Hoddom Castle

Sunday

 1^st August 43

My dearest Maz,

It was grand to hear your voice again last night, it was exactly 3 weeks since I had phoned to report my safe arrival at Langholm, 3 weeks that might quite easily have been 3 years – I’m afraid I must have sounded very queer on the phone but I couldn’t hear awfully well and was rather having to guess at your answers!

So very many thanks, Maz, for your 2 letters received since my letter to you last Sunday, I was so interested in all your news and do so hope you had an enjoyable day with Eva and ‘the Filbert’!  I shall be very interested to hear how you got on.  I do hope, that after all you will decide to take a holiday with Aunt Beth.  You must realize that you have been, and are, doing the work which 2 people did before the war and that you’ve been doing it now since that wizard visit to Dunkeld, very nearly a year ago, without a break.  I’m certain the break would do you an absolute power of good.  I only wish this wasn’t such an out of the way sort of place so that you could come up here for a week or so but Annan is the nearest place and I should only be able to get down latish in the evening and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  How tragic it is that we are not somewhere like Lauder or Dunkeld or even that that was more time for recreation – if only we could move to somewhere more civilized, but there’s no sign of that happening I’m afraid.

I went to the Colonel last Monday and asked him about the possibilities of my going on a Staff Course – he was very pleasant and seemed, at any rate not to discourage the idea – he said he would like to think it out and have a chat with the CRA about it and I have got to see him again tomorrow to get his verdict.

Stan and I had some very enjoyable golf yesterday afternoon, it was very hot playing and a storm blew up just as we had got into tea and it cleared again just as we had finished so we were very lucky.  I’ve just got back to the Mess for lunch after a Battery Church Parade this morning – the weather doesn’t look too good but I’m hoping for another smack at the golf ball after lunch.  The week has been a very dull one just routine jobs and an Audit Board and Court of Inquiry thrown in so you can imagine how busy I’ve been.  I hear rumours that we go to Redesdale on the 14^th for about 10 days but have heard nothing official about it yet.  A quarter of the time before our next meeting has now gone and a few visits to Redesdale and exercises will all help to make the time go quickly, but it just can’t go fast enough for me.

What a shock Musso’s resignation was – it really made one feel conscious that we are winning the war, but I hope Badoglio won’t dilly dally too long and so give the Germans time to infiltrate in strength into Italy.  I want to hear soon that he has accepted our terms of honourable but unconditional surrender.

I will write on Tuesday and let you know how my interview with the Colonel goes – I should say its about ten to one that he will say I’m too young and must have more experience, but there’s just a chance that something may come of it.  I am so pleased Eileen has had her board and do so hope that everything went off well.  I know how relieved she will be that it’s all over.

At the moment Robin and I are the only 2 officers left in the Battery all the others are away on courses of one sort or another, mostly on local courses some at Rhyl and one or two at Larkhill, it certainly won’t be through lack of effort on my part if I don’t get one of the next vacancies on any Larkhill course that’s going!  Maz dear, I must close do I shall be late for lunch – I will write without fail on Tuesday and give you the ‘gruff’ – take care of yourself and my love to Pari and Elli, much love to you

Yours ever

affectionately

Peter.

In envelope addressed to Mrs Gerald C Benham, 5 Oxford Road Colchester Essex.

Postmarked LOCKERBIE DUMFRIESHIRE dated 2 Au 43.    (4)