Hoddom Castle

Tuesday 21 Sepr 43

My dearest Maz,

So very many thanks for your letter.  I loved as always reading all your news, fancy John Higson being back, he has certainly been away a long time and has done extremely well.  I really must apologise for not letting you know in my last letter our arrangements.  All being well I shall get back on the night of the 14^th and on the 15^th we nip off to Bournemouth until the 19^th so, says he.  I look forward enormously to meeting you and Pari in London that day, we can all have dinner together and then return to the old borough – how says you to the idea – to me it sounds a good ‘un.  I’m simply longing to see you again – Yes, it does seem ages since that last wizard leave we had, it’s getting on for 3 months ago.  Pari in his letter, to which I shall be replying in the near future, mentioned a game of golf on the 20^th, a scheme which seems excellent to me, tell him we really will know then blinking blocks off this time and we’ll have no more ‘just being beaten on the last green!!’  I can’t help feeling that leave arrangements, provided the dates aren’t altered are good, we can fairly get down to it on return from Bournemouth, all in cracking form and each with tales to recount of holidays well spent!  There will be a good nattering party at the Great Eastern at 7 ocl on Tues 19^th I can foresee!

Our exercise went off well though the weather rather misbehaved itself at times and also we didn’t finish until latish on Sunday instead of Saturday afternoon.  I was, as I told you a common-or-garden umpire and I must own up to the fact that I didn’t set out with any great feelings of keenness or desire to overwork – I didn’t.  It was satisfactory to note that my efforts on the 2 or 3 recces which I did for the CO were not wasted and all the positions which I selected as gun positions etc were adopted by him in toto and proved satisfactory.

I had to go over to Dumfries yesterday on a ‘discussion’ (again for the CO) and had quite an enjoyable day – lunch with some of my cronies at H.Q. R.A. and a good tea supplied by the NAAFI and paid for by yours truly.

A game of hockey has been fixed for next Saturday afternoon again another Field Regiment near Dumfries so that is something to look forward to – Stan will probably come over to spectate and we shall stop in Dumfries on the way back for food and a flick if there’s anything worth seeing.  On the strength of the impending hockey on Saturday I went for a long run in the cool of the evening and followed it up by a nice hot bath – I’m just beginning to feel a little stiff!

4 years ago next Thursday was that memorable day when Eileen amidst much blushing and cries of ‘oh how lovely’ and ‘I do like that one’ chose one of Mr Samuels expensive engagement rings – what a day and what a party we had that night at the George – I suppose every happily married man thinks he’s luckier than anyone else, I certainly do, and consider, as I always will, that I’m doubly lucky, in having, not only a wife who is quite ideal but parents likewise (2/6 all round!) and a family life which unfortunately I fear is the exception rather than the rule these days – may that happy state continue for a long time and may these enforced partings etc soon be something we can look back on.

Now, Maz dear, I must away to bed.

Much love to you and Pari and Elli.

Longing to see you again,

            Yours ever very affectionately

                        Peter

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

Postmarked FIELD POST OFFICE 736 dated 23 SP 43.         (12)