Major P.C. Benham

G Branch

HQ I Corps District

B.A.O.R!

Sunday 26 Aug 45

My dearest Maz,

This has been in nearly every way a most depressing week, but the gloom has been dispelled considerably by no fewer than 3 most interesting and welcome letters from you, for all of which many thanks.  I am so very pleased that you are really better and to hear that my words of advice have not fallen on deaf ears!  I was most interested to hear of John’s return, (Elli must have made an entry in his winnings book!)  Please give him my love when you see him next – I look forward to seeing him very much.  I also had a very nice card from Elli who seems to have kicked off very much on the right foot of his holiday, the change I know will do him a power of good.  How amazing it was that our letters should have crossed on the ‘Way to the Stars’ film – a real co-incidence as Mrs Carter would say.  So Eileen is now a civilian and her first few days of her new life were spent having a cold – however I’m glad she is better and she spoke most warmly of her very attentive ‘nurse’!  I have seldom known a more depressing week – the sun has hardly shone and the rain hardly ceased – today, what mercy, has for a change been sunny and quite warm, and Nigel and I had our usual Sunday afternoon single.  Good exercise and great fun.  The film this week was well worth seeing, the film of Daphne Du Marrier’s ‘Frenchman’s Creek’.  I enjoyed it though generally most people were rather disappointed – it was in Technicolor starring John Fontaine and Basil Rathbone.  We played our first game of hockey on Thursday afternoon against the General Hospital team – it was a League match and we won 9.2.  I must admit that I didn’t over-exert myself, scoring two goals.  Otherwise the week has been conspicuous for its amount of work and I shall be extremely thankful when my G3 returns, I hope tonight.

Charles I am very sorry to say is leaving us tomorrow – it is rather a blow as we have shared a room now for nearly a year – he is going to teach Regimental instructors how to teach (very involved) at a place called Goettingen, where I’m told there is a famous old University.  He may not be in the Army much longer as he expects to get out under Class B.  Several people have refused to take the Class B opportunity as they say they lose a spot of cash by it – it only makes me feel a bit more peeved than ever – I would take any opportunity to get out under any pretext at the very first possible opportunity!

The great bombshell of this rather depressing week of course was Isaac’s announcement about demobilisation of the Forces and the release of munition workers – it has caused widespread disappointment amongst everyone – the usual sarcastic remarks one hears are ‘the Govt (if there was an election tomorrow you can take it from me everyone would vote against the Socialists!) are going to give all the best jobs to the munitions works and damn the ex-serviceman’ though damn was not the word used by all.  All being well I should be out in March if I’m lucky – after nearly seven years full time years in the army – nearly seven years (6 and 8 months), Maz, it seems fantastic doesn’t it, it has shaken me to the core – articled in 1936 qualified, if I ever do, in 1946!  Yes, I shall qualify all right, don’t worry about that, though sometimes one can’t help feeling a wee bit bitter, can one?  Your holiday is now fast approaching and I know how much you are looking forward to it – may the weather be really kind to you.  I must close now, so many magazines have come this week for which many thanks – (I thought David Papillon’s letter was extremely wet!).  Much love, Maz dear, I do hope you are now feeling yourself again.

            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 27 AU 45.  Signed P.C. Benham.  

On front of envelope Written Aug 26^th 1945 rec Aug 30^th 1945.          (3)