdays.  We left here at 2 ocl and were at Amsterdam at 2.45.  There were some 2-300 spectators and the arena was well bedecked with Union Jacks etc.  The first 15 minutes were absolutely disastrous and the Dutch XI just walked through us to score 4 quick goals – thereafter we pulled back and they beat us 6-2 in the end, a result which everyone expected.  We had a wonderful dinner at the Hotel Victoria given by the Dutch Hockey Assⁿ, union jacks on the table etc, and the menu was, hors d’ oeuvres, soup, steak and veg, ice pudding wine and cigars – several girls were ‘imported’, mostly unattractive and 3 of us left early and went to a sort of night-club by our hotel here were we had a few drinks and so to bed.  I read for quite a bit and was asleep by 1 ocl – this morning I had tea and toast in bed and wasn’t up until 10.30!  A lot of them are staying here tomorrow, the chief attraction being a dance in the evening but as 2 others have to go back tomorrow, I shall go with them.  I’m just longing to get back to that pile of letters which I hope to find and whatever time I get back to Iserlohn I shall make a bee-line for the office.  Darling, this is a miserable letter but it comes to you just to let you know that I’m thinking just of you and loving you terribly, terribly much, the more I see of night-clubs and this that and t’other so much the more do I long for the time when you will be with me always.  God bless you, dearest heart, and keep you always – I love you so very much and will always be yours for ever

                        Peter

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 375 dated 5 FE 46.  Signed P.C. Benham.     

On front of envelope 3 Feb.